The play that finally broke the back of the Broncos’ defense Sunday was a pass from that traveled 3 yards past the line of scrimmage.
Facing a third-and-11 from the Denver 42-yard line, the Chargers sent speedy receiver across the middle of the field on a short slant. Fellow wide receiver , meanwhile, worked inside and paused his route in front of Broncos cornerback , leaving Benjamin with yards of open real estate between the hash marks. He caught the pass, sprinted outside of safety and cruised into the end zone to seal the victory for Los Angeles.
The breakdown ended a frustrating day for a defense that did its part in the 21-0 loss but was provided little margin for error, and an even smaller opportunity to make game-changing plays. The short pass, designed to create a schematic advantage as opposed to an athletic one, was a microcosm of how teams have tried to mitigate the impact of the Broncos’ playmakers on defense.
“They don’t even give us any plays to gamble with,” Broncos cornerback Chris Harris said. “Everything comes out fast, pick plays. They’re not really throwing the ball. Think about it. They don’t throw the ball down the field, really.
“Most of the plays we’ve given them have been very great schemed-up plays. They’re scheming us, they’re setting pick plays and they’re figuring out ways to empty us out with three tight ends. They throw it fast to the tight ends. When have you seen a ball — other than the Raiders and the first Chargers game — go down the field 40 yards? It doesn’t happen. We have to get used to how teams are playing us.”
The Broncos are ranked first in total defense, giving up just 258.5 yards per game. They rank second in rush defense (71.8 yards per game) and sixth in pass defense (186.7). But only Atlanta has fewer takeaways this season (three) than the four produced by the Broncos. And Denver is one of just three teams that hasn’t recovered an opponent’s fumble. It’s part of the reason the Broncos rank 29th in the NFL with a minus-eight turnover differential.
The Broncos have tried to address its inability to force turnovers by adding more takeaway drills in practice. Linebacker Von Miller said that he has tried to be more cognizant of stripping away the ball when he has the opportunity, much like he did to Panthers quarterback in 50. Harris said Monday the Broncos simply have to find a way to be even “more dominant” on defense.
The problem for the Denver defense is it can be difficult to penetrate offenses that are cloaked in bubble wrap. Opponents have attempted only nine passes this season that travel more than 21 yards in the air, according to Stats Pass, by far the fewest in the league against any defense. The second-fewest such attempts against a team are the 14 faced by Miami. (Opponents have completed five of those nine passes against the Broncos for three touchdowns with one interception.)
“When you don’t score points, itap hard for our defense to cause havoc because everything is being played close to the vest,” Broncos coach said. “The Giants threw one pass over 8 yards. (On Sunday, Rivers) was very conservative. When the ball went past 10 yards, it was all max protection. Itap hard for our defense to control a game without having a lead. If we get a lead, this defense will show up big time.
“Itap hard for us on defense to be the difference if itap not with a lead because teams are just going to run the ball, run the ball, third down, try their luck and punt it back. Thatap what we’ve seen in the three losses.”
The approach of the Chargers on third down matches Joseph’s description. Rivers only threw the ball more than 10 yards down the field three times on 12 third-down plays. The first was a third-and-14 attempt in the first quarter that tipped into the air, nearly allowing the ball to be intercepted. The second was a post route to Allen that set the Chargers up for a touchdown. The third came on a third-and-11 play in the fourth quarter when Rivers torpedoed a pass for a first down to Hunter Henry, who was blanketed tightly by safety .
More often, a third down play ended with Rivers throwing at the feet of a running back to avoid pressure, picking up an intentional grounding penalty, throwing short and settling for a punt or absorbing a sack and willfully giving the ball back to the Broncos’ inept offense.
Next up for the Broncos is a team that has turned the ball over exactly once this season — a fumble by rookie running back Kareem Hunt on the first play of the season. Quarterback Alex Smith has yet to throw an interception. Every other team in the NFL has thrown at least two.
“We have to worry about being better and try to give up zero points,” Harris said. “We can be more dominant and make more turnovers. Thatap the only thing we’re trying to focus on, ourselves, and what we can do. We can’t control what the offense does. Thatap on them.”
