The Broncos inability to put opponents to bed is highly concerning

The Denver Broncos should be 3-0.

But because they have no idea how to put opponents to bed, they’re 1-2.

That may seem like oversimplifying things, but it’s true.

Against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2, the Broncos were up 28-20 with 12:01 to go in the third quarter. Somehow, they didn’t score the rest of the game. If QB Bo Nix isn’t picked off, Wil Lutz doesn’t smash the upright or Denver doesn’t commit a silly leverage penalty on a 60-yard field goal, the Broncos would’ve left Indy with a win.

And on Sunday, it was Deja Vu all over again.

Denver had the Los Angeles Chargers on the ropes with its sights set on first place in the AFC West. That killer instinct, like usual with this bunch, simply wasn’t there.

The Broncos led the game 14-10 and 17-13 with the football. Both times they had glorious chances to make it a two-possession game with a touchdown. And they failed, settling for two short field goals to only extend the advantage to seven points.

By now, you know how it went down.

Chargers QB Justin Herbert was able to move the ball twice, once to tie it 20-20 and another time to help set up a walk-off field goal and prevail with a 23-20 victory.

In between that, Broncos head coach Sean Payton punted on fourth-and-one and also designed a completely uninspiring series when Nix and the offense could’ve been the ones winning the game.

That final throw of the day from Nix, a bomb to Courtland Sutton that missed by inches, will be embedded in the brains of Broncos Country for some time. It was a fitting end to a forgettable afternoon, as Nix also missed Marvin Mims Jr. twice on deep balls that could’ve been touchdowns.

This stinks.

Our favorite team is incapable of putting their foot on the throat when it matters most, and the whole season might derail because of it.

There’s plenty of blame to go around. Nix has to be sharper, showing better touch on longer throws. Payton has to call a cleaner game, not setting up so many third-and-longs.

The running game, outside of the “J.K. Dobbins series” early in the third quarter, was pitiful. And the defense, once again, couldn’t make a big play to get off the field when it mattered most.

Just one guy isn’t at fault, whether it be the head coach, quarterback, defensive coordinator, etc. Right now, the entire Broncos operation is coming up short in clutch moments and the fans are the ones suffering.

Two weeks in a row we had to sit on our couch, at a restaurant, at the stadium or wherever and have that sickening feeling Denver was going to lose. In Indianapolis it was a stunner, against the Chargers it felt inevitable.

The Broncos coaching staff and players have to fix this and they have to fix it fast. Payton acknowledged as much after the game, but the time for words is finished. Action is needed, showing the NFL and the Mile High City they can actually get the job done in the pressure cooker.

Right now, the panic meter is about an 8/10. Giving games away in this league is a recipe for a disappointing season. It eventually can cost people their jobs. The tension isn’t just high because of two straight Broncos losses, it’s how they lost that is the most alarming.

A glass half full take is there’s still a lot of season left. A glass half empty take is these two heartbreakers will be a big reason why Denver either misses the playoffs entirely or barely sneaks into the dance.

Neither would be good enough, not after Payton spent the summer talking about the Super Bowl.

The dirty little secret is championship teams find a way to win these types of games, not gag them away.

And you can bet, the next close fourth quarter the Broncos play in, the fanbase will be thinking “here we go again.”

Hopefully, and all we have right now is hope, this team proves us wrong.

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