Steelers 27, Broncos 19: The Good, Bad, & Ugly
Despite a late come-from-behind attempt, the Denver Broncos failed to overcome their lackluster play of the first three quarters, falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-19. The Broncos appeared overwhelmed by the Steelers' physicality on Sunday.
After two straight losses, it feels like the Broncos are still a team in search of an identity. Coaches and players alike must decide what they'll do differently to get back on the winning track.
Meanwhile, we continue our postmortem of the Broncos' second loss of the season. It's the Good, Bad, and Ugly from Week 5.
The Good
Javonte Williams | RB
Williams is a star in the making. He continues run the ball with a 'never say die' attitude. His legs never stop churning. The rookie rushed for 61 yards and averaged 7.6 yards on eight carries.
Williams' teammates should take notice of the impact his physical play has on his opponents. Due to his performance, 'Pookie' should earn the bulk of the carries.
No Quit
Giving the Steelers credit, they controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The Broncos were outplayed and out-coached.
However, despite being down most of the game, Denver continued to fight its way back and put itself in position to potentially force overtime. The takeaway? There are consequences to not competing in all four quarters.
The Bad
Mistakes: Mental & Physical
Faux pas in key situations cost the Broncos points and yardage. A self-inflicted penalty by Dre’Mont Jones on a field goal attempt allowed the Steelers to continue their drive and score a touchdown, placing the Broncos into an unrecoverable position.
Denver's offense continues to struggle on third down, converting a sad 2-of-12 (17%) at Heinz Field. The offensive line and running backs were confused on the blitz pick-up assignments speaking to a lack of preparation and focus. Denver's communication issues are a weakness that defensive coordinators are scheming to exploit. Improving third down performance is critical to calling off the dogs.
The Ugly
The Defense
Over the last two games, the Broncos have not played like a top-5 defense. The past two opponents executed clock-killing long drives at critical moments that kept the Broncos' offense on the sideline.
In the trenches, the defensive line is not being physical enough at the point of attack. While the well-publicized secondary was tested and found wanting, opposing coaches are using different formations and motion to expose the Broncos' defensive backfield. Overall, the defense needs to be tougher and recapture its aggressive mindset.
Vic Fangio | Head Coach
Fangio's defensive play-calling missed the mark. The well-respected defensive czar allowed Pittsburgh to dictate the terms and the flow of the game. Despite the injuries piling up, the Broncos' defense has sufficient talent to take a more aggressive approach in attacking opponents.
That also means placing your players in the best position to affect the game. Assigning Von Miller to cover a wide receiver is probably not the best use of his rare talent.
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