The Denver Broncos found a way to do it again. It being another wild fourth quarter comeback victory — this time against the hated Kansas City Chiefs.
The win is great and the team is 6-2 and in prime position to challenge for the AFC’s top seed again this season, but there is always room for improvement and none bigger than the run game.
Head coach Sean Payton was asked about the Broncos leading the NFL in defensive snaps and he confirmed that this was an offensive stat more than a defensive one.
“There’s a lot that goes into that,” Payton explained on Monday. “That’s a stat I don’t like. It’s a stat that on offense, we have to do a good job of possessing the ball. So that’s something that we pay attention to.”
Possessing the ball and sustaining drives is a function that falls far more on the run game than on Bo Nix. Sorry to all you Bo Nix haters out there, but he’s having to try to overcome an anemic rushing attack on every drive which has led to Denver being among the league leaders in three-and-outs.
Payton mentioned the run game too and said they are working on that and feels like it will get better.
“I think we’re continuing to work at it,” Payton said. “There were some glimpses yesterday. There were also some looks yesterday that we felt could have been blocked better. We’ll continue to work on that, and that’s something that we definitely feel like there’ll be improvement with.”
Until yesterday, I would have disagreed with him. Why? Because of his unwavering commitment to J.K. Dobbins up until halftime on Sunday. I have nothing against Dobbins and appreciated his time in Denver, but its clear he is missing something this year. Something that Jonah Coleman seemed to have.
Payton finally saw it too and the result was a second half emergence of Coleman as a featured back for Denver. He was a big part of their comeback and why I think Payton might be right that the run game might be improving greatly in the coming weeks.
Broncos daily recap
Will the Broncos’ big win against the Chiefs make them NFL trade deadline buyers?
Another gutsy performance by the Denver Broncos has catapulted them to the top of the AFC West. Will that cause them to go all-in as buyers at the NFL trade deadline?
Broncos Stock Up, Stock Down: Week 8 vs. Chiefs
At one point, the Denver Broncos trailed the Kansas City Chiefs by the score of 24-13 late in the third quarter and things looked dire. The offense was stacking three-and-out drives, and the defense could not tackle rookie running back Emmett Johnson.
Game balls for the Broncos comeback win over Chiefs in Week 8
What a comeback. What a stand. The Denver Broncos seized control of the AFC West from the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
Potent quotables
Sean Payton
On keeping players focused before the Bye Week and if they have extra time off today
“They have a little extra time off today. They’ll all come in, they’ll get a lift, they’ll watch the film. I think the first question about focusing on the next game, that starts way back when you’re putting your team together with the right type of guys and the right type of focus. Everyone understands each week, each game, a different challenge, a different approach as to how to win. That would be that.”
On why QB Bo Nix has more batted passes than in the past
“We’ll evaluate them. Sometimes it’s a good play by the defensive line. Some defensive lines are coached very well. Other times it’s protection issues. I would say both happened yesterday. There were some protection issues, technique issues that put a guy right in his face that we have to clean up.”
On S JL Skinner’s tackle during the goal-line stand and how the team’s depth in the defensive backfield has contributed
“They’ve been significant for us. A lot of these young guys we’ve drafted that are getting more and more playing time. It’s a little bit of our league, and you just hope you’re in a position with depth at those spots.”
On WR Jaylen Waddle’s performance on Sunday against the Chiefs and opportunities to expand his role
“Absolutely, let’s keep going. It’s something that’s going to be important for us. He’s dynamic, he’s quick. Each week as we gameplan, it was a little bit more challenging last week because Wednesday he didn’t go and there’s that uncertainty. We’re going to need his plays down the stretch.”
Under the radar
The Feed
11 for 105 vs 6 for 45
In a game that figured would be loaded and primed for turnovers and penalties to determine the outcome of the game - was half right - there were NO turnovers as zero INTs thrown by either QB and the 2 fumbles by the chefs were recovered by the chefs and the one by the Broncos was recovered by Trautman - he plays for the Broncos in case anyone didn't know as he's a TE so anyone not knowing could be forgiven - though had a couple of catches too which outdid the Flex TE Engram with 3 targets and zero catches - ugghhh.
So that leaves penalties and oh boy howdy were they a factor in this game - none less than Grandpa Reid losing his mind in his post-game presser concerning the false start - that he swears wasn't. Chefs go 11 for 105yards in penalties with Broncos reigning in their normally leading penalties to a 6 for 45 yards - it made a huge difference in this game. Grandpa Reid's presser was one for the ages - babbling on & on, looking dumbfounded as if they'd asked him where his car keys were right now and totally being caught clueless. Am sympathetic to Big Red - NOT - this is the chefs the team that's ate and dined with the Haute Taute NFL refs for the past decade at their table. Whether it was a false start or not - I don't give a damn - play it over in your head Grandpa Reid, and keep spouting it to anyone that will listen while they're wheeling you in somewhere in KC into your new residence - Windy Hills Memory Care Rest Home. Nobody cares about the chefs whining about calls - and they got a bunch, double digits this game and it cost them. Even Kelce stalled out a drive on a false start early leading to a 3 and out - something the Broncos know about.
Grandpa Payton on the other hand had a far more circumspect presser, leaning on humility knowing the chefs won the game, until they didn't. I had a football coach once, a cerebral dude taught a science class rather than the normal PE for a football coach, and he summed it up when we were losing games but winning on the stats sheet - we're winning the games, but manufacturing losses. That's the Broncos from an opposite perspective - they're losing the games but manufacturing wins. I think Grandpa Payton is fully aware of that too and is right now like all of us ecstatic to see the scoreboard with a 6-2 record.
One moment stopped me in my tracks on Payton's presser - his outright hatred for the NFL HQ. He was asked what this 200th win meant and he almost choked up and was about to shed a tear - when all of a sudden, he broke out with one of my types of history lessons. Payton sounded like a mob boss who'd survived assassination attempts as he went into detail literally saying "they tried to kill me" or "tried to bury me" forget which and referenced the 2012 yearlong suspension put onto him by the NFL. There are things that am enamored with Payton on, some eh, sort of kinda and some like WTF. This is one am enamored on, not necessarily his specific cause, but overall, Roger "the rabbit" Goodell being his target of enmity. You could feel Payton's hatred for Goodell and the NFL executives. Call me good on that as sometimes it's not the better man that forgives - this is a deep-seated hatred that is understood.
Being a few years older than Payton, and having ridden that roller coaster that life can bring with it am fortunate never have had to deal with the type of cold fear that Payton obviously had in wondering if he'd ever be back on an NFL sidelines again - and if think it's not real - not one of my favorite people yet his football acumen belies the fact he's still not coaching in the NFL. Jon Gruden can attest to Payton's paranoia being in fact with cause!
We're better off obviously that Payton's on the sidelines rather than the Spaceman Harbaugh whom I never figured was real just a leverage candidate using the Broncos and as far as my other choice over Payton or equal to DeMeco Ryans - who cares he's in Houston and Payton's in Denver, it just doesn't matter.
Bo Nix film breakdown vs. Chiefs in Week 8
Tim Jenkins coming in hot! Bo Nix haters get in here and tell us how much he sucks.
Rec 11