Denver Broncos flush their season down the drain after Week 15 loss
The Denver Broncos can kiss their 2023 season goodbye after they got boat-raced by the Detroit Lions on Saturday night. The game never felt close at any point, as the Lions clearly weren't going to let an inferior team come into their house and beat them.
On paper, the Broncos seemed to match up well with the Lions, as the NFC North team struggled to stop the run recently and were turning the ball over at a higher rate than usual. Well, not only could the Broncos not move the ball on the ground, they also weren't forcing their normal dosage of turnovers, so it put a ton more pressure on the secondary to hold up (which they didn't) and caused the passing game to hold their own more, which they could not do.
So it ended up being a blowout loss for Denver, their second of the season. Jared Goff tossed 278 yards and five touchdowns, and the Broncos allowed seven yards per play, 185 rushing yards and 448 total yards. This recent loss only further amplifies Denver's major weaknesses that may just put a lid on their season.
This team has struggled to stop the run all year, and no changes have been made to try and remedy that. The team's pass rush is also pretty inconsistent and doesn't have a game-changing player. The pass rush couldn't get home on Saturday, so Goff had all day to throw.
The Broncos also could not stop the run to save their lives, which is a huge factor in the way games go today. The team's offense is also horribly inconsistent, as the OL got worked in Week 15, and Russell Wilson is not a timing thrower. It's getting to the point where the only substantial production from the offense through the air comes from Wilson making off-schedule plays with his legs.
The Broncos don't have any sort of rhythm to their offense, and they should have been able to move the ball against what was a horrible Lions' defense. The lights clearly were too bright for the Denver Broncos, and this was their toughest and most playoff-like atmosphere in their second half slate of games. How could anyone look at this team and think that the season isn't over?
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Denver struggles where it matters most. If they want to make the postseason now, they have to hope they can win out and likely get some help along the way.