Chiefs’ scouting report: Cameras caught glimpse of discontent on the Broncos’ sideline
The Denver Broncos are facing an important 18-day stretch.
The Broncos, 1-4, have come out of the gate slowly and need to turn around their fortunes if they hope to make the playoffs for the first time in eight years. And they’ll have two cracks to beat the Chiefs in that three-game span, something the Broncos haven’t done since 2015.
“I think there were a lot of good things today,” Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson told reporters Sunday after Denver’s 31-21 home loss to the Jets. “And then some not so good. I think that we can play cleaner across the board and so we’ve got to clean those things up. Get ready to go on a Thursday night game on the road against a division opponent and go get it.
“That’s got to be our mentality. That’s got to be our focus right now.”
Each week, I take an early look at the Chiefs’ next opponent, and here is a quick scouting report of the Broncos, 1-4. Kickoff is at 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, and the game will air on Amazon Prime and KSHB (Ch. 41).
1. Broncos’ friction
The Broncos trailed the Jets by 11 with less than five minutes to play Sunday, but pulled to within 24-21 and had the ball when disaster struck.
Wilson scrambled out of the pocket and was stripped of the ball. Bryce Hall picked it up and returned it for a touchdown, securing the Jets’ victory.
After getting to the sideline, Wilson was met by coach Sean Payton, who had some choice words for his quarterback.
Neither Wilson nor Payton discussed the moment after the game.
2. New RB1?
One bright spot from the Broncos’ game Sunday was the play of undrafted rookie running back Jaleel McLaughlin. He rushed for 68 yards in just nine attempts (7.6 yards per carry).
McLaughlin also caught three passes for 21 yards and a dazzling touchdown after deflecting the ball into the air.
A week earlier, McLaughlin rushed for 72 yards in seven carries against the Bears.
3. Defensive woes
The Broncos are last in the NFL in points allowed (36.2 per game) and yards allowed (2,253). They are giving up 7.0 yards per play, also worst in the league.
Part of that is because the Dolphins put up 70 points on the Broncos last month, but Denver’s defense continues to have troubles.
The Jets had 407 net yards on Sunday, and a whopping 234 of those came on the ground as New York chewed up Denver’s defense. That allowed the Jets to hold the ball for nearly 10 minutes more than the Broncos.
Denver also has allowed an NFL-worst 13 touchdown passes. One bright spot has been linebacker Nik Bonitto, who has 5 1/2 sacks this season.
4. Slow second-half starts
The Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel noted the Broncos have won the opening coin toss in all five games this season. Each time they deferred to the second half but then came out in the third quarter and struggled.
“Those half-openers have finished in four three-and-outs and a missed field goal,” Gabriel wrote. “Sean Payton’s offense netted minus-16 yards on four third-quarter possessions against the Jets.”
5. Penalty problems
Denver has been penalized 37 times this season, the second-most in the NFL. Only the Carolina Panthers (41) have been flagged more often.
Unfortunately for the Broncos, 14 of those penalties have resulted in a first down for an opposing team, the third-most in the NFL, according to Pro Football Reference.
