Red zone, turnover issues — not heat — stifle Broncos in Buffalo
Sep 24, 2017, 10:20 PM
On a balmy day in Buffalo — just a few degrees south of record game-time heat — it wasn’t the heat that stymied the red-hot Broncos but rather mistakes in the red zone, on third down, and in the turnover game that did in Denver against the Bills.
By the stats, the Broncos should have won its first road game of the season, and third consecutive game. They led the Bills in first downs (21 to 16), offensive yards (366 to 272), and yards per play average (5.5 to 4.3).
Instead, two turnovers and low red zone efficiency stifled the Broncos, as the Bills ran away with a 26-16 victory.
“Yeah, we should have won. The stats say we should have won,” Demaryius Thomas said after the game. “… You’ve got turnovers on the road it’s hard to win. The crowd was loud, that doesn’t help as well, (but) with those turnovers it’s hard to beat anyone in this league.”
Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian committed the team’s only two turnovers, both interceptions in the second half — one from Denver’s own 12-yard line in the third quarter and another in the fourth as the offense was driving at the Buffalo 24-yard line.
After the game, Siemian said it was those two turnovers that disappointed him about the loss.
“I can’t do that, at home or on the road. The two turnovers, obviously, they hurt you,” Siemian said. “You never know what happens. The defense bailed us out one time. I felt good about getting points there if I don’t turn it over. Got to clean that up.”
Siemian completed just 60 percent of a season-high 40 passing attempts for 259 yards and no touchdowns to go along with the picks.
Running back C.J. Anderson, who rushed for a season-low 36 yards, said the offense can clean up before next week’s highly-anticipated Oakland Raiders matchup.
“Turnovers, third downs, not converting in the red zone like we’ve been (doing) in the past couple weeks,” Anderson said on what’s to blame for Sunday’s loss. “There’s something there that us, as players, have to figure that out. Trust the system, trust the scheme and we’ll be fine.”
The hiccup, Anderson said, will serve to drive Denver in the upcoming week of preparation for its AFC West foe.
“It definitely motivates, but it’s up to us as a staff, up to us as leaders and players to go in and watch the tape on Monday and take the good from it and keep the good and take the bad and wash it out,” Anderson said. “Fix your mistakes individually and move on.”
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.
