Broncos at Bengals: The No Bull Overview

Lacking alternatives is the story of this sport for the Denver Broncos. As big miracle play after miracle play occurred, the Broncos simply couldn’t capitalize at any level of the sport to place the Cincinnati Bengals away.

I believe it’s good to have some perspective that even when the nice guys misplaced, it was a playoff environment that our fan base hasn’t skilled in far too lengthy. This was what you need to see in a sport on the finish of the season: drama, huge performs, and emotional moments on each side of the sector.

The house cooking from the refs on this sport was an enormous issue identical to in our loss to the Chiefs. The Broncos protection was held to a totally completely different normal than the Bengals and it’s actually fairly pathetic. The sport wouldn’t make it to extra time if the principles had been known as evenly because the Bengals obtained away with interference ultimately zone however had been recipients of calls of the identical nature a number of instances within the sport (and likewise obtained away with offensive go interference on one in every of their touchdowns).

And on the finish of the day, the Broncos misplaced as a result of they simply couldn’t cease the Bengal offense or do sufficient on offense to maintain the ball away from them. On each side of that coin, I noticed an absence of expertise on the roster and extra questionable teaching selections than you may shake a stick at.

Offense

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Sean Payton’s play calling on this sport was actually baffling to look at. He’s grow to be far too predictable on calling screens, nonetheless confirmed bother getting the performs in on time to keep away from burning timeouts, and was calling performs too many instances conservatively to not lose as an alternative of assertively going out and profitable the sport.

One choice that I actually didn’t like was on the finish of the half. The offense didn’t run a Hail Mary play on the finish and it boggles my thoughts. There was no danger in attempting and but with a playoff place at stake, Sean Payton was content material to simply head to halftime. There was loads of time to line up and go for it.

Quarterbacks

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As a lot as we’ve loved this spectacular rookie season of Bo Nix, he’s nonetheless a rookie and his sport this week confirmed a whole lot of rookie.

Nix took two of essentially the most horrible sacks I’ve seen on the finish of the primary half. He’s usually superb at rolling out and avoiding sacks, however he was lifeless to rights on the 2nd sack and had loads of time to throw the ball away. I’ve seen him throw it away many instances this season, however for some purpose, he didn’t need to let this one go and it value the staff an enormous chunk of yards.

On the optimistic aspect, he threw such a beautiful fade go to the nook of the top zone for a landing to Sutton. There was no potential means for the defender to influence the play because it was a superbly positioned ball.

We will simply be achieved with any point out of a weak arm in terms of Nix. His lengthy landing go to Mims was over 50 yards within the air and positioned fairly darn properly.

His different landing to Mims was actually a 50/50 ball. It was 4th down and I noticed this go as Nix largely simply attempting to make an enormous play. It labored thanks largely to the hassle by the receiver on the play. I believe on the finish of the day the go could possibly be known as gutsy or dangerous and neither take is flawed.

His late interception regarded supremely terrible however was attributable to successful on his arm. He had an open man operating to the publish in the midst of the sector and Sutton on a crosser. I couldn’t inform which it was, however I don’t label that interception as a foul throw per se.

Line

One factor this line confirmed is that if in case you have a again who makes use of imaginative and prescient and has the quickness mandatory to chop, they will get the run sport headed in the precise path.

Whereas there have been two sacks within the sport by the Bengals, I actually place these on the quarterback greater than the road. Positive, there have been clearly defenders that broke comprise, however the quarterback clearly had time to bail out on the play and may have.

Operating Backs

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Jaleel McLaughlin began off the sport with a 13-yard run and largely simply stored gashing the Bengals off inside zone ideas. It’s a crying disgrace that we are able to’t simply snap our fingers and add just a little top and dimension to him as a result of he’d be phenomenal as a #1 again if he had been simply larger. He ran with actually nice imaginative and prescient on this sport and was masterful at weaving round defenders to get yardage.

Audric Estime regarded actually good as an outlet receiver with a first-down conversion early. He was used as an influence runner in a number of short-yardage conditions and didn’t wow on the stat line (2.7 ypc), however I nonetheless have hopes for his growth. If he can get the blocking sport down, he could possibly be an excellent again for us sooner or later.

Javonte Williams obtained simply the correct quantity of carries on this sport for the primary time all season (0). He’s nonetheless utilized as a blocker on key downs and an outlet receiving possibility on performs, however his two catches netted a complete of 0 yards.

Receivers

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You like to see Marvin Mims, Jr. silence the group with jets that the Bengals couldn’t sustain with. You may’t train velocity and Mims simply flat-out has it. On 4th and 1 his landing catch ultimately zone was simply wonderful. He blocked out his defender with what dimension he has and made a superbly timed bounce to safe the much-needed rating.

Cortland Sutton is such an enormous a part of our offense and in video games like these, I simply want he might get separation like he did a few years in the past. If you add his dropped passes together with what number of balls go incomplete to him as a result of the defender will get to contest, it makes it exhausting to argue that Sutton is a real #1 WR. I’m very grateful he’s right here although, as our offense can be crippled with out his contributions.

Devaughn Vele ran a easy route with two defenders and confirmed each nice focus and mushy fingers to make the catch.

Protection

Even with the return of Riley Moss, Vance Joseph had no solutions to the Bengals’ offense. It wasn’t for lack of attempting both. Joseph threw the kitchen sink at Joe Burrow and it was by no means sufficient.

I put that extra as an indication of a quarterback who’s on absolute fireplace and has an offense stacked with weapons than I do as an indication of a poor protection on the finish of the day.

I believe a mean protection provides up 50 factors on this efficiency by the Bengals. They didn’t do sufficient to win the sport, however drive after drive I couldn’t assist however assume that the protection was enjoying in addition to they may.

Entrance 7

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Zach Allen was an absolute monster on this sport and would have gotten my sport ball if we received. He crushed the inside within the 4th quarter getting a much-needed sack on Burrow. The Bengals couldn’t preserve him contained for many of the sport and he was continually creating stress when Burrow’s first throw was coated. He ended the sport with 7 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 2 tackles for loss, and 6 quarterback hurries.

Nik Bonito is such a flexible soccer participant at OLB. He defended a go early dropping right into a zone. In a key play on 4th and a pair of, he performed his edge completely and compelled a possession-changing cease. Sadly, later in extra time he additionally bought out to the skin on a run with a foul angle that allowed the Bengal’s again to chop inside on him for an enormous acquire.

Jonathan Cooper had a special gear within the third quarter and it took the Bengal’s proper deal with utterly abruptly as he looped round him for a sack. He additionally chipped in a deal with for a loss and a pair of hurries on the day.

Dondrea Tillman wants some No Bull love. He’s had a sack in 3 straight video games now and is de facto exhibiting some chops as a rotational edge rusher. He additionally had a deal with for loss and hurry on the sport. That’s not a foul stat line for less than 20 snaps on the day.

Secondary

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Riley Moss obtained a ton of consideration in his return to the sector. It was up and down, however you need to anticipate a whole lot of motion when you’re throughout from Surtain. Coming off an damage, I believe he performed in addition to you possibly can ask of him towards a stacked offense. It was a tough outing for certain, however I assure you this protection was higher with him on the sector as an alternative of resting him for an additional week. What I cherished seeing most was the battle of the younger participant. He stored getting after it even after the dangerous beats.

McMillian flat-footed on the landing go on the finish of the primary half. He wasn’t prepared for the receiver chopping inside and gave up a straightforward rating.

One factor I believe that’s lacking from this protection is a extremely good security. It was uncommon to see P.J. Locke influencing performs (which is a sample I’ve observed). Brandon Jones I believe is an effective SS and performs properly sufficient. Neither participant is threatening sufficient to influence the sport in a big means. When you take a look at their stat traces, it’s only a bunch of tackles.

Particular Groups

It wasn’t the rationale that we misplaced the sport by far, however Riley Dixon’s punts in extra time left a lot to be desired. The primary solely obtained 40 yards with an honest dangle time, however I don’t assume that’s the punt you need in extra time kicking from the 14-yard line. The second needed to have been kicked poorly because it solely went 37 yards.

Last Ideas

This wasn’t the result we wished to see from our younger staff. The battle was there, however we couldn’t make sufficient performs to win.

I’m going to circle again to Sean Payton, although. On the finish of the sport, he modified his thoughts and kicked an additional level, which was completely the flawed choice.

He noticed this Bengal offense have their means with the Bronco protection for 4 strong quarters. Which means your staff is at an enormous drawback in extra time except you get the ball first and rating.

Positive, the offense wasn’t doing nice, however there are too some ways to win on the two-yard line. Nix’s legs, scramble performs, RPOs, and even simply Estime up the intestine might have received the sport. Even when it was solely a 40% likelihood, that’s a better likelihood to win than going into extra time towards an offense you haven’t been in a position to cease all day.