In a game that was set up for the Denver Broncos to make a significant move in the AFC West, the offense didn’t show up until the fourth quarter, and the defense had a forgettable performance without injured star cornerback Patrick Surtain II, and they fell, at home, to the Los Angeles Chargers 23-16. They’re now solidly third in their division.
Setbacks
The moment the Denver Broncos set foot onto the turf at Empower Field, they were in over their heads. On the third play from scrimmage for the Broncos offense, quarterback Bo Nix threw a bad ball over the head of his intended receiver, Marvin Mims, and into the arms of the Chargers Elijay Molden for Nix’s fifth interception of the year.
The interception was bad, but that was just the start of how troubling the Denver Broncos’ first half would be. On the very next play, Patrick Surtain II made a routine tackle, but there was nothing ordinary about what happened next. The All-World Cornerback was lying on his back, his head in his hands, and everyone in the stadium held their breath.
Surtain was taken into the locker room and never returned, as he was diagnosed with a concussion. Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph, accustomed to Surtain shutting down an entire side of the field, had to make major adjustments. The adjustments were unsuccessful, as the Chargers set the Broncos back to a 23-0 deficit midway through the third quarter.
The Denver Broncos now have a short week ahead as they travel to New Orleans to battle the Saints on Thursday night. It will be very difficult for Surtain to pass the necessary concussion protocols prior in time for Thursday’s game, and the Bronco’s defense will have the difficult task of filling the void left by him.
Denver Broncos Handcuffed
The Los Angeles Chargers’ defense played well and handcuffed the Broncos’ offense for three-quarters of the game. There was very little the Broncos could generate, and Bo Nix looked very much like the rookie quarterback he is. Nix was confused and pressured most of the afternoon, and he was forced to scramble away multiple times because his makeshift offensive line could not protect him.
The conversation that will surround the Broncos until they take on the Saints this Thursday will be: “Who handcuffed the offense more? The Chargers or Head Coach/Play caller Sean Payton? When the game got desperate in the fourth quarter, Payton took the handcuffs of his quarterback and the offense, and they started to find a rhythm. Nix threw two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and nearly led the Broncos back to tie the game.
A critical play on a two-point conversion will be the call that has Broncos Country seething. The Denver Broncos had scored their second touchdown of the afternoon and needed to go for the two-point conversion. It was the right thing for Payton to do in that situation. However, the play call—a jet sweep to a speedy Marvin Mims—was a terrible decision. In that play, there is only one option, and it must work. But it did not.
Mims was forced to run east and west, and he does not possess the size to force his way into the end zone against defensive linemen. Payton should have put the ball in his quarterback’s hands to allow him to see the entire field and survey the situation. Nix could have had multiple receivers open in the end zone or had the opportunity, as he did on several occasions throughout the game, to run the ball successfully himself. Instead, it was a failed attempt, and the Broncos had very little chance of tying the game at that point.
Final Thoughts
It was a tough loss for the Denver Broncos for several reasons. The game proved just how much of an asset Patrick Surtain II is to the Broncos, and it also proved that Bo Nix has the talent, the grit, and the heart to be a solid quarterback. The question is: will Sean Payton hand over play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi from this point forward? It is unlikely that will happen, but Bo Nix must be given the freedom to run the Denver Broncos offense.
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