TNF Recap | Broncos Struggle in Ugly Win Against the Raiders in Low Scoring Punt Fest
The Broncos just took the phrase winning ugly to the next level.
In a game with 15 punts and only three scoring drives, the Broncos and Raiders just provided us with the worst Thursday Night Football game of the season. With a final score of 10-7, Denver advances to a league-best 8-2 record and squeaks by Vegas to keep their home-game winning streak alive.
Winning a game in the NFL is no small accomplishment, so kudos to the Broncos on their victory, but the performance from their offense and special teams was vomit-inducing. Bo Nix just had one of the worst games of his career. Sean Payton’s playcalling continues to leave fans scratching their heads. Special teams continued to be an issue, with punter Jeremy Crawshaw having multiple shanks. Not to mention, the Broncos were penalized 11 times. Yet once again, the Denver Broncos’ defense stepped up and carried this team to a win. Can the Broncos sustain this formula through the playoffs, or will they finally crumble against tougher opponents?
What’s Wrong With Bo Nix?
Bo Nix did not play well. He was off the mark on some of the most routine passes. His accuracy has got to improve. His footwork seems all over the place. Even when he has opportunities to set his feet and deliver a dot, he refuses. Instead, he continues sprinting while flinging passes across his body.
Against the Raiders on TNF, it was the first time we’ve seen Nix truly panicked. At times, it felt like I was back in 2020 watching Drew Lock launch deep passes with reckless abandon.
We’ve seen Nix perform at a high level, so I know he has the ability to be great, but if he doesn’t fix his mechanics and settle into Sean Payton’s offense, his long-term development may be affected.
Playcalling Disaster Class
Sean Payton is back at it again. He will go down as one of the best offensive head coaches and playcallers of our generation, but this season, his offense is a trainwreck. His lead back, J.K. Dobbins, averaged over four yards per carry and only had 12 carries before the last drive of the game. The most bone-headed decision came on a third and short, in which Payton decided to call a poorly designed trick play instead of simply running the ball. It’s games like this that have fans calling for QB coach Davis Webb to call the plays on offense.
Penalties Galore
The Denver Broncos lead the league with 83 penalties accepted against them. It is hard to accept that a Sean Payton-coached team is showing such a lack of discipline. Against the Raiders, they had more penalties (11) than points (10). This is something this team can no longer afford, as their margin for error is only getting smaller going forward. Payton needs to get this cleaned up fast.
Defense Wins Championships?
The Denver Broncos’ defense is the saving grace of this football team. They allow the third-fewest points per game (Team Rankings), and their redzone defense is the best in the league. But is that enough to carry a team to a championship?
Ready or Not?
This team is very reminiscent of the 2015 Broncos, where peak Von Miller and the No-Fly-Zone dragged the corpse of Peyton Manning to a Super Bowl. As the defense continues to impress, the offense does just enough to win. With tougher competition on the horizon, Denver’s heart, grit, and unity will be put to the test. With NFL fans and experts using their latest outing to justify putting the Denver Broncos on fraud watch, I think this defense has what it takes to place their team among the AFC’s elite. Playing the Kansas City Chiefs next week will provide a true evaluation of who this team really is.