THE Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Chargers entered Thursday night with just four days of rest for each team, and it showed for the Broncos. Denver showed plenty of spirit in the first half, but only scored six points after halftime, dooming the team.
We take a look at the studs and misses from the Broncos’ prime-time loss.
Stallion: QB Bo Nix
Nix had a good game overall, going 29 of 40 for 263 yards and two touchdowns. Nix looked sharp in the first half, leading the team to three straight touchdowns to start the game, but then the offense completely shut down after halftime, which wasn’t entirely Nix’s fault .
Failed: Defense
A rarity this season: the defense was unsuccessful. Missed tackles, big plays and time of possession killed the Broncos defense. The defense gave up 21 points in the second half, including 15 points in the fourth quarter. The defense just couldn’t maintain the lead.
Stallion: Broncos rookies
In this game, the Broncos rookies really shined. Nix (mentioned above) had a good match; Running back Audric Estime totaled nine carries for 49 yards and a touchdown; receiver Devaughn Vele caught two passes for 21 yards and a touchdown; wide receiver Troy Franklin caught two passes for 25 yards; cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine recorded his first career interception and defensive end Jonah Elliss had three total tackles, including one tackle for loss.
This Broncos draft class may be one of the most productive and prolific in recent memory.
Stallion: Kris Abrams-Draine
Abrams-Draine (mentioned above) threw his first career interception just before halftime. Abrams-Draine also recorded four tackles (three solo, one assisted). Abrams-Draine has been a useful option after second-year man Riley Moss went down with an injury a few weeks ago. Abrams-Draine improves the depth of an already talented secondary.
Failure: penalties
The Broncos continued to shoot themselves in the foot with penalties. Defensive penalties like Jonathon Cooper’s tackle kept Charger drives alive (which ultimately turned into touchdowns), and offensive penalties stalled drives. Even though it was a four-day preparation week, the Broncos need to clean up their act before heading to Cincinnati on Dec. 28.
The good news is that while this loss completely (and rightfully) stings, the Broncos remain one win away from a playoff spot. The bad news is that unless the Broncos make an impressive playoff run, head coach Sean Payton and the team will likely now have to hit the road against the Buffalo Bills instead of former quarterback- guard Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
This article was originally published on Broncos Wire: Studs and misses from Broncos’ 34-27 loss to Chargers