Polumbus: Broncos check off boxes of needs, still lose to Chiefs

Going into the bye week, Gary Kubiak and the Denver Broncos staff did plenty of self-analysis.  In order to win games moving forward, he gave his team a list of boxes to check off to have success moving forward.

1. Trevor Siemian

— Siemian was told that he had to play “big.” Denver couldn’t just have “OK” quarterback play, it had to have the quarterback play “big.” Siemian was 20-of-34, threw for 368 yards, had no interceptions, and threw for three touchdowns.

I would consider that a “big” game.

Check that box off.

— Siemian was told the team needed him to make plays with his feet again like he was early in the season before he hurt his shoulder, and he scrambled for first downs, pressed the line scrimmage on play action, and bought time for off-schedule throws when defenders were in his face.

Check that box off.

2. Devontae Booker

— Booker was called in for a meeting in which the coaches showed him his film from early in the season and asked him if it looked like he was breaking tackles, falling forwards, and finding the right seems.

They challenged him to play better, and though his stats were not off the charts against the Kansas City Chiefs (24 attempts for 79 yards), his performance was much improved. Quite frankly, the run game looked much better than the stats show.

Check that box off.

3. The defense had to stop the run

— The defense was told over the bye week that they would have to improve on its only Achilles heel this season: its rush defense. They held Kansas City to only 83 yards on the ground.

Check that box off.

So, if this team answered the call from its head coach and checked off all the major boxes handed to them, then how did the Broncos lose a football game against a Chiefs team in a game that started off boring, became epic, and then ended in heartbreak?

It all starts with special teams, followed by the nightmare pass rushers Kansas City has on it team and an unusually lackluster performance on defense late in the game.

Denver’s special teams was exposed throughout the night, starting with Tyreek Hill’s returned punt after a safety for touchdown.

It continued with Jordan Norwood, one of the best human beings I have ever met, had a rough night returning punts. Two muffed punts put the defense in a tough spot in which they were not able to overcome.

Chiefs pass rusher Justin Houston had a career game, showing he is clearly back to his Pro Bowl form after returning from injury. Unfortunately, the Broncos offensive line had their hands full and did not have the answers to slowing this guy down.

Lastly — and I will go easy on this one because it has carried the team for two years — but the Broncos defense uncharacteristically did not rise to the occasion to stop Kansas City in overtime after Denver got 3 points on the board first.

The Broncos pass rush was great all night, but when it came down to crunch time they let a struggling quarterback in Alex Smith put points on the board twice in overtime.

The playoff picture has become murky at best, but all is not lost after that game. The team responded to its head coach’s challenges.

And if you want to take the glass if half full outlook from the performance, there is plenty in which to find encouragement.

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