The Denver Broncos are struggling to win against beatable teams during their three-game slide.
First, the Broncos lose as home favorites against a quarterback (at that time) who had only one 300 yard passing game to his credit. Mind you, the Baltimore Ravens have shown the league they are a legitimate contender. Broncos players expressed frustration with the game plan and it showed during the game. However, when reviewing the game Denver had their opportunities to take control and missed. The Ravens capitalized on similar plays and won going away.
The next week, Denver went on the road against a depleted Pittsburgh Steelers team and slept walked through the first three quarters of football. Denver found a rhythm late and had a chance to tie the game up in the final moments. What was clear, the team was unprepared and looked shell-shocked in all facets of the game.
in the third and final game of the losing streak, had another chance to pounce on a wounded opponent. Vic Fangio and his team failed miserably as the Las Vegas Raiders out-coached and outplayed Denver from start to finish.
What is clear, Denver has the talent to play with any NFL team and compete. Yet, Fangio’s team cannot get out of their way. The Broncos continue to struggle whether it is a lack of confidence in the game plan, unforced errors, or bad technique allowing a big play by their opponent.
It could be easy to point out the names on a talented Cleveland Browns roster. From Miles Garrett to Nick Chubb, there is no shortage of top-flight talent the Broncos would need to worry themselves about.
However, the Browns are yet another wounded team ripe for the Broncos to “get right”. The Browns injury report shows the team is down a slew of starters and maybe sporting a very injured quarterback, Baker Mayfield.
However, that has been the story for the last few weeks.
With poor showings and a squandered 3-0 start, the locker room cannot be a confident group. Are the players quitting on their coach? Or are they simply in a rut that happens to every team during a long season? How the team shows Thursday will go a long way to answering those questions.
For the Broncos to get themselves back into the win column, the team must not allow doubt to seep in. To win on a short week, Denver has to stop playing scared and play fast. This cannot happen if there is a lack of confidence in one another.
The team and staff may want to reread Fangio’s sign hanging up in his office this week. “I have a sign in my office that says, ‘it’s not time to worry, it’s time to work.’ That’s my motto,” Fangio said.
Can this group keep apathy and hostility from seeping into the fabric of the team? Teddy Bridgewater thinks so.
“It’s so easy in this league for guys to distance and huddle up in little clicks and point the finger at different people, but you don’t see it here,” Bridgewater said. “You see a group of men who have come together and they understand how the season can go.”
As the AFC’s current seventh seed in the playoffs, Denver still has its entire season in front of it. Going into a 10-day break before playing again with a win could help propel this team back into the early season version of itself.
Playing well despite turmoil will say a lot about the current state of this team. Laying the fourth dud in a row will also be telling in defining who Fangio’s team has become.