As penalties continue to hammer Broncos special teams, coordinator Tom McMahon says, 'That's all on me'

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Bubbling beneath the surface of the Broncos’ special-teams woes is the unit’s proclivity for penalties.

Last week, the Broncos paid a clear scoreboard price, when Dre’Mont Jones was flagged for leverage in the third quarter. Adjudged to be using a Steelers blocker to rise and attempt to block Chris Boswell’s field-goal attempt, Pittsburgh opted to take the penalty rather than the successful 51-yard kick. Three plays later, Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool was in the end zone.

“That’s on me,” said special-teams coordinator Tom McMahon. “Call-wise, I’m willing to take full responsibility for that.”

McMahon also said Friday that he didn’t want to publicly question the call — unlike head coach Vic Fangio, who did so at his Monday press conference.

Nevertheless, it was another penalty for a unit plagued by them.

Those four points proved crucial in the fourth quarter. Instead of dealing with a 20-6 deficit, the Broncos trailed 24-6 entering the fourth quarter. The entire game flow changed — including a failed two-point conversion try after Denver’s second touchdown, costing the Broncos another likely point.

There is no guarantee that the Broncos would have needed only a game-tying field goal in the dying moments as a result. But a team of Denver’s ilk isn’t at a level where it can afford to give opponents a scoreboard boost.

So far this season, the Broncos have seven special-teams penalties; only the Cowboys and Jets have more. Their 70 yards in special-teams infractions is the second-most in the NFL; only the Jets have done worse.

Particularly frustrating are three false-start penalties this season.

“You’ve got to sit in there. That’s young guys that have got to sit when there’s movement,” McMahon said, later adding, “You should never, ever have a false start — regardless of your age.”

Age is worth noting; the Broncos’ special-teams units are filled with rookies and roster newcomers. But most of them were added because of their special-teams potential, which has yet to result in better across-the-board play, although kicker Brandon McManus and punter Sam Martin are doing well.

The penalty problem also predates this season.

Since 2018, only six teams have more special-teams penalties or special-teams penalty yardage than the Broncos. They are among nine teams to average more than one special-teams penalty a game in that span.

Here’s where the Broncos have ranked in special-teams penalties and yardage since 2018, with data compiled from NFLPenalties.com:

• 2018: T-20th in penalties, 21st in yardage
• 2019: T-13th in penalties, 12th in yardage
• 2020: T-24th in penalties, 19th in yardage
• 2021: T-28th in penalties, 31st in yardage

When asked where the responsibility for special-teams penalties rests, McMahon put it on himself.

“That’s all on me. A hundred percent,” he said. “Yeah, it’s discipline as a coach. You can’t have any penalties.”

The downward trend since the start of the 2020 season is a concern; since the start of last season, the Broncos are tied for 26th in special-teams penalties and 30th in special-teams penalty yardage.

The proclivity cost the Broncos four points last week. McMahon’s charges need to change this trend before it costs them even more, because the Broncos aren’t good enough to overcome self-inflicted, easily-preventable wounds.