Home/NFL

via Imago

via Imago

Sunday’s match at Empower Field, Mile High, hosted two very different games in the span of one. The first game constituting the first half, projected the Denver Broncos marching toward victory with an explosive offense, while the second game comprising the second half showed the absolute reversal. The offense remained way off a first down, while the defense was as good as inactive.

Following the game, Payton shouldered the blame for his team’s dismissal collapse despite holding a 21-3 lead over their opening rivals, Washington Commanders. Quarterback, Russell Wilson, fell into the line of fire, the team’s defense coordinator included.

The Broncos’ defense crumples under DC Vance Joseph

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

“I didn’t think we played well defensively,” head coach Sean Payton said, addressing the media post the Broncos’ 35 – 33 defeat to the Washington Commanders. “[In the] second half, I think they were 100 percent—every time they entered the red zone, they scored a touchdown,” he noted. NFL analysts including Jordan Lopez clearly called out the disparity between the offense and the defensive play on a post shared on X, formerly Twitter. After analyzing the rate of offensive new down series conversion statistics he concluded, “Payton has this offense at the top of the league while Vance Joseph is running the defense into the ground.”

Owing to “slow” communication, Denver, who had managed to take a 21-3 lead in the second quarter, ended up getting outscored 32-3 by the end of the game. Payton admitted post-game, “Offensively, we were slow with our communication. That was frustrating…It was disappointing,” Payton came down heavily on his starting quarterback as well, whose fumble in the second quarter played a major role in the team’s defeat.

Willson-led defense faced with communication issues

“Russ’ has to be sharper with getting the play out,” Payton said post-game. “There were a number of drives where we were late with personnel, getting out of the huddle, we took a while,” Russel Wilson was unable to protect the ball which resulted in a costly fumble and an interception that cost the Bronks points and in the second half.

Read More: “What the Contract Was..”: Aaron Rodgers Sheds Light on $75,000,000 Financial Revision, Walking in Tom Brady’s Footsteps

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

“Ball security—punting the ball against this opponent wasn’t a bad thing. All of a sudden, they have the ball midfield and that leads to points. It was one of the big things we talked about that we have to be better with,” observed the head coach who ultimately accounted himself responsible for the team’s apparent failure, “We have to be better. I have to be better.”

USA Today via Reuters

Regardless, Wilson was able to amass 308 passing yards and three touchdowns, though he did have an interception and lost a fumble. Notably, he also led the team in rushing with 56 yards, achieving a significant milestone by becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to surpass 5,000 rushing yards while also exceeding 40,000 passing yards.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

As Denver prepares to set their scores right on Sunday’s match against the Dolphins, in Miami, fans and analysts eagerly wait for a calculated revamp that can cement the Broncs’ reputation as a winner.

Watch This Story: Days After His Phenomenal Leveling With Aaron Rodgers, Kansas City Chiefs Seal the Pinnacle Spot by Virtue of the 2X Super Bowl Champion, Patrick Mahomes