Postgame Cold Snacks: Garett Bolles’ holding penalties help doom Broncos

DENVER — When you have little margin for error, you can’t afford for anything to go awry.

Eddy Piñiero’s 53-yard field goal as time expired goes into the books as the game-deciding kick in Denver’s 16-14 loss to the Bears. But if Joe Flacco doesn’t throw an interception earlier in the fourth quarter in goal-to-go and if Denver offensive linemen don’t get flagged for six holding penalties, then maybe the Broncos aren’t in a position where a controversial holding penalty against Bradley Chubb has the potential to decide the game.

The infraction pushed the Bears to their 45-yard line with 24 seconds left, giving them a realistic shot if they could complete one 20-yard pass. It ended up being 25 yards after a Chicago delay-of-game penalty, but a single fourth-and-15 completion from Mitchell Trubisky to Allen Robinson was all Chicago needed. One completion, one second left on the clock, and Piñiero promptly drove the stake through the Broncos.

Denver did some things well enough to win. But the Broncos did enough wrong to ensure that one questionable call was capable of deciding the outcome.

HOLDS SHORT-CIRCUITED MULTIPLE DRIVES

When exasperation intersects with anger, the result is a waterfall of boos pouring out of the Empower Field at Mile High grandstands after another holding penalty.

Sunday afternoon, those boos were directed at left tackle Garett Bolles. Officials whistled him for four holding infractions, taking his total through two games this season to five and his tally in the last four games dating back to last season to eight.

Penalties have long been an issue for Bolles. According to NFLPenalties.com, Bolles was flagged for 10 holding penalties in his 2017 rookie campaign and nine last year.

“It was frustrating. I’ve built a reputation for myself in this league of holding. I disagree with it, to be honest,” Bolles said. “There are some calls I disagree with, and there are some things that I understand. I have to go back and watch the film and see what I can do.”

This is where offensive-line guru Mike Munchak comes into play.

“We have the best offensive-line coach in the business here, and Garett’s going to learn from this game,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said. “[The Bears] have some good players, and he’s going to learn from it, and he’ll move on.”

Fangio acknowledged that he had to watch the game film to gain more clarity on the calls, calling his comments “a little bit of the ignorant nature right now.”

Of the infractions for which Bolles was called on Sunday, only one appeared to be controversial — his first call, when he was adjudged to be holding Bears linebacker Roquan Smith downfield after aligning his hands outside of Smith’s shoulders. It is the kind of call that often goes unwhistled, but Adrian Hill’s crew fired the flag.

But Fangio made one thing clear: Bolles will stay in the lineup.

“He’s our left tackle and he’s gonna be our left tackle,” Fangio said, “and he needs to play without holding.”

Added Bolles: “I’m going to turn this around. I promise you that. I promise Broncos Country that.”

STILL SEARCHING FOR THE SACK

Another week, another game without the Broncos’ vaunted pass rush bringing down an opposing quarterback. But once again, the Broncos had to cope with a quarterback getting the ball out in a hurry.

In Week 1, Derek Carr’s penchant for quick throws within two seconds of the snap neutralized the edge rush of Von Miller and Bradley Chubb. Sunday, it was a combination of quick throws, the mobility of Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and the Bears going completely away from the pass for long stretches, relying on runs from Mike Davis, David Montgomery and wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson.

It’s the first time the Broncos have gone consecutive games without a sack since Weeks 15 and 16 of the 2014 season.

“I mean, the quarterbacks are throwing the ball quick, what do you want us to do?” defensive end Derek Wolfe said. “I’m tired of hearing the fans moan about us not getting sacks when the ball is gone in two seconds. There’s no sacks to be had. When they have the lead, they’re not just going to sit back and drop back to pass. It’s just the way it goes.”

HOW JUSTIN SIMMONS KEPT HOPE ALIVE

After whittling the Bears’ deficit to seven points early in the fourth quarter, safety Justin Simmons ensured that the offense had a chance to sustain its momentum by singlehandedly forcing a three-and-out.

With second-and-8 at the Chicago 27-yard line, Simmons prevented a downfield connection from Trubisky to tight end Ben Braunecker, closing and lunging to deflect the pass just as it arrives.

One play later, Vic Fangio brought the house on Trubisky, with Simmons providing the unblocked rush that forced an off-balance incompletion. Simmons dashed forward to the line of scrimmage just outside the right tackle and then sprinted toward Trubisky, forcing a throw that tight end Trey Burton could not corral.

That sequence gave the Broncos their first three-and-out since the second quarter.

Simmons finished with a team-leading nine tackles.