Broncos waste another great defensive performance in loss to Jets

The Denver Broncos have one of the best defenses in the NFL, but it doesn’t matter when the offense is as bad as it is.

The Broncos dropped their fourth game in a row on Sunday, losing 16-9 to the New York Jets. If you have watched every Broncos game this year, you should have recognized a pattern.

The defense plays great and limits points but the offense — regardless of who the quarterback is — can’t get out of its own way.

The Broncos allowed just 260 yards of total offense and kept the Jets to 16 points (right around their average of points allowed on the season). Outside of one huge play by Breece Hall, a 62-yard touchdown run, the defense was excellent.

But the offense, behind Brett Rypien who was filling in for Russell Wilson, continues to be as bad as any in the league.  Rypien went 24-of-46 passing on the day for 225 yards with one critical interception.

The Broncos were able to keep it close throughout, but they just could not get into a flow offensively. Latavius Murray scored on a short touchdown run in the first quarter but Brandon McManus missed the extra point that followed.

McManus would miss a field goal later in the second quarter as well. The Jets led 10-9 at the half but here is a look at the Broncos’ second-half possessions.

6 plays, 23 yards, punt

4 plays, 9 yards, punt

4 plays, 20 yards, punt

2 plays, 14 yards, Interception

3 plays, 9 yards, punt

10 plays, 50 yards, turnover on downs

7 plays, 31 yards, turnover on downs

In total, the team ran 36 plays in the second half, gained 156 yards and scored no points. Most all of that came during the team’s final two drives as it was furiously looking for a touchdown to tie the game up.

With the loss, the Broncos fall to 2-5 on the year and will now have to make the long trek to Wembley Stadium in London where they will face the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are also 2-5.

This is not the season that Broncos Country envisioned and it looks like it could get much worse.