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Denver Broncos: How the team lost badly to the Baltimore Ravens

By Sayre Bedinger

BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 23: Emmanuel Sanders #10 of the Denver Broncos scores a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium on September 23, 2018 in Baltimore, MD. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 23: Emmanuel Sanders #10 of the Denver Broncos scores a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium on September 23, 2018 in Baltimore, MD. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 23: Royce Freeman #28 of the Denver Broncos runs the ball while defended by Marlon Humphrey #29 of the Baltimore Ravens in the first quarter of the game at M&T Bank Stadium on September 23, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 23: Royce Freeman #28 of the Denver Broncos runs the ball while defended by Marlon Humphrey #29 of the Baltimore Ravens in the first quarter of the game at M&T Bank Stadium on September 23, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Offense

The story of the game for the Broncos offensively was, unfortunately, penalties.

There were 13 penalties by the offense in this game, and five of them came from Garett Bolles, Connor McGovern, and Ron Leary.

Bolles was unable to handle what the Ravens were throwing at him, so he just simply started trying to throw guys to the ground. The Broncos’ offensive line has looked great all season in terms of pass protection but Baltimore has a very good, very tough defensive front. Bolles was no match for Terrell Suggs in this game, and the results showed it.

Bolles and McGovern were each flagged for a pair of penalties, and the Broncos had a great drive going in the fourth quarter before a very untimely personal foul penalty on Ron Leary set them back significantly.

There’s never a ‘good’ time for a holding penalty, but some of the penalties by Denver in this game were back breakers after really good offensive plays and drive killers.

Case Keenum threw his fifth interception of the season, again killing a possible scoring drive for the Broncos. The interception came after Denver was inside the 10-yard line and a holding penalty by Bolles set them back in a bad down-and-distance situation.

The running game was solid in this game yet again, racking up 120 yards and averaging five yards per carry against a very good Baltimore front. If there’s any good to be taken from this game, it’s that Denver’s running game is legit.

Demaryius Thomas also bounced back from a three-drop game with five catches on five targets and a couple of really big plays in this one.

It’s not going to be a good day when Devontae Booker is the second most targeted player in the game (seven targets in the passing game) whether Phillip Lindsay is ejected or not.

Emmanuel Sanders made some incredible catches in this game, and also had a really nice run for a touchdown, but he still managed just 35 yards on five catches. Both Sanders and Thomas looked at times like they were battling through some pain.

The main issue right now is, Case Keenum just has to play better over the course of a game. In this one, the offense benefit greatly from starting field position on their first touchdown ‘drive’, and after Sanders’ touchdown run, they were unable to cash in on any red zone opportunities and Marquette King was forced to punt seven times. That’s simply too many.

Keenum has to find a way to put together four quarters of solid football with some sparks in between, not four quarters of below average or bad football with greatness at the very end or very beginning.

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