The Denver Broncos took care of business in a low-scoring affair against the Las Vegas Raiders, winning 10-7. Their execution was absolutely pitiful, especially on the offensive end. The Broncos saw a total of 11 penalties for 78 yards, eight of those were on the offense. That’s a dangerous trend, as this is the fourth game this season that has led to at least ten accepted penalties.
Throughout the game, the Broncos’ offense struggled to find its rhythm, finishing with only 220 total yards and punting seven times. Specifically, four of their plays went for negative yardage, three of those in a horrific third quarter. In the aftermath, team members and coaches have expressed their heartfelt disappointment with the dismal showing. The Broncos have trailed in every game but one this year.
Despite these challenges, the Broncos managed to become the first team in the league to reach eight wins this season. And players such as J.K. Dobbins took to social media to express their displeasure. They believed the offense was leaving their dominant defense hanging out to dry, which has been critical in winning games.
“Yeah, cool, we’re 8-2 … [but] the defense is winning us the games and we’re not helping them, we’re not doing them any justice,” – J.K. Dobbins
Dobbins further elaborated on the team’s struggles, highlighting the disparity between the performance of the offense and defense.
“I feel bad the way we play on offense and the way they play on defense, because they’re doing so great and we’re doing so bad. They’re our brothers, too, and it just sucks because they’re just out there so many plays, playing their butts off. We can’t keep doing this to them,” – J.K. Dobbins
Quarterback Bo Nix underscored that the time is short. He understands that the offense needs to get back to scoring points on a more regular basis.
“At some point we’ve got to start moving the ball and scoring some points. Between penalties and sluggish football, we’re just not playing very good. It starts with me. I’ve got to be better. … We’ve got to find some juice,” – Bo Nix
As Head Coach Sean Payton pointed out, the Self-Destructing Penalties are holding the Saints back, leaving them in tough predicaments on the field.
“[The Raiders] did some things that were challenging [on defense] … but too many penalties on offense that put us in a hole, and I’ve got to be better also,” – Payton
The Broncos’ offensive woes have been apparent all season long. During that stretch of five games, they scored fewer than 18 points on three occasions. On top of that, they drew 52 penalties in just 10 games, which made them the second-most penalized offense in the league.
Defensive players including Alex Singleton and Nik Bonitto taking responsibility for their team’s lackluster defensive performance. They are increasingly concerned at how long they can carry an Anthony Scaramucci offense.
“Whatever we need to do, we do,” – Alex Singleton
“We don’t look at what the offense does or what the special teams do. Our job is to go out there and get stops,” – Nik Bonitto
These are questions that the Broncos must seriously address as they move beyond Week 5. If they’re serious about keeping their winning streak going and increasing their offensive firepower, though, action is needed. The need for a more cohesive effort between the offense and defense is becoming increasingly apparent as they navigate through a challenging season.
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