Mike Pritchard’s Big 3 Broncos breakdown – Week 4 vs. Raiders

Oct 1, 2017, 9:24 PM

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1. Examining the Denver Broncos critically is in order.

The Broncos possess a lot of talent, but they lack experience at a key position.

Denver earned a significant win today over the Oakland Raiders, but I wonder if quarterback Trevor Siemian would have made mistakes under pressure if the Broncos were on the road.

“I just felt like we were always one play away from really getting momentum. We just didn’t really have a rhythm, and they did a good job of mixing up coverages, defenses and safety pressures,” Siemian said after the game. “They kept us on our toes, but we’ve got to find a way to stay in a rhythm, stay on the field and get it to our guys.”

2. It’s clear that right tackle is an issue.

When starting right tackle Menelik Watson went down with an injury midway through the third quarter, he was replaced for a time by backup tackle Donald Stephenson.

Stephenson allowed a sack on Trevor Siemian, one that could have been pivotal. If The Broncos want to make a playoff run they absolutely need to upgrade the right tackle position.

If Denver wants to make a playoff run, they absolutely need to upgrade the right tackle position.

“We’ve got to do a better job of protecting him. We did the best we could,” running back C.J. Anderson said after the game. “We did a really good job of neutralizing ’52’ (Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack) as much as we can. You try to take him completely out of the game because he can just wreck it. We’ve seen that here before, but when he gets hit we just hope he gets up and everything is fine.”

“We’ve seen that here before, but when he gets hit we just hope he gets up and everything is fine.”

3. The Broncos might have the best front 7 in football.

The defensive line controlled the line of scrimmage and shut down the Raiders rushing game on Sunday.

Denver’s defense also controlled the second level and made it difficult for Oakland quarterbacks Derek Carr and E.J. Manuel to complete passes. Great effort by this unit and really was the determining factor to why the Broncos won today.

“Defensively, we played really stout today outside of the two big plays and the one obviously for a touchdown. We can’t do that,” head coach Vance Joseph said after the game. “But, very pleased with the defense.”

It was a great effort by this unit and really the determining factor as to why the Broncos won.