The Denver Broncos faced formidable challenges against the New England Patriots defense in their Sunday Night Football clash, missing a significant opportunity to boost their playoff aspirations. Despite rallying late, they ultimately succumbed to a 26-23 defeat at Empower Field at Mile High.
Denver now holds a 7-8 record with two remaining games in the season.
Trailing 23-7, the Broncos staged a comeback, with Russell Wilson connecting on touchdown passes to Lucas Krull and Brandon Johnson. They tied the game and even had a chance to complete the comeback, starting a drive at their 39 with 1:42 remaining. However, a three-and-out situation handed the ball back to New England, and Chad Ryland sealed the Patriots’ victory with a 56-yard field goal.
Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe orchestrated a 15-yard touchdown to Ezekiel Elliott, giving New England a lead that Ryland’s missed PAT kept at 9-7. Zappe later found Mike Gesicki for an 11-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 16-7.
The Broncos suffered a setback when wide receiver Courtland Sutton exited the game in the first half with a concussion. Despite their defense’s season-long resilience, the offense struggled, exemplified by the missed opportunities early in the game.
Denver’s playoff hopes remain faint, requiring substantial assistance to overcome a challenging start to the season. While the defense has been a stronghold, the offense’s shortcomings were glaring, especially in critical moments.
The game’s opening sequence saw a missed opportunity for the Broncos after D.J. Jones’ strip-sack of Zappe. Despite starting at the Patriots’ 5-yard line, they failed to score. Subsequent drives also fell short, with Williams stopped on a crucial fourth-and-goal attempt.
Though they capitalized on good field position in one instance, scoring with a Williams run, the overall offensive performance couldn’t match the consistency of the defense. Zappe and Wilson recorded notable passing stats, but it wasn’t enough to secure a win for the Broncos.
