The Denver Broncos dug a big hole for themselves at halftime, but they were able to climb out of it.
The Denver Broncos played two quarters of football and won a game on Sunday night against the Los Angeles Rams, and Sean Payton knows this can't continue, as he indicated in an ESPN report from Jeff Legwold with his comments about the game.
Payton’s biggest takeaway was that the Broncos’ pattern of early no-shows will “cost us in bigger games,” as he talked about his team’s grit and ability to play well in the fourth quarter of games.
The Broncos were outgained by the Rams in the first half by a margin of 273 yards to 67, which is the definition of being dominated. The scoreboard said it was 16-0, but it could have been a lot worse, as the Rams put up three field goals in the second quarter after driving for a touchdown in the first.
Convert one or two of those field goals to a touchdown, and that stirring fourth-quarter comeback probably never happens. We’re now three games into the schedule, and the Broncos haven’t played anything close to a complete football game.
Denver also got a big break by getting an interception that turned into a score, which helped rescue the struggling offense. Safety Talanoa Hufanga dropped multiple interceptions down the stretch last season, but he held onto two against the Rams, and on one of them he had nothing but open field in front of them.
The strengths of this team are obvious. The defense is tough, although receiver Davante Adams ate star cornerback Pat Surtain II alive, and his counterpart, Riley Moss, committed one of those blast-from-the-past pass interference penalties that were a problem last year.
The pass rush surfaced late, but it got there. Defensive tackle Zach Allen earned another sack, but the linebacking crew has looked ordinary so far with Jonathon Cooper out of the lineup due to his legal issues.
Payton also talked about doing a clean up, which needs to happen fast. Last year Denver was able to take advantage of the struggles of the Kansas City Chiefs, and they went on a midseason tear that took them all the way to the top seed in the AFC.
Things are different this year. The Chiefs are 3-0, and so are the Raiders. It’s a different division, and the Broncos are still running their early schedule gauntlet, with a road game against the San Francisco 49ers next up on the docket as the Broncos continue to try to find themselves.
