From Denver Broncos On SI · · 3m
Broncos' Opening Night Disaster: Every Strength Became a Weakness
Denver's 31-10 loss to Kansas City wasn't just a defeat, it was a complete collapse of everything that made them contenders.
In brief
Denver's 31-10 loss to Kansas City wasn't just a defeat, it was a complete collapse of everything that made them contenders. The Broncos' season-opening collapse showed every supposed strength turning into a weakness, demanding immediate answers before a tough schedule gets worse. Originally reported by Denver Broncos…
A complete disaster at Arrowhead
The Broncos lost 31-10 to the Chiefs in their season opener. It wasn't just the score, it was how everything that could go wrong did go wrong.
Worst since Bo Nix's rookie year
Denver hasn't looked this bad since Nix's first season, when they were blown out by Baltimore and Buffalo. This was inexplicable for a supposed contender.
Bo Nix's worst game as a pro
In his first game back from a playoff ankle injury, Nix turned in his worst performance ever. This counts his ugly first two career starts.
Davis Webb completely outcoached
Webb's debut as offensive play-caller was a disaster. The wunderkind looked in over his head against Steve Spagnuolo's defense.
Elite offensive line played like garbage
The NFL's supposed top offensive line returned all five starters. They couldn't protect Nix even against three and four-man rushes.
Jaylen Waddle's invisible debut
Waddle was targeted just three times, caught one pass for two yards, and dropped a crucial third-down pass. So much for being different.
Running backs barely got the ball
Webb called only six rushes in the first half against a defense that ranked 25th against the run last year. Jonah Coleman didn't get a single carry.
Kenneth Walker ran wild
The new Chiefs running back torched Denver for 173 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The Broncos' elite defense looked anything but.
28 missed tackles doomed Denver
The Broncos missed 28 tackles, giving up 247 yards after contact. Without those missed tackles, Kansas City would have gained just 145 total yards.
Penalties killed drives again
Denver's chronic penalty problem continued with seven flags for 52 yards. Many came at crucial moments that killed drives or extended Chiefs possessions.
Every advantage became a weakness
The Broncos entered with advantages across the board. Somehow every single one turned into a colossal weakness on the national stage.
Payton calls it a slap in the face
After watching the film, Payton called the 21-point loss a slap in the face. He stopped short of calling it a wake-up call.
“Certainly a slap in the face. I don't feel like we played up to our standard, and certainly that starts with us as coaches, myself.”
Bo Nix sees it differently
Unlike his coach, Nix called the performance exactly what it was: a nasty wake-up call. He said the team has no choice but to get better.
“I think we just let ourselves down. It was a nasty wake-up call today.”
National embarrassment for a contender
The Broncos didn't just lose, they embarrassed themselves on national TV. They were viewed as the AFC's best team and a Super Bowl contender.
Two axes to grind this week
Denver faces Jacksonville on Sunday with two motivations: proving Week 1 was an anomaly and getting revenge after Liam Coen's trash talk last season.
Better now than later
With a brutal early schedule, facing a gut-check in Week 1 might be a blessing. The wake-up call came early enough to fix things.
The headline
The Broncos' season-opening collapse showed every supposed strength turning into a weakness, demanding immediate answers before a tough schedule gets worse.
