The Denver Broncos have suffered their sixth loss of the season in heartbreaking fashion following multiple self-inflicted wounds on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball against the Houston Texans. A win would have awarded Denver the seventh seed in the playoff picture however, the team will look to bounce back next Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers in what will be their second straight away matchup of a three-game road trip.
Despite head coach Demeco Ryans and the Texans putting together an effective game plan against an impressive Broncos coaching staff, Denver simply beat themselves in this contest. There were countless plays you can point to that were poorly executed and sloppy, needless to say. However, the season is far from over and a playoff spot remains well within reach for the Denver Broncos with five games left to be played.
Denver Broncos Stock Up following heartbreaking loss to Texans:
S P.J. Locke
The Denver Broncos have found their franchise safety alongside Justin Simmons. Third-year Broncos defensive back P.J. Locke has made play after play for Denver's secondary and made his presence felt once again Sunday afternoon in Houston. In what was sort of a homecoming game for the Beaumont, Texas native, Locke had himself a very solid game. Aside from a blown coverage that allowed Houston to convert a deep completion. Locke racked up eight tackles, one sack, and two tackles for loss in the game.
WR Courtland Sutton
Touchdowns continue to be a common occurrence for Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton and they always seem to be the most impressive catches you'll see all season. Sutton hauled in two receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown in the matchup and was consistently creating separation throughout the game as far as what the CBS broadcast presented.
Despite only recording two receptions out of seven total targets, Sutton had a clutch catch in the second half for a 45-yard touchdown with a tough adjustment as he was falling to the turf. Sutton is a special threat in the receiving game and has formed a spectacular connection with quarterback Russell Wilson this season.
Denver Broncos Stock Down:
QB Russell Wilson
Despite playing exceptionally well and rarely turning the ball over during Denver's five-game winning streak, quarterback Russell Wilson flip-flopped his production on the field Sunday in Houston. The now 35-year-old signal-caller threw three interceptions in the loss including the game-sealing interception to Texans cornerback Jimmy Ward in the end zone during the final 30 seconds of the fourth quarter. While Denver's offensive line did allow a great deal of pressure, Wilson missed a handful of reads and open receivers throughout the game and ultimately cost the Broncos their seventh win of the season.
LB Alex Singleton
While he had a strong start to the game stopping the run and making key tackles, linebacker Alex Singleton's late shove on Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud in the first quarter felt like a cause for the shift in momentum in favor of Houston's offense. Shortly after a false start committed by Houston's offensive line, Singleton made a very unnecessary decision to shove Stroud which resulted in a personal foul and eventually led to a touchdown in the red zone for the Texans.
Again, self-inflicted wounds and mistakes in a game of this magnitude were completely unnecessary, especially for a veteran like Alex Singleton.
RT Mike McGlinchey/OL
Broncos right tackle Mike McGlinchey had a poor game Sunday, to say the least. In both pass and run blocking, the $87.5M offensive tackle got worked by rookie first-round pick Will Anderson Jr. Very reminiscent of Week 10 vs. Buffalo Bills, the entire offensive line struggled to protect the quarterback. The Texans' pass rush was simply more talented and stronger than the Broncos' offensive line expected and this was a big reason why Denver was not able to come out on top.
OLB Jonathon Cooper
Despite having a favorable matchup against Texans right tackle George Fant, veteran edge rusher Jonathon Cooper had a slightly below-average performance against Houston's offensive line. Cooper did not record a single sack, quarterback hit, or pressure during the loss and more notably was not able to come up with a key fumble recovery forced by teammate Ja'Quan McMillian which would have put the Broncos offense in a beneficial field position.
As an overall group, Denver's pass rush was too inconsistent and stagnant when attempting to generate pressure against C.J. Stroud.