There’s two things the Denver Broncos are good at right now: playing defense and winning games.
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Broncos → ’ → games
Everything else needs a tune-up if not an outright overhaul.
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Everything → need → overhaul
The Broncos had as many quarterback hits — 17 — in their 17-14 overtime win against the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night as Bo Nix had completions against the reigning Super Bowl champions.
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Nix → have → champions
A franchise record-tying dozen players hit Sam Darnold as the Broncos (4-2) eked out another close win despite missing star cornerback Pat Surtain II and starting safety Talanoa Hufanga with ankle injuries.
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Broncos → tie → injuries
Vance Joseph’s unit has been bailing out Nix and the Broncos’ anemic offense all season.
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unit → bail → Nix
Nix threw for just 107 yards five days after managing a meager 123 against the Chargers.
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Nix → throw → Chargers
No pass went more than eight yards beyond the line of scrimmage and he ran four times for two yards total Thursday night.
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he → go → total
Nix admitted he’s at a loss as to why Denver’s downfield attack has gone AWOL.
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attack → admit → loss
“I don’t understand why we can’t really push the ball vertically right now,” Nix said.
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Nix → understand → ball
We’re definitely capable, we’ve shown it.
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we → ’re → it
And, you know I don’t know where the disconnect is right now, to be honest with you. ...
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disconnect → know → you
I just think we’re really, for some reason, struggling to find those explosive plays, and that’s what makes an offense really spectacular, is finding explosive plays.
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offense → think → plays
And right now, we don’t have those.”
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we → have → those
Right tackle Mike McGlinchey said the quality of Denver’s opening slate, which included the unbeaten 49ers and Chiefs along with the Jaguars, Rams and Seahawks, has a lot to do with how much Denver is scuffling on offense.
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Denver → say → offense
“You don’t want to come into this league and pray for easy wins,” McGlinchey said.
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McGlinchey → want → wins
“This is the NFL, it’s the greatest league in the world.
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it → ’ → world
There’s so many teams worthy of being successful, but at the end of the day you have to execute when you’re on the football field.
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you → ’ → field
We’ve been finding enough ways to do that to get four wins on the board against really, really great teams, and certainly some great defenses.
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We → find → teams
I’m excited for where we’re headed.
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we → ’m → ?
What’s working
The defense was lights out once again even without Surtain and Hufanga.
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defense → work → Surtain
Nickelback Ja’Quan McMillian recorded a sack on the first drive of the game and his interception in overtime set up Wil Lutz’s game-winning field goal.
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interception → record → goal
McMillian now has three multi-sack seasons, tied for the fourth-most by a cornerback in NFL history, and his nine career sacks are the fourth-most ever by an undrafted cornerback.
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sacks → have → cornerback
He is the fifth Broncos player to record a sack and an interception in the same game.
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He → record → game
“It’s always Ja’Quan every time who’s making those big plays, so it’s not surprising to me,” Nik Bonitto said.
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Bonitto → ’ → me
What needs help
The anemic offense.
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needs → need → help
The Broncos hope help is on the way with rookie RB Jonas Coleman (ankle) set to return from injured reserve next week.
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Coleman → hope → reserve
Stock up
DL Zach Allen is playing like an NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
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Allen → play → Year
, he’s having a stellar season as he prepares to visit his former team next weekend.
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he → have → team
Stock down
Nix plummets more by the week.
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Nix → plummet → week
Injuries
RB Tyler Badie (thumb) got hurt in the first half.
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Badie → hurt → half
Key number
12 — Broncos who recorded at least one quarterback hit, tied for the most by any NFL team over the last 12 years.
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who → record → years
The Green Bay Packers also had a dozen defenders get to the quarterback against Tampa Bay on Dec. 21, 2014.
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defenders → have → Dec.
Malcolm Roach had a career-best four QB hits.
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Roach → have → hits
Next steps
The Broncos get a long weekend off after their brutal six-week opening stretch.
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Broncos → get → stretch
They need it not only physically but mentally, especially Nix.
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They → need → it
They’ll try to get things going with a trip to Arizona to face the Cardinals (1-4) on Oct. 25.
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things → try → Oct.
The Aporia
