The Denver Broncos And Complacency
Although the Denver Broncos defeated the Indianapolis Colts this past Sunday to open up the season, the score was way closer than the Broncos wanted it to be. The second half of the game showcased the bad side of the Broncos. The conservative side. The side that sits back and plays not to lose, instead of playing to win. If you watch the second half you see runs in passing situations (1st and 20) you see prevent zone defense (Not wise considering the opposing QB) and complacency, and that’s something that let the Patriots come back and beat them last year after they were down 25 points, and what lost them the playoff game against Baltimore two years ago (Remember they ran on third and 11).
Coach John Fox might be the one to blame here. Ever since he took over and the Broncos have a considerable lead in the second half, they basically pack it in and attempt to run the clock out. Instead of coming out of the second half pretending like the game is 0-0 like powerhouse teams should (Look at Seattle) they sit back and wait. As a result, the players slack off, they let plays go that normally wouldn’t go and teams come back.
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Running up the score is something the Broncos need to do. It sends a message to the league that they are a powerhouse, they won’t be pushed around (Like the Super Bowl) they aren’t afraid of anyone and they take no prisoners. Go back to the Colts game and watch how many passes are completed by Andrew Luck that are shorter than 10 yards, and end up going for 10+ yards. You’ll see the complacency. Defensively, the Broncos need to blitz more, have tighter coverage, and make tackles. Offensively they must keep passing when they should, run to set up the pass, and score, score, score.
The Broncos take on the Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday who are coming off a loss to the Titans, and I am giving you, the reader, some homework. Should the Broncos lead the Chiefs by 10 or more points going into the half (Something that should happen) count the amount of runs you see when the Broncos need more than 10 yards for a first down, count how many three and outs there are, count how many times you see less than five yard passes turn into 10+ yard gains, and lastly, count how many points the Broncos give up, and how little they score. You’ll see the complacency take place before your eyes, and it’s not a good sign.