Well, that was ugly.
The Denver Broncos returned home week 5 to face the Atlanta Falcons after playing on the road the last two weeks and it was not there best performance in the 23-16 loss. The Falcons controlled the tempo and dominated the game, giving the Broncos their first loss of the season.
A record of 4-1 isn’t bad, but the way the Broncos played is concerning. The Falcons had the Broncos on there heels all game. Running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman provided problems for the Broncos when most of the attention went to wide receiver Julio Jones.
Freeman ran for 88 yards and a touchdown, while also adding 35 yards receiving on three catches. Coleman had health issues coming into the game as he deals with the sickle cell trait and the altitude in Denver, but that did not stop him from putting on an impressive receiving performance. He caught four passes for 132 yards and one touchdown.
Quarterback Matt Ryan did a great job not forcing it to his great wide receiver Jones, but getting it to his running backs in one-on-one coverage with the Bronco linebackers. Freeman and Coleman combined for 167 yards receiving. Ryan passed for 267 yards and one touchdown.
The Broncos defense were not able to dominate as they did the previous four weeks. The Falcons exposed some glaring holes in the Broncos defense and it starts with the linebackers. With Danny Trevathan now with the Chicago Bears, Broncos linebackers Brandon Marshall and Todd Davis have to do better in coverage. The defense is not all at fault in the lost though.
In rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch first start, the Broncos offensive line did not protect him. Lynch was under pressure all game, getting sacked six times. Lynch passed for 223 yards and one touchdown, but also threw an interception.
We put him in a really tough situation,” said Head Coach Gary Kubiak on Lynch. “It’s not the type of game you want to put him in. We battled. We just didn’t play very good.”
Falcons defensive end Vic Beasley Jr. had his best game as a pro. He dominated Broncos right tackle Ty Sambrailo getting three and half sacks, a career high. Coming into the game, Beasley only had five sacks in his two years as a pro.
The Broncos desperately missed right tackle Donald Stephenson. Stephenson signed with the Broncos in the offseason and provided an immediate upgrade for the offensive line. Stephenson has not played since week 2 as he recovers from a calf injury.
C.J. Anderson did not provide much help for Lynch either. After the first two games, Anderson has not ran for over 50 yards. In week 5 against the Falcons, Anderson only ran for 41 yards on 11 carries.
After the game, Kubiak was hospitalized with flu-like symptoms. No word on his condition as he continues to be evaluated.
The Broncos must regroup fast as they play their first divisional game against the San Diego Chargers on Thursday night. If Trevor Siemian cannot play, Lynch and the offense will need to put on a better outing than the one put forward or the Broncos could be on a two game losing streak.
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