Out of context, the smattering of cheers for ’s ho-hum fair catch at his own 12-yard line in the fourth quarter Sunday night might seem odd. But those were cheers of sarcasm. The Broncos, this time, did not trip over their own feet.
Minutes earlier, Norwood blinked on a punt and the ball bounced off his helmet and into the arms of the Chiefs — yet another Denver special-teams miscue. The Broncos were not pleased. Cornerback Aqib Talib shoved Norwood in the back, pushing him off the field in disgust.
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The frustration was piling up.
Two weeks ago in New Orleans, the Broncos were the toast of special teams across the NFL. Joe DeCamillis, Denver’s special-teams coach, drew up a whopper of a late-game blocked extra point, a “leaper” play that set in motion Justin Simmons’ blocked field goal and Will Parks’ defensive two-point conversion return. It was the most dramatic ending of an NFL game this year.
Sunday night, though, all that special-teams goodwill flittered away. The Broncos’ special teams struggled from start to finish, incidentally or directly accounting for 11 lost points, 50 yards in penalties and field position, and one nearly game-wrecking fumble. The Chiefs took advantage of all those mistakes to post a 30-27 overtime victory.
“We did everything we possibly could to lose this game,” linebacker said. “And guess what? We did.”
Norwood was the most visible special teams culprit. But the problems ran deep.
In the third quarter, after the Denver defense held strong in the red zone, the Chiefs lined up for a field goal. Three points would have given them a 12-10 lead. But the Broncos cheated. They mistakenly lined up seven defenders to the left of the long snapper. Thatap illegal. The field goal was nullified, and Kansas City got a first down.
Three plays later, the Chiefs turned it into a touchdown, a 3-yard scoring run from Tyreek Hill. The four-point swing gave Kansas City a 16-10 lead.
“This loss was on everybody,” receiver said. “Offense, defense, special teams and coaching. Everybody didn’t do their jobs.
“We have to do better,” Sanders added. “And all around, as a team.”
It was not the first time Hill took advantage of Denver’s special teams. In the second quarter, after Justin Houston sacked for a safety, the Broncos punted their free kick. Hill calmly returned it 86 yards for a touchdown. In a flash, those two points turned into nine — without Denver’s defense ever setting foot on the field.
Oh, and a holding penalty on Kapri Bibbs in the first quarter negated Riley Dixon’s 59-yard punt that would have pinned the Chiefs at their own 7. Instead, Dixon kicked again, Hill ran 17 yards and the Chiefs started at their own 34. A 27-yard swing.
So when Norwood muffed a punt in the third, you might understand Talib’s frustration.
The Broncos, for their part, learned some lessons. After Hill’s touchdown return, Dixon and kicker avoided giving him the ball again. And Norwood let go of trying to return punts, instead giving in to safer fair catches.
It worked. When their special teams stopped getting in the way, the Broncos let their offense and defense put together a special comeback that almost won it.
“Tonight was a terrible night,” Miller said. “But we’ll bounce back.”
