The Broncos' formula for success is quite simple... and that's the problem

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos might have the best bullpen in the league.

Six games into the 2017 season, Denver has yet to blow a lead. But there’s just one problem—they’ve only had three save opportunities.

In all reality, a bullpen, or a defense, is only as good as what they are defending, and in the Broncos three losses, especially the last two, they’ve had nothing to defend.

“Our three wins look the same, and our three losses look the same,” head coach Vance Joseph said on Wednesday afternoon.

The three wins, wire-to-wire wins in which the team got out to an early lead that their all-world defense defended with class. Two of their three losses, wire-to-wire losses in which the opposing offense got an early lead and did everything they could to keep the ball away from that dangerous defense. In the other loss—at the hands of the Buffalo Bills—the team lost the lead late in the third quarter and never scored again.

Here’s a scary stat: in more than 125 minutes of playing from behind in 2017, the Broncos have scored just two touchdowns, a second-quarter run from Jamaal Charles in Buffalo, and a garbage time toss from Trevor Siemian to Jeff Heuerman in the waning minutes of a 23-10 loss to the New York Giants.

The formula for the Broncos is quite simple, get on the opponent early.

“It’s everything to us. It’s everything to get off to a fast start,” Joseph said.

“We have to get out to a fast start,” said Trevor Siemian.

“Everybody wants to play from ahead,” added Aqib Talib “That’s the name of the game.”

Talib is right; everybody does want to play from ahead. Playing with a lead forces opposing offenses to take more chances, making turnovers much easier to come by. Playing with a lead gives you the luxury of not straying from your game plan. Playing with a lead, for all intents and purposes, is easy.

But it can’t always be easy. Good teams find a multitude of ways to win, and right now, it appears the Broncos only have one way.

“We have to be in, I wouldn’t say an even game, but a fair game so we can apply our formula,” Joseph explained, elaborating on the importance of starting fast. “That’s the best thing for our quarterback. He is most comfortable when we can dictate to the defense. We can run the ball, we can play-pass and our worst play can be a punt. That’s our formula on offense when the games are even. When the game’s not even, and we’re forced to throw the ball 35-40 times, that’s not what we’re good at yet.”

The Broncos need to find a way to win when they aren’t comfortable, and they need to do it fast. With their next three games coming against three of the best teams in the NFL, two of which on the road, there’s a good chance they are going to be quite uncomfortable.

Here’s another scary stat: in those three losses this year, the Broncos have forced a grand total of zero turnovers, while giving it away eight times. Did you know the Broncos have won 31 consecutive games when winning the turnover battle? It’s the longest active streak in the NFL.

The Broncos formula for success is simple, and that’s the problem. Why? Because the formula for success against them is just as simple. Get a lead and just play keep away.