The Denver Broncos put forth another dismal performance on Sunday, losing to the Buffalo Bills 20-3. The loss drops the Broncos to 3-8 on the year and one more defeat will guarantee them a third consecutive losing season.
The Bills weren’t some unstoppable force in this game but the Broncos were unable to get out of their own way, putting up some pretty sad numbers in the process. The Bills were able to just dominate the Broncos at the line of scrimmage, controlling the game from the opening kick.
Here’s what we took away from the most recent loss.
1. If you thought Brandon Allen was “the future,” you were kidding yourself
It’s not Allen’s fault — he has done his best. But he’s not a starting quarterback and, at best, he’s a decent backup. That sounds like a bunch of guys the Broncos have tried at quarterback in recent years.
Allen was terrible in this game. He completed just 10 of the 25 passes he attempted for all of 82 yards. He held the ball too long and took some bad sacks. He threw a really bad interception and should have had at least one more and he completed a total of three passes to wide receivers.
That’s not good, and it’s not an aberration.
2. Where was the run defense?
Buffalo ran into, over and through the Broncos in this game and though not every run play gained huge yards, the Bills were able to stay dedicated to the ground attack and wear out the Broncos.
The Bills ran the ball a total of 47 times, picking up 244 yards in the process. That allowed them to control the clock and have the ball for a large portion of the game.
That’s really about all you need to know in terms of how this result panned out.
3. A.J. Johnson has been a true bright spot
If nothing else, the Broncos may have found an inside linebacker that can be counted on for years to come.
It was mentioned during Sunday’s broadcast that Johnson is one of the highest-rated linebackers in the league and he continues to be either in or around nearly every play on defense.
Johnson made 15 tackles, including one for a loss, against the Bills.
4. This team may be worse than the last two years
Here’s what no Broncos fan wants to hear.
This team was supposed to be improved. Anyone who isn’t delusional wasn’t expecting a trip to the Super Bowl this year, but improvement was widely expected.
Except Joe Flacco was a colossal flop. Free-agent signings such as Bryce Callahan and Ja’Wuan James could be put in the same category.
Getting rid of Vance Joseph was supposed to clear the way for success. Moving on from Case Keenum, Paxton Lynch and all the other failed quarterback experiments the team has tested in recent years was supposed to bring change.
That hasn’t happened and now, through 11 games, an argument can easily be made that Fangio is every bit as bad as Joseph. And no, I’m not kidding.
