DENVER—No matter how you slice it, allowing 59 points in an NFL game stings badly.
Give up 328 rushing yards in the process, as the Denver Broncos did Sunday to the Oakland Raiders, and the ignominy only deepens.
“It does,” Denver safety Renaldo Hill said. “At that point you know what they’re going to do. If they’re successful doing it, they’re going to keep doing it and it’s up to you to man up and do something about it. That’s when it’s definitely personal.”
One week after the Broncos represented themselves well against the powerful New York Jets’ ground attack, they were totally dominated by Darren McFadden & Co.
McFadden, returning after a two-game absence from a hamstring injury, had three of the Raiders’ five rushing TDs. He had 165 yards on 16 carries, as the Raiders posted the third-highest rushing total in franchise history, which also was the fourth-most Denver’s ever allowed.
“He ran strong. He ran hard. He ran fast,” Broncos outside linebacker Jason Hunter said of McFadden, who also caught a touchdown pass. “We just have to go back to the big picture and correct what we need to correct.”
Denver entered the game having the league’s 25th-ranked run defense at 127.7 yards per game. Oakland had 169 yards by halftime in grabbing a 31-point advantage. The Raiders repeatedly attacked the Broncos’ flanks, particularly to the left side.
The Raiders’ final output was better than any previous game except a 356-yard showing on Nov. 30, 1987, at Seattle and 348 at Green Bay on Sept. 17, 1978.
It didn’t help matters that defensive lineman Kevin Vickerson hobbled to the sideline late in the first quarter after apparently aggravating a strained groin that’s been bothering him for two weeks.
It’s the second time in three weeks the Broncos have given up more than 200 rushing yards. Baltimore on had 233 on 47 carries Oct. 10. It’s also the fourth time a Denver opponent has averaged more than five yards per carry in a game.
The Broncos for the second straight week mixed 3-4 and 4-3 fronts but were far less successful than in the Jets game, which finally wore Denver down in the fourth quarter on the ground.
“You have to be able to play at the same level and coach at the same level every game,” Denver coach Josh McDaniels said. “We can’t get ready for some things and have a good game plan and execute the game plan right and play them very competitively and tough in certain areas and then come out the next week and fail in every other aspect.”
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SLOW START: The Broncos had harped all week about getting off to better starts after scoring just seven points in the first quarter through the first six games. Denver even constructed practices to address the issue, changing the practice tempo to more game simulation and using real substitution patterns.
The result: Quarterback Kyle Orton threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown on his first dropback; receiver Demaryius Thomas fumbled the next time Denver got the ball. And the Raiders already were off to a 21-0 lead just over six minutes into the game.
“We didn’t do enough, obviously, because that wasn’t a fast start,” Broncos wide receiver Jabar Gaffney said. “That wasn’t a start at all. We changed up practice but changing up something you do in practice isn’t going to translate. It’s just a mindset. And we didn’t have that mindset today.”
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QUICK TURNAROUND: The Broncos won’t have time to feel sorry for themselves with a game against San Francisco in London next weekend. The normal week will be pushed back a day, so game-planning will be finalized Monday, followed by on-field preparations over the next three days before heading overseas Friday.
“We’ve got to stop the bleeding,” Hill said. “That’s the one thing we’ve definitely got to do because we’ve got a game and a quick flight and a change of time and everything. If not, and we’re feeling sorry for ourselves, it’s going to be continued pain.”
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ET CETERA: RB Knowshon Moreno scored both Denver TDs, his third career game with multiple scores. … Denver DE Marcus Thomas had a career-high 10 tackles. … The Broncos lost for the first time since 2000 in their AFC West opener. … Broncos rookie CB Perrish Cox, who was starting for Andre’ Goodman (thigh), was knocked out of the game with a concussion.
