3 keys to propel Broncos from worst to first in AFC West

Close out one score games

Finishing a season at 5-12 is disappointing, but does knowing that 10 of those losses came in one-score games ease the pain? Some might argue such a stat is the result of bad luck and bounces. Not me.

One, two, maybe three is a coincidence, anything more is a trend. But ten? That's simply a reflection of repeated situational failure with no signs of growth from game to game.

How might one go about fixing that? Well, one simple solution is improving on third down. Notably, the defense did a marvelous job at getting teams off the field on third down, posting the second-best opponent third down conversion percentage in the NFL (34.09%).

Believe it or not, the offense floundered in this area, finishing with the lowest third-down percentage by a team in 2022, at 29.1 percent. When you play in a division, let alone an entire conference littered with offensive powerhouses, you have to find ways to win the time of possession game.

Long, sustained drives keep the opponent's defense on the field, help your pass and run game establish a rhythm, and most importantly, frustrate the opposing offense by keeping them off the field.

Of course, this isn't the all-encompassing solution, in fact, it's pretty juvenile, but last year's number was so egregious that I can't help but single it out as a requisite improvement for 2023-24.

For context, the Saints, with Sean Payton (and Drew Brees) at the helm, led the league in third down conversion rate from 2006-2021 (45.4%).