The Good, Bad, & Ugly from Broncos' 17-13 Loss to Raiders
In a game that likely closed the door on any playoff hopes, the Denver Broncos lost a hard-fought contest against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 16. Broncos Country's hopes were dashed as the team could not overcome the challenge that has plagued it the entire season: the inability to score enough points.
To make matters worse, the Broncos failed to capitalize on three defensive turnovers. Denver had an opportunity to leverage the change of possession to seize the moment and place the Raiders on the defensive but a lack of execution on both sides of the ball was too costly.
As we continue the post-mortem on Denver's eighth loss of the season, let's get to the good, bad, and ugly from Week 16.
The Good
The Defense
Although the defense allowed the Raiders to control the clock and allow running back Josh Jacobs to gain 129 yards on 27 attempts, the unit kept the Broncos in the game. Vic Fangio’s defense held quarterback Derek Carr to a respectable 201 passing yards and one touchdown.
However, by not making more aggressive calls in key third-down situations, Fangio allowed the Raiders' offense to dictate the pace of the game and limited the Broncos' opportunities to score more points.
Defensive tackle Shelby Harris and outside linebacker Bradley Chubb wreaked havoc in the pass game. Both leveraged their size, strength and athleticism to created timely turnovers but the defensive star of the game was reserve linebacker Jonas Griffith.
In his second start of the season, Griffith led the team with 13 tackles (six solo) and two tackles for loss. It was a good foundation to compete for a starting role next season.
The Bad
The Offense
You must score more than 13 points in the NFL to win football games. The Broncos' offense lacked intensity and willingness to be physical, key contributors to the unit's ultimate lack of production. The hallmark of the Broncos' success has been the ability to run the football in order to wear down opponents.
Against the Raiders, running backs Melvin Gordan and Javonte Williams could only muster a combined eight yards on 14 carries. After 15 games, its clear opposing defensive coordinators have a read on how to corral the Broncos.
An obvious indicator of the offense's struggles was its 1-of-10 conversion rate on third down. Credit to the Raiders' defensive front as it manhandled the Broncos' offensive line and kept quarterback Drew Lock under constant duress.
Unfortunately, the Broncos' O-line did not show up in the most important game of the season. It was truly shocking and disappointing since the unit has played well most of the season.
The Ugly
Collective Dereliction of Duty
Both Broncos players and coaches own Sunday’s loss. Both groups did not compete at a level necessary to win against an opponent that truly knows their strengths and weaknesses.
In the most important game of the season, the Broncos missed their moment to shine. Players competed but not enough to win sufficient one-on-one battles.
While coaches appeared to have the team prepared but Fangio and company were slow to adapt and act fast enough to blunt the Raiders' game plan when things began to go sideways. At 7-8, it feels like this is just who the 2021 Broncos are.
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