Uncomfortable and Difficult
With a 34-27 loss to the Steelers, Denver put their playoff hopes on hold for at least another week and allowed the Kansas City Chiefs to climb within one game in the AFC West.
What once looked like it would be a runaway for the division will now be a fight, as Denver needs to to win out in games against Cincinnati and San Diego in order to secure their fifth consecutive division title. Denver could still hold the No. 2 seed with such an outcome. But with yet another second-half collapse Sunday, this time to the tune of a 21-0 scoring differential, there’s more to be concerned about in Denver than just playoff seeding.
After seemingly getting things back on track on offense with a 27-point output in the first half against Pittsburgh, the Broncos’ struggling O came back to rear its ugly head again. To boot, an NFL Network report stirred the quarterback debate in Denver once again and incited the masses even before the first snap of the game, calling the situation “uncomfortable and difficult.”
The Broncos are in a tailspin, having gone 3-4 in the last seven games after starting the year 7-0. Denver is looking for answers and all we have are “Studs and Duds” from Week 15.
Honorable Mention Stud and Dud – Demaryius Thomas
Yes, he had another critical drop late in the game, but Thomas rebounded nicely from what was arguably his worst game as a pro against the Raiders.
Thomas pulled down two touchdown catches in the first half, moving him into solo fourth place on the Broncos’ all-time TD receptions list, then into a tie for third place with Ed McCaffrey.
But Thomas finished the day with only five catches on 12 targets. After pulling in the first catch of the second half, he did not have another for the remainder of the game despite six targets.
Stud No. 3 – First-half Brock Osweiler
Quarterback Brock Osweiler couldn’t have asked for a better first half. After a week of heavy criticism for his inability to lead the Broncos offense on touchdown drives (they had gone 23 possessions without scoring a six-point play), Osweiler led Denver to 27 points in the half via four touchdowns.
His stat line at the half was 14-of-18 for 214 yards with three touchdowns.
He joined John Elway and Peyton Manning as the only quarterbacks in team history to pass for three touchdowns and run for one in a game. And he did it all in one half.
He finished just 2.5 points off of a perfect passer rating for the half with a 155.8 mark after 30 minutes of football. But unfortunately there was a whole other 30 minutes to play.
Dud No. 3 – Second-half Brock Osweiler
For the third time in as many weeks, Denver’s anemic offense returned in the second half. After going 8-for-8 on third downs in the first half, Denver was 1-for-9 in the second.
Osweiler added just 82 yards passing, plus an interception. In the second half, Denver did not run a play in Pittsburgh territory until the 2:58 mark of the fourth quarter.
What Osweiler did so well in the first half, reading his progressions and moving the safeties off his intended targets, all but evaporated in the second half as he keyed in on targets and threw into heavy traffic.
Instead of looking for chain-moving passes, the offense looked like it was going for the dagger too often in the early-going of the second half. Then, as protection broke down as the game wore on and his line wore down, Osweiler made several bad decisions including on the interception and more than one lateral or backwards passes.
Stud No. 2 – Malik Jackson
Malik Jackson is starting to make an almost permanent place for himself on the “Studs” list each week. That’s going to be a very good thing for Jackson next year, as he’s due a new contract.
Against Pittsburgh, Jackson had five tackles including two for a loss. He didn’t add to his league-leading passes defended (batted/deflected) stat (seven), but he did tack on two more sacks to his season total, which is now at 5.5.
Jackson was one of two Broncos defenders to get to Big Ben Roethlisberger on the day, along with rookie Shane Ray.
For good measure, Jackson added two quarterback hits on Roethlisberger, a claim only he, Ray and Von Miller could make.
Dud No. 2 – Chris Harris
It’s hard to pile on Chris Harris. He’s given up just two touchdowns in pass coverage over the past two-plus calendar years. The problem is, they both came in the second half against Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown.
Making matters worse, the first was set up by a defensive pass interference call against Harris on Brown that gave the Steelers a first-and goal. The very next play went back to Brown for the touchdown that brought Pittsburgh within one score.
The next time Harris would surrender a big play to Brown, it was the go-ahead and eventual game-winning score.
To add insult to injury, Ben Roethlisberger went back after Harris on the back-breaking play that gave Pittsburgh the final first down it needed to kneel on the ball for the win.
Harris is a class guy and arguably the class of the NFL among quarterbacks. He’s due one bad game – one he took full responsibility for – but it couldn’t have come at a worse time for a reeling Broncos club.
Stud No. 1 – Emmanuel Sanders
Welcome back Emmanuel Sanders. The receiver who spent the first four years of his career playing in Pittsburgh had the biggest day of his career in his first return trip to the Steel City.
With 181 yards receiving on 10 receptions, Sanders set a career-high in receiving yards. He added a first-half touchdown and a 24-yard run (on slick little jet sweep) for good measure.
Sanders was simply sensational against his old squad, finding separation, making diving catches and getting yards after the catch. He was, without a doubt, a man on a mission.
After never logging a 100-yard game with the Steelers, Sunday marked his fourth of the year in and 11th overall since joining the Broncos.
But it wasn’t all roses for Sanders. He was targeted on three consecutive pass attempts in Denver’s final possession and could not come up with a catch.
Dud No. 1 – Ian Rapoport
For the third time in five weeks, a national media member has thrown gas on the flame that is the Denver Broncos’ quarterback situation.
Peyton Manning suffered another setback in his recovery from plantar fasciitis this week, missing practice on Friday and through the weekend after a return to the field Wednesday and Thursday. Those practices were the first action Manning had seen since Week 9 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Ian Rapoport joined NFL Network on Sunday morning and offered up an incendiary report that said Manning was “not inclined” to serve as Brock Osweiler’s backup in the event that he is healthy enough to return to the field. Rapoport called the Broncos’ QB situation, “uncomfortable and difficult.”
The report prompted a harsh response from John Elway, Broncos PR and eventually Manning himself. The future Hall of Famer called the report “bulls**t” in the wake of Denver’s 34-27 loss.
Fans will recall Mike Florio’s report following Osweiler’s win his first start (vs. the Bears) that Manning intends to play next season “even if it he won’t be playing for the Broncos.” That was followed not long after by a report from Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole, who said the Broncos were backing Osweiler, long-term.
The team vehemently denied all three reports.
Still, these reports have been disrupting the fan base in Denver and causing undue friction with Manning. And not a single one of these reports has openly cited their sources. As a journalistic enterprise, we respect the need to protect confidential sources, but these reports are starting to sound a little “cry wolf-ish.”
Rapoport is just the latest to pile on what has become a sad saga between the Broncos, Manning and the media.