Broncos Defensive Mavens Aren't Giving Up on 2020 Season Despite 0-3 Start
The Denver Broncos are coming off their third straight loss to open the season after falling to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28-10. Whereas in Weeks 1 and 2, the Broncos had a chance to win the game in the closing minutes, this team was blown out with authority by Tom Brady and company in Week 3.
Sitting at 0-3, the odds aren't favorable when it comes to turning the Broncos ship around and getting back into the AFC hunt. Without stars like Von Miller, Courtland Sutton, Drew Lock, Phillip Lindsay, and A.J. Bouye, the Broncos seem to have listed and are adrift at sea.
However, Denver's defensive mavens aren't throwing in the towel yet. The NFL season is a war of attrition and the Broncos have lost their first three battles but there are many, many more to go.
“It’s a long season. Three games doesn’t define your season," rush linebacker Bradley Chubb said on Sunday. "It’s a long 16 weeks, so we have 13 more opportunities to go out there and play football. We can’t let three games get us down and quit on ourselves. At the end of the day, it’s a long season."
Chubb struggled to generate pressure in Week 3 as he continues to work back from a torn ACL. He came close to getting a sack on Brady, which would have been his first of the year, but it ended up being ruled a one-yard gain.
Defensive end Shelby Harris had a heck of game vs. the Bucs, though it came in a losing effort. With two sacks and a tipped pass on third down, Harris made a massive impact but without the win to go along with it, the sweet taste of his individual success turned to ashes in his mouth.
“My stats mean nothing if we get the loss," Harris said post-game. "At the end of the day, all I care about is winning and we’ve got to win."
The Broncos are at risk of allowing the wheels to fall off and digging themselves an early hole so deep, they won't be able to climb out of it. Although to fans on the outside looking in, 2020 feels the same as last year, Harris echoed Chubb in his belief that this year will be different and that Denver can get back on-course.
“We’re not going to allow it to feel the same," Harris said. "I still think there is a lot of optimism. What you’ve got to realize is, every man in that locker room is still fighting his tail off every day. I have no doubt in my mind we are going to get this turned around.”
If the Broncos can get a win vs. the 0-3 New York Jets, it could provide the type of confidence-booster this team needs to hold on for dear life long enough for Lock to return. If Lock gets back sooner rather than later, maybe this team has a shot.
But until other problem areas are fixed — like the O-line pressure, middle-of-the-field coverage, and poor coaching decisions — the Broncos 2020 ship could continue to list. If the Broncos sit at 0-5 when Lock returns, statistically speaking, there's next-to-no chance of overcoming that. Even 1-4 would be highly, highly unlikely obviously.
It is the NFL, though. Stranger things have happened. Just don't bet on it. When the Broncos lost every star player on the team in a matter of two weeks, that was the harbinger for how 2020 is likely to turn out for this team despite the best-laid plans of GM John Elway and head coach Vic Fangio.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.
