The Denver Broncos gained almost 100 yards more than the Buffalo Bills, and a strong defensive effort held opposing running backs under 100 yards for the third week in a row, but the Broncos’ costly penalties and turnovers became the key contributing factor in their loss on Sunday.
“Two turnovers. Obviously, they hurt you,” said quarterback Trevor Siemian, who entered the game with a league-leading six touchdowns, two total interceptions and a 105.1 passer rating. He left the game with a 58.2 rating, zero touchdowns and two more interceptions. “Every ball that goes in the air, I’m responsible for. Can’t do that back there. Can’t turn it over anywhere back there.”
Miscues aside, the Broncos’ offense just seemed to have trouble getting itself into a rhythm throughout the game. The first two drives were stalled by false start penalties, putting the team into second-and-long or third-and-long situations. An illegal formation penalty washed away a punt that would’ve placed the Bills in their own territory and forced another punt that instead gave the Bills a chance to start on the Denver 32.
A drive into the red zone during the third quarter also stalled out on false-start penalties, forcing the Broncos to take a field goal. The ensuing Bills drive resulted in a touchdown, giving the Bills a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
“I think we probably got panicked a little bit, and we didn’t execute on some of the plays we had a chance to execute on,” running back Jamaal Charles said. “Missed opportunities, offsides hurt us; all (of) the penalties.”
The Broncos’ offense ans special-teams racked up a total of nine penalties for 64 yards, and each one came at key moments; either killing Broncos’ drives or jump-starting the Bills’ offense.
“You can’t do that on the road,” wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders said. “Mistakes after mistakes… they’ll cost you ballgames.”
The biggest mistake, however, came at the hands of veteran linebacker Von Miller late in the game. After an incomplete pass on third-and-six, Miller pulled his hand away from Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor as it looked like he was about to help him up, a move that probably shouldn’t have earned Miller an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, but did just the same. Instead of punting, the Bills continued the drive with a fresh set of downs.
“I can’t put my team in situations like that,” Miller said. “I’m always on the rookies and all the young guys (about) ‘being smart and doing this and doing that.’ Then I go out and do something like that, in a crucial situation in the game. I’ve got to be better than that.”
The drive continued down to the Denver nine-yard line, where Bills kicker Steven Hauschka converted a field goal and put the Bills up by two scores. The drive ate up over seven minutes on the game clock, leaving the Broncos with only 3:18 left in the game by the time they got the ball back. The Broncos were unable to score again the rest of the game.
The Broncos will look to correct their mistakes and right the ship against the Oakland Raiders at home this week. Both teams enter the game with a 2-1 record after the Raiders surprisingly lost to the Washington Redskins, 27-10, and it’s the Raiders that often find themselves near the top of the NFL’s penalty list each season.
It’ll be tough enough to beat the talented Raiders in the first place; giving them the free yards that they gave the Bills on Sunday would make that task exponentially more difficult.
