Broncos at Payments: The No Bull Overview

Earlier than this sport, I had informed my household that we’re doubtless going to lose by double-digits. The Buffalo Payments are high to backside a greater roster that has had constantly good teaching for an extended stretch. I had stated if we play this sport 10 occasions, I believe the Denver Broncos could possibly win certainly one of them.

So on the finish of the day, I’m probably not stunned by how this sport went. I’m disillusioned in some points to make sure. We’ll analyze what went improper, then I’m turning the web page to what appears like a really thrilling offseason for this crew.

Infamous Ref Observe

The Payments’ third-quarter landing was not a accomplished catch. The participant’s foot touched out of bounds and the ball was rolling in his arms making that an incomplete because of the participant being out of bounds. I had figured we’d see calls like this from Invoice Vinovich however hoped we wouldn’t. That was a crucial down at a crucial level within the sport with the crew solely down by 6 the place if the decision had been overturned accurately, an enormous momentum shift would have occurred.

Offense

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Sean Payton had an incredible plan for the primary drive of the sport. After what appears likes dozens of failed deep photographs to Franklin, they lastly related on the most important sport of the season and it regarded like this offense was able to compete.

Sadly, it didn’t seem to be we had a plan to do on any drive after that till the sport was put away and the Payments well determined to begin taking part in a delicate zone protection late within the sport.

We’ve bagged on Payton for his lack of dedication to the run all season lengthy. On this sport, we’re going to bag on him for his incapacity to desert it. The distinction is, the run sport wasn’t working on this sport. It hadn’t labored for no less than half the sport and within the third quarter for 2 drives in a row, we have been simply triple and quadruple downing on that plan.

Time of possession was sideways and it appeared to me that to Payton, that meant we would have liked to run the ball just like the Payments have been. The one drawback is that there isn’t a participant on our roster that’s even near pretty much as good as their backs. We aren’t that crew.

The largest hand in shedding this sport in such a lop-sided method was Sean Payton’s play calling within the third quarter in my thoughts. Run-run-pass-punt, run-run-pass-punt, and the third quarter is over. It was 10-7 when the quarter began and 20-7 when it ended. Our offense did completely nothing. Our greatest participant on offense is our rookie quarterback and the teaching employees didn’t set him up to have the ability to assist his crew.

Quarterbacks

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Probably the most irritating factor to me was seeing simply how dialed-in Bo Nix was. He regarded dialed in and decided. He made some nice passes on third down (for instance the third and eight to Sutton down the sphere).

I particularly beloved on third and 1 on the finish of the half him tricking the Payments utilizing his pretend cadence to really snap the ball and assist the quarterback sneak play work. It caught the Payments’ line utterly without warning they usually have been flat-footed as they gave up the simple conversion.

My hope for Nix is that this sport was an incredible studying alternative for him. Successful on this league requires extra of the whole lot he’s doing in his rookie season, however dialed a bit of tighter. I don’t say that to brief Nix in any method, it’s simply actuality. There are some accuracy points we noticed on this sport with ball placement that should be tightened up. It might be nice to see him be extra constant together with his throwing platform as that’s normally the issue with these overthrows and underthrows.

Line

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I truthfully thought the road performed a really strong sport. The Payments aren’t world-beaters as a protection, however they’ll do some harm. Our squad stored Nix clear within the pocket for essentially the most half and undoubtedly have been opening holes for the runners. The issue with the run sport was not due to blocking points in any respect and I believe that’s crucial to notice.

Operating Backs

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This was a valiant effort from Javonte Williams. He averaged 4.1 yards per keep it up the day on his 7 carries for 43 yards. That’s about the perfect we are able to anticipate from a participant who doesn’t have a unique gear any longer and doesn’t have the ability to interrupt tackles any longer.

Jaleel McLaughlin truly had unfavourable two yards on the day. The Payments had him well-scouted and their defenders have a variety of quickness up entrance which counters McLaughlin’s sport. I just like the pace and quickness McLaughlin brings, however his lack of dimension and energy means he’s very one-dimensional as a again and simpler to learn from a defender’s standpoint.

Receivers

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Right here’s my No Bull sizzling take from this sport: there’s not a receiver on this crew outdoors of Marvin Mimms, Jr. that’s price retaining in the long run. Sure, a few of these gamers will return subsequent yr. Sure, a few of them will make the crew. They aren’t long-term solutions for what this crew must be on offense.

Why do I say this? As a result of within the largest sport of the yr, all of them have been dropping balls that hit them within the arms.

We’ve complained about this a part of Sutton’s sport for years. He’s at all times had the scale, route-running, and high-point capability to be a plus receiver, however he drops passes that he shouldn’t constantly.

Credit score to Troy Franklin on lastly making an incredible deep ball catch for a landing, however he had the worst drop of the sport with a ball that was completely led on to his arms that he dropped. That is the NFL. Catching the ball is the #1 job you may have as a receiver. Get tremendous cozy with hours of labor on the Juggs machine or go hock cell telephones on the mall. Do observe, that this sentiment comes from what I’ve seen all season from Franklin, not simply this one drop.

Devaughn Vele joined in on the drop occasion within the 4th quarter. Vele is a rookie that I believe has potential based mostly on what we’ve seen from him this season. However his drop was as unhealthy as the opposite two we’ve mentioned. This offense wants higher weapons and getting two targets with no manufacturing on the sport is just not the look you wish to give as we flip the web page on the season.

Protection

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Vance Joseph has been working magic to make rooster salad out of this defensive roster all season lengthy. I assumed the protection performed in addition to they may. The issue is that there are simply too many holes on the roster.

We’ve had points with inside linebacker expertise for rattling close to a decade. Our free security has been a problem all season lengthy. The Payments well recognized this of their scouting, took this protection out again to the woodshed, and proceeded to beat that drum all sport lengthy.

The protection shored up many occasions after they acquired into the pink zone (as we’ve seen all yr). They dammed the river for shut to 3 quarters after which the leaks was torrents as the sport wore on.

The trouble was there. I admire what this protection did an incredible deal. They’re the principle purpose we received 10 video games on the yr and made the playoffs. I truthfully suppose we’ll must massive Vance Joseph farewell as he heads to a head teaching job this offseason (and I hope you’ll all be part of me in cheering for his success…he’s been an incredible coach for us this season).

Entrance 7

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All-pro Zach Allen is simply an absolute machine. He had a monster sack, two tackles for loss, and two quarterback hurries on the sport. He’s an enormous a part of the success this protection had on the sport in forcing some area objectives as an alternative of giving up touchdowns.

Jonathan Cooper takes such unhealthy angles at occasions and I noticed it twice on this sport. He’s started working on studying maintain comprise on the sting correctly because it was a legal responsibility that led to massive third down conversions for the Payments. This was truthfully a horrible sport for Cooper who’s normally a extra productive and secure defender.

D.J. Jones was one other inside lineman that got here to play on the day. He had the sport’s different sack for the Broncos together with a deal with for loss and quarterback hurry.

Cody Barton and Justin Strnad have been placeholders on this sport. They each had some tackles, no affect in opposition to the run, and Barton was picked on continuously within the passing sport. Neither of those gamers are starting-quality ILBs and this sport confirmed it in spades.

Secondary

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P.J. Locke has all season lengthy performed it secure at security. He’s at all times sitting again too deep, watching third down completions as an alternative of impacting the performs. He had the man who made the unfinished landing within the third quarter and simply wasn’t protecting the play permitting the ball to be caught…I suppose simply jogging alongside the route is nice sufficient to earn a paycheck, proper? The Broncos can’t maintain trotting out a particular groups participant at security and anticipate to achieve success in opposition to nice quarterbacks.

Patrick Surtain II benefitted from a no-call on third and aim within the 2nd half. He illegally contacted a receiver deep ultimately zone and acquired away with it. The perfect participant on the protection didn’t actually have an effect on the sport because it was largely simple for Allen to disregard him and choose on simpler defenders downfield.

I really like Brandon Jones (he’s been a secure power in our defensive backfield), however he made an enormous mistake making an attempt to kill a receiver who was leaping for the ball mid-air. It value us 15 yards, gave the Payments a primary down, and gave Ray Davis a concussion. This isn’t 1990 and the rule for defenseless receiver has been in play for lengthy sufficient that it is best to know higher.

Particular Groups

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Riley Dixon made a wonderful pretend punt to move for first down for 15 yards. In the meanwhile, I used to be actually anxious about how lengthy the move floated within the air, however the Payments weren’t anticipating it in any respect and Mims was extensive open. The offense wasn’t in a position to do something with this massive play, however it certain did look good.

Usually sure-footed Wil Lutz doinked a 50-yard area aim that was truthfully heart-breaking to see. These 3 factors on the finish of the half would have tied the sport going into halftime.

Ultimate Ideas

I’m going to cite certainly one of John Fox’s favourite traces: “It is what it is.”

As I stated earlier, I’m not stunned by the outcomes of this sport in any respect. The Payments are constructed the fitting method. We in some ways must emulate what they’re doing to have future success. Construct the offense round your quarterback, get a working assault to assist help the passing sport, and construct quickness into the center of your protection.

I believe the teaching and the execution by the Broncos left a lot to be desired. That’s not shocking for such a younger crew. This season was a stepping stone and I believe there’s a really vibrant future available by the Broncos.

I’m at all times going to be the man who calls it like it’s and doesn’t pull punches, however even for all of the gamers right here that I critiqued, I’ve nothing however love for this crew. They labored their tails off this season to be the perfect they may very well be and it confirmed. For the primary time in a few years, this crew rose to the event and made the postseason. They earned that by laborious work, willpower, and God-given expertise.

Thanks for an incredible season, Broncos!