Von Miller fell on the sword following Denver’s 21-0 loss to the Chargers at StubHub Center on Sunday. Denver’s all-world outside linebacker said the defense has to do its part in games to put the offense in better position to score points.
“We obviously have to get turnovers and we have to create a short field for our offense,” Miller said postgame. “We have to make plays. We have playmakers all across the field, and we have to get them to make plays on defense to put our offense in a better position.”
That’s a noble thing to say, Von, but you and the defense did more than your fair share to keep Denver in that game on Sunday. Instead, your team was shut out for the first time in nearly 25 years.
It’s admirable for Miller to take one for the team. It’s expected of him as a leader. But on Sunday it was about the farthest thing from the truth. Miller won’t say it, so I will.
The defense didn’t lose Sunday’s game. In fact, they deserved a win for their performance.
The Denver defense forced a total of eight punts in the game, including six three-and-outs, on 11 meaningful Chargers possessions. They forced a turnover on downs on L.A.’s opening possession, stuffing Melvin Ingram four times from the one-yard line. Four of the Chargers’ six first-half drives resulted in negative or zero yardage. They held the Chargers to 242 yards (162 pass, 80 rush).
Miller is correct in a general sense. It would be very helpful if Denver could produce some more takeaways.
After generating three over their first two games (both wins), Denver has created just one defensive turnover in their last three contests (and won the game in which they did).
Denver finished the 2016 season with a plus-two (29-to-27) turnover differential and a 9-7 record. Through six games this season they are minus-eight (4-to-12) and lucky to be at 3-3 in the win-loss column, considering.
Von can talk all he wants about the defense needing to step up and create a shorter field for the offense, but it’s unfair to expect the defense to overcome an average of two giveaways per game. Only two teams in 2016 finished the season with an average of two or more giveaways per game – the Chargers (35) and Jets (34), both of whom finished with 5-11 records. The 3-13 Bears were just off that mark with 31 total.
Now, both the Jets and Bears finished with a minus-20 differential for the season, while Los Angeles (then San Diego) was a more respectable minus-7 thanks to 28 takeaways, but the lesson is clear on all three fronts: Give away the ball and you’re going to give away games.
That’s what Denver did in Los Angeles on Sunday. They fell behind early thanks to a poor punt by Riley Dixon and an even poorer coverage effort by the protection unit. The result was a 65-yard Travis Benjamin punt return for a touchdown.
That came on the heels of a Broncos fumble on the opening drive, however. A.J. Derby coughed up the ball trying to extend the play and the Broncos offense was skittish the rest of the day.
The offensive line protecting Trevor Siemian didn’t help the young quarterback, who was sacked five times on the day and battered relentlessly. Nor did the coaching staff who again asked Siemian to throw more than 50 percent of the time. Siemian was responsible for the next two Denver turnovers, a second-quarter fumble and a fourth-quarter interception deep in Chargers territory.
Meanwhile, the defense sacked Philip Rivers three times and held him to a season-low 162 NET passing yards. It was only the second time this season Rivers has thrown for less than 200 yards – the other coming in a Week 1 loss to (you guessed it) Denver. Since Week 1 of 2015, he’s been held below 200 yards just four times; three of those were by Denver.
Save for some blown coverage on Benjamin against Chris Harris and Justin Simmons (a play that went for a 42-yard score), the defense did everything it needed to do in order to give the Denver offense a chance in Los Angeles.
Credit Von for taking responsibility and raising the bar for his unit, but this loss was wasn’t on the defense.
