3 Takeaways from Broncos' 17-13 Loss to Raiders in Week 16
The Denver Broncos entered Week 16's road bout with the Las Vegas Raiders in what was a playoff-like atmosphere as both squads remained in the hunt in the AFC and on very thin ice. The deeply ingrained rivalry between Broncos Country and Raider Nation was only intensified with postseason hopes literally on the line.
Starting quarterback, and team captain, Teddy Bridgewater was sidelined due to a concussion sustained last week, forcing Vic Fangio to give the third-year Drew Lock the starting nod. The last time Lock led his team into Las Vegas, he threw four interceptions in a humiliating 37-12 beatdown at the hands of the divisional foe.
This time, Lock played a flawless form of football that did not include any turnovers. Despite this, Denver lost its eighth game of the season as the Raiders emerged victorious 17-13.
Stick a fork in them, the Broncos are done, folks. Did this game provide anything of merit to take home?
Let’s sift through the ashes of this most recent loss and review three key takeaways.
McManus vs. Fangio is Embarrassing
The Broncos are the only team in the NFL that consistently features their head coach and kicker locking horns. Cryptic social media tweets in the past from Brandon McManus and less-than-complimentary press remarks from Fangio have suggested that the water in the room is at the very least tepid between both men.
In Las Vegas, we once again witnessed a spat between the head coach and kicking specialist. McManus originally connected on a 49-yard field goal to give the Broncos their first points of the game in the second quarter.
But when the team captain was tasked with completing a 55-yard attempt late in a third-quarter rally by Denver, he kicked the ball wide, wide left. Sure, it wasn't anything new for a kicker to miss a long attempt, but when McManus trotted back to the sideline, it seemed like unpleasant words were exchanged between him and Fangio.
McManus is the lone remaining player from the Super Bowl 50 roster and the longest-tenured guy on the team. He’s a team captain who has been a model of consistency,
Prior to Sunday's game, McManus had connected on 21-of-25 field-goal attempts and 28-of-29 extra points. ‘BMac’ is respected in the locker room as the Broncos' NFLPA representative and respected in the community which has flourished as a result of his various charitable efforts.
Then there’s Fangio, who’s wildly respected by NFL coaches for his defensive philosophy and is in his third year as Denver's head coach. He boasts a record of 19-28 after falling to the Raiders on Sunday and has garnered more criticism than praise from media and fans during his time in Denver.
Something’s got to give because this feud of kicker vs. head coach is yet another embarrassing footnote in what’s shaping up to be another losing season.
Jeudy Temporarily Sighted in Las Vegas
Last week’s brutal home loss to Cincinnati was especially ugly for second-year wideout Jerry Jeudy, who was shut out in the game and subsequently caught up in a social media beef with Cincinnati cornerback Eli Apple. Coming into Sunday's matchup, the former Alabama star had logged 33 receptions for 377 yards and has not scored this season.
Some folks attribute Jeudy's lack of success this season to the caliber of player he is. But the underutilization of the 22-year-old this season has fallen largely on Broncos' OC Pat Shurmur.
When Bridgewater was brought to town after being hand-picked by Paton and Fangio, we all knew exactly the type of QB Denver was getting. Time and time again, Bridgewater has proven he’ll only throw to wide-open receivers and prefers the safe checkdown as opposed to throwing receivers open.
Instead of making Jeudy the primary target from the slot, he has consistently been the third read in the progression and nonexistent to Bridgewater. But Sunday was different as the Broncos' offense was operated by Lock.
It didn’t take long for the third-year signal-caller to find Jeudy. Down 7-0 early in the second quarter, Lock delivered a strike to Jeudy on a deep over-route for a 40-yard catch and run. The huge play was the longest catch of Jeudy’s 2021 season and the second-longest of his two-year career.
The most maddening part about watching these successful plays with Jeudy is that once they’re made, that’s it and you don’t see many opportunities to replicate similar results. I previously suggested the offense be simplified for Lock which seems to be the case on this specific play.
It’s no secret that Lock loves to target the right side of the field, and when it comes to high-low reads that produce significant yardage through the air, the simpler, the better. Jeudy finished the day as the team’s leading receiver with three catches (on four targets) for 60 yards.
Chubb Shines in the Black Hole
Fourth-year rush linebacker Bradley Chubb is finally starting to settle into his role after GM George Paton dealt Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams in early November. In the first half of this game, Chubb made the best play of his 2021 season.
On a 1st-&-10 with just 26 seconds left in the first half, the Broncos trailed the Raiders 7-6 when Chubb jumped up and intercepted an intended screen pass from Derek Carr. The 6-foot-4, 275-pounder showcased his impressive athleticism and vertical leap as he was seen coming down with the football and nearly returned the pick for a score before getting tackled at the 1-yard line.
Just a few seconds later, Javonte Williams rumbled into the end zone for the first Broncos' lead of the day. 13-7.
Prior to Sunday's matchup, Chubb had only played in five games this season after battling a nagging ankle injury, and later, a shoulder issue. As a former first-round draft pick in 2018 (No. 5), the former N.C. State star exploded into the league as a rookie with 12 sacks, two forced fumbles, and started all 16 games.
Since then, however, Chubb has been snake-bitten with injury and has found limited success in Fangio’s defense. Entering Week 16, Chubb had logged 11 tackles (six solo), two QB hits, and one tackle for a loss. Zero sacks.
The Broncos exercised the fifth-year option on Chubb’s rookie contract last spring, which will guarantee a $12.72 million salary in 2022. This decision came on the heels of him earning his first Pro Bowl nod in 2020 after recording 7.5 sacks, despite Malik Reed finishing the season as Denver's sack leader with 8.
Against the Raiders, Chubb played with an exceptionally high motor and energy. His consistent burst off the line of scrimmage, low pad level, and quick feet were welcome signs of his potential which still excites the organization.
Chubb totaled five tackles (one solo), one interception, and one QB hit. While it can be hard to get a read on whether he will continue to impact games consistently, there’s no doubt that he’s trending up when the Broncos need him most.
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