No matter how you get it done, winning is winning. If it is 41-10 or 38-20, 51-48, or even 16-10, a W is a W. We were so used to those big scores and plethora of points in the Peyton Manning era in Denver. The 2015 Broncos are forming a different era. Through five games, it is the defense that is winning games 19-13, 24-12, 23-20, and 16-10 like the Broncos handled the Raiders Sunday in Oakland. Chris Harris and the defense did it again late when Harris picked off a Derek Carr pass and raced 74 yards for the game-clinching score with just over six minutes to go in the game. With Denver nursing a 9-7 lead, the Raiders were driving for the lead when Carr rushed a throw over the middle and the pass hit Harris right in the numbers and he raced untouched for the winning score. For the fifth straight game, the Broncos defense made a defining play that determined the outcome of the game. The Broncos are now 5-0, and they will head to Cleveland next Sunday for a chance to get to 6-0 when they take on the Browns. Here is my breakdown with thoughts and observations on the game....
1) As I said earlier, the Broncos defense is the story of the season-including the entire NFL. The pick-six by Harris was the third defensive touchdown by Denver this year. The Broncos did have some trouble at times, but for the most part they played a really good game once again. They shut down the Raiders running game and limited Latavius Murray to only 39 yards on the ground. They got the interception, the touchdown by Harris, four sacks, a forced fumble and they even blocked a field goal. What else do you want from them? Make no mistake: If they didn't play that well yesterday, then the Broncos were going to lose the game.
2) One of the most underrated plays of the game on defense was the strip sack by Von Miller. On the Raiders' first possession of the third quarter, up 7-3, Miller hit Carr and stripped him of the ball at the same time. It set up a Denver field goal. From there, the Raiders and Carr really struggled to do much on offense in the second half-until the drive when Carr got picked off by Harris. Miller was awesome yesterday. Sylvester Williams played well, Aqib Talib was really good, and Brandon Marshall did his thing as well. Give credit to Shaq Barrett, who got another sack, and continues to flash on the screen when he is in the game.
3) The offense and Peyton Manning just can't seem to get it going. The running game is still bogged down. Ronnie Hillman was finding no room to run, and C.J. Anderson continues to disappoint. Both finished with 22 and 21 yards respectively. The redzone offense was really bad yesterday as well. Hillman dropped a touchdown pass in the second quarter, and Demaryius Thomas dropped one in the third quarter. Manning's numbers weren't awful. He completed 22-35 passes for 266 yards, but he threw two costly interceptions and no touchdowns. He now has 7 interceptions and only 6 touchdown passes so far this year. His first pick was an awful through over the middle to Owen Daniels in the end zone late in the second quarter down 7-3. Daniels wasn't open and Charles Woodson picked it off. His second pick was in the third quarter when he floated a corner route to DT, who was doubled covered, and Woodson had his second pick of Manning. I thought he made some good throws, but he couldn't buy a break in the redzone and his mistakes overshadow what he does well-like the bomb to Sanders on the second possession of the game that led to a field goal. Also, every week he hits Thomas on a jumpball type of throw and that has become a deadly weapon in his arsenal. It is just really weird to see Manning struggle like this, but I still believe that he can and will improve and get his game back on track for his standards this season. The offense in general can't produce in the redzone with no running game, and even when they are moving the ball it seems like they shoot themselves in the foot with a penalty, and they can't recover and the drive is stalled for good. One last thing on Manning: With the victory, he is now 19-1 vs. the AFC West since his arrival in Denver in 2012. His record as a starter in Denver is now 45-13.
4) Brandon McManus hit three field goals, and he has been perfect this season on field goals. Whatever adjustments he made from last year have certainly helped because he might be our offensive MVP so far this year.
5) It was such a back and forth defensive game that it reminded me of the Ravens game from Week 1. It actually makes me feel better when the defense is on the field. It is like I expect them bail us out and make a play to win the game. We all know that the Broncos are not going to win the Super Bowl like this, but if we can just get the offense going in the right direction consistently with a running game, then I think the team will be a complete team and very dangerous.
6) The Broncos improve to 5-0 on the year. They are 3-0 on the road so far, and this win gives them a NFL record 14th straight road divisional win dating back to the 2011 Tebow year. The last Denver loss on the road in the division was at Oakland in December of 2010-Tebow's first start his rookie year. The Broncos head to Cleveland next week to take on the 2-3 Browns in the early window on Sunday afternoon. The Broncos could be without Demarcus Ware and Aqib Talib for this week's game.
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