The Denver Broncos have figured out how to close out games

Denver Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Denver Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

The Denver Broncos’ week 2 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars was a mostly lopsided victory, but the team couldn’t coast to victory.

The Denver Broncos were victorious, 23-13 on Sunday as they cruise to 2-0, beating the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The game started horribly for Denver, as they gave up a long touchdown drive to go down 0-7.  After that point, the Broncos outscored the Jaguars 23-6.

After the opening drive touchdown by the Jags, the Broncos captured control of the game and didn’t seem to let go, even after the Jaguars’ Jamal Agnew returned a 102-yard kickoff to the house, which almost allowed the Jaguars to get back into the game.

I, unfortunately, had a feeling something like that was coming.  As I was watching the game, I began to feel uneasy, and Tom McMahon’s incompetent special teams proved me right.

After the Jaguars’ kickoff return, I began to think back to prior years, when the Broncos would simply collapse in the second half, specifically in the fourth quarter.

Denver wouldn’t always lose these games, but it was common to see the team get off to a fast start in the first half, and come out into the second half deflated, not able to move the ball or stop a nosebleed.

In fact, yesterday was the complete opposite, as they started a bit slow but picked it up later in the game, and it’s evident that through two weeks, the Denver Broncos have figured out how to close out games.

The efficiency of Teddy Bridgewater and improved secondary have proved to be valuable in the Broncos’ success this year.

Steady Teddy hasn’t turned the ball over through two games, and the offense is averaging 25.0 PPG so far.

The defense has also played very well.  On Sunday, they held Trevor Lawrence to just 42.4% completion and 118 passing yards.

I look back to games in prior seasons where the Broncos’ second-half performance was middling at best.

In 2020, they weren’t able to close out the Tennessee Titans, nearly lost to the New England Patriots, almost let the Miami Dolphins drive the length of the field, allowed the Carolina Panthers to stay in the game, and let the Las Vegas Raiders rip their heart out week 17.

All of those games, just in 2020, were products of the Denver Broncos having inconsistent and sometimes bad second-half performances.

Even in 2019, they let the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts win on last-second field goals, and collapsed in the second half against the Minnesota Vikings.

You see, this has been a big issue for the team in prior seasons, and Teddy Bridgewater winning the starting job didn’t exactly make me feel like that would change.

However, through two games, that has not been the case.

There are two huge reasons why the Broncos have been able to play as they have.

These reasons are usually a ways down on the stat sheet but are vital to any team sustaining success in the NFL.

Those reasons are time of possession and winning the turnover battle.

Through two games, the Broncos have held the ball for 35:08 against the Giants and 38:52 against the Jaguars.  They are averaging a 37:00 minute time of possession through two weeks.

In order to beat teams, the absolute best way to do so is to simply keep them off the field.

Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert won’t be able to do damage if they’re riding the bench.

If the Broncos can keep this pace up, or something similar, the team will win a lot of games.

The Denver Broncos are also plus in the turnover battle this year as well.  They sit at +2 after two games, and this is mostly due to Teddy Bridgewater remaining interception-less so far.

Not every game follows the formula of winning the time of possession and turnover battle, but those two things are arguably the second and third biggest factors in winning a game…. the first being points, obviously.

Yes, Teddy Bridgewater will eventually throw interceptions, and yes the Broncos may have some games where they don’t win the turnover battle, but the team is clicking on all cylinders, and some of these cylinders have been collecting dust and getting rust the past few years.

The Denver Broncos can sustain this success in future weeks.  They will still have quite a few favorable matchups, and are positioning themselves perfectly to make the playoffs.

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