DENVER — The book is out on the Broncos, and until they can rewrite it, they can expect most opponents to continue reading it and following its instructions to the letter.
Once again, an opposing offense emphasized short, quick throws. Thirteen of Mitchell Trubisky’s 27 passes Sunday were out in under two seconds. Through two games, 26 of the 53 passes thrown against the Broncos were out in fewer than two seconds, rendering the Broncos’ edge rushers helpless to discombobulate the passing game as they would hope.
“Even if you’re in tight man coverage, a lot of the times, you get the ball out that fast and you establish a decent amount of the run game, it’s going to be hard to generate sacks,” safety Justin Simmons said at the Taste of the Broncos event Monday night outside Empower Field at Mile High. “On top of that, they’re chipping, they’re using extra blockers, they’re extending plays.”
Still, there’s a difference between reasons and excuses. Simmons opted for the former and eschewed the latter.
“We’ve just got to find ways, though,” he said. “We know offenses are going to use that formula down the road, and we’ve just got to find ways to make that happen, be tighter in coverage, whatever fit is. Maybe use a little bit more rush, who knows.”
But there’s more to it than the defense. Denver’s offensive struggles are a factor, too.
With the Broncos nursing a current league-worst six-game streak of failing to score at least 20 points, there is less pressure for an opposing offense to test the Broncos vertically.
They’re not under pressure to hit the green on a par-5 in two shots; they can take the shorter, safer options knowing that unless the Broncos find a gear in their offense that hasn’t been there, Denver will struggle to generate points.
Thus, Trubisky was able to focus on the short stuff. More than half — 14 of his 27 attempts — were either within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage or behind the line of scrimmage.
“I don’t think Trubisky threw too many balls past 20 yards all game long,” Simmons said.
Indeed, just four of Trubisky’s attempts were beyond 20 yards in the air from the line of scrimmage. In Week 1, just four of Derek Carr’s 16 attempts covered at least 20 yards.
Until the Bears’ last-gasp drive, 13 of Trubisky’s 22 attempts were out within two seconds of the snap. All five of his passes on the final series saw him hold the football for at least 2.2 seconds, finishing with an average of 3.24 seconds.
On the decisive 25-yard pass to Allen Robinson, Trubisky held the football longer than he had all day — for 5.32 seconds. Bradley Chubb did reach Trubisky once, but he was called for a controversial roughing-the-passer penalty.
“I think it’s just going to be a combination of getting in better situations,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said, “but we had our chance [Sunday] in the rush on the last drive. Our rush wasn’t good enough on that one.”
THE LATE SHOW
Denver has a significant offensive problem. No, this isn’t about the 10 holding penalties in two games, although that is problematic. It’s the fact that most of the team’s production hasn’t come until the fourth quarter of games, when the Broncos are in comeback mode, emphasize the pass and increase the tempo.
The numbers are dramatic when broken down by possessions. On drives that began in the first through third quarters, the Broncos have averaged 34.7 net yards, 2.2 first downs and 0.9 points. Fourth-quarter possessions yield 66.3 net yards, 4.0 first downs and 4.2 points per series.
Largely because of their fourth-quarter work, the Broncos have advantages in first downs (45-37) and total yardage (716-630) on their opponents, although they trail in yardage per play (5.7 to 5.4) and first-down rate (the Broncos have earned one rushing or passing first down every 3.41 plays, compared to a rate of one every 3.33 snaps for their foes).
One thing that has been a constant: getting some positive momentum on possessions. Denver has just three three-and-outs in 17 possessions so far. The Broncos and Chiefs have the same number of possessions without earning a first down through two games, although the Chiefs have four more series than the Broncos’ 17.
“It seems like we’ve gotten into that midfield, plus-45 area and that’s where a lot of our drives have stalled,” Fangio said. “We haven’t had as many series as most teams have probably had because we’ve been able to make a first down, two first downs, three first downs and get us past the 50, and then we’ve stalled out. We’ve got to get a few more explosive plays.”
NO SACKS, NO TAKEAWAYS — HOW RARE IS IT?
Consider this:
According to pro-football-reference.com, the Broncos are just the fourth team in the 38 seasons since sacks became an official statistic in 1982 to not post a sack or a takeaway in their first two weeks, joining the 2009 Cowboys, 2007 Jets and 2002 Lions with this dubious distinction.
Given the takeaway touch and pass rush the first-team defense showed in training-camp practices, the lack of statistical production is stunning.
“If you told me before the season started, two weeks in, that [the Broncos] would be 0-2, no sacks and no turnovers in general, I would have said, ‘No way,'” Simmons said.
SANDERS ROLLING
With 16 receptions for 184 yards, two touchdowns and a successful two-point conversion reception through two games, wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders is off to the best two-game start of his career, surpassing his 16-catch, 152-yard, two-touchdown work in Weeks 1 and 2 of the 2015 season.
According to pro-football-reference.com, this marks the fourth time in the Broncos’ 60-year history that one of their receivers has posted at least 15 receptions, 150 yards and two touchdowns in the first two games of the season. Ring of Famers Lionel Taylor (1961) and Rod Smith (2001) are the others.
