The Good and the Bad in the Denver Broncos Loss to the Seattle Seahawks
By Joe Morrone
Sep 21, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (10) carries the ball while being defended by Seattle Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell (41) during the first half at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated Denver 26-20. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
The Denver Broncos lost to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday and in the end, the final score is all that matters but the Broncos did not return to Denver empty handed. In some ways, I feel more encouraged about the Broncos going forward than I did after a win last week.
What I Liked:
The Broncos punched back: Yes they lost the game and that’s the bottom line, but they went toe to toe with the Seahawks in Seattle for 60+ minutes. They fell behind 17-3 but kept fighting and eventually the defense made enough plays to get them back in the game. The offense struggled all day but they kept fighting as well and when the defense gave them a chance, they did what they had to do to send the game into overtime. The Broncos lost the game but they proved they can play with anyone.
The defense: We saw what this defense is capable of on Sunday. Granted the drive in overtime was not their best moment but without them, the game is a blowout in the third quarter. I wrote all week about how this defense was going to get better as the season went on, and they took a huge step on Sunday.
Von Miller: The linebacker was terrific on Sunday. He had a sack, was in the backfield on multiple occasions and played a disciplined game. We all expect Miller to be dominant from day one but it’s probably won’t be until midseason before he’s all the way back. He was 100% better today as opposed to the first two weeks.
Pass protection: Make no mistake, pass blocking is a lot harder in Seattle because of the crowd noise and the Broncos did a fantastic job all day.
Emmanuel Sanders: Does anyone miss Eric Decker? Sanders was terrific for the third straight week and gives the Broncos a down field threat that they have not had since Peyton Manning signed with the Broncos.
What I Didn’t Like:
The running game: I know many fans are upset with the so called conservative game plan, but the Broncos are going to have to run the ball better. The coaches came in determined to run the ball and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that, but the offensive line has to do a better job. I will agree that offensive coordinator Adam Gase should have mixed it up more on first down, but I will never question a commitment to the running game. I will question the execution and that has to get better.
The overtime defense: As stated above without the defense, this is not even in overtime but they were too passive in the extra period. At that point the Seahawks were stunned, and the Broncos should have turned up the heat on that final drive.
Demaryius Thomas: Despite making a couple of plays late including a great catch on the two point conversion to tie the game, Thomas continues to struggle. There is some thought that his leg is more injured than the Broncos say it is, hopefully he can find himself during the bye week.
Ronnie Hillman: I’m not even sure why he’s on the roster at this point. He can’t block, runs scared and short arms every pass that comes his way.
In the end, it’s a loss and that’s the only thing that matters in the NFL but not all losses are created equal. The Broncos took a step forward on Sunday, even if the scoreboard says otherwise.