The Denver Broncos will have to wait another week to clinch a playoff berth and could miss out on the playoffs entirely after going down in overtime against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday.
The Broncos did their best to keep up but it seemed like the Bengals were one step ahead for the majority of the game. The Bengals kept them in it with dropped passes, a fumble and missed field goal late, but the Broncos just weren’t able to capitalize.
The Broncos were able to get several big performances in this game but there were also some players (and coaches) who stood out in the loss.
Denver Broncos Week 17 winners and losers
Winner: Zach Allen
The Broncos got a strong effort from their defensive front, which forced seven sacks. Jonathon Cooper and Dondrea Tillman each turned in big games but Zach Allen was one of the main reasons the Broncos had any chance to win. He had 3.5 sacks on the day and he was able to help shut down several plays that had potential for the Bengals offense.
Loser: Riley Moss
Ja’Quan McMillian also had a bad game but when Broncos fans look back at this one, Riley Moss is going to catch the brunt of the blame. Moss was beaten numerous times by the Bengals’ passing attack in his first game back from injury.
What is most troubling is thinking about how poorly the Broncos’ secondary performed while Moss was nursing his injuries and when he got back on the field, it was just as bad, if not worse.
ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky predicted that the Broncos would win if Moss played and lose if he didn’t. Take a look at what Tee Higgins’ mother had to say after her son caught three touchdown passes.
Winner: Bo Nix
Bo Nix did throw a critical interception in this game but he also had three touchdown passes and he took the team on a great drive with just over one minute to play to tie the game up and force overtime.
Nix also led a great drive at Arrowhead Stadium earlier this season where it looked like he had done enough to pull the upset, but a field goal block on the last play sunk those chances. Nix has been great this season. It both of those instances, he did things that rookies don’t do. His team has just let him down.
Winner: Marvin Mims Jr.
Marvin Mims had one of the best games of his young career thus far, catching eight passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns in the game. This huge catch helped send the game into overtime.
Loser: Javonte Williams
Javonte Williams has been all but totally phased out of this offense. He didn’t have a single carry in this game and finished with two catches for zero yards.
Winner: Jaleel McLaughlin
Jaleel McLaughlin ran the ball well in this game, gaining 69 yards on 10 carries. He was able to gash the Bengals’ defense on several of his runs and this is something the team needs to continue to go to on offense.
Loser: Sean Payton
Sean Payton’s play-calling was far too careful in this game and suggested a coach trying not to lose the game rather than one who was hungry for the win.
The Bengals scored the go-ahead touchdown with just over one minute to play in the game when they could have nearly run the clock out and kicked a chip shot field goal. That gave the Broncos the ball back and Nix took the team down the field on a great drive capped off by an incredible touchdown pass to Mims with just eight seconds left in the game.
Payton should have gone for two and tried to win the game right there, but he opted to play overtime despite the Bengals seemingly having the upper hand all game.
In overtime, Bengals kicker Cade York missed a 33-yard field goal, keeping the Broncos alive. He called three conservative plays that gained a total of two yards and the Broncos were forced to punt. They never saw the ball again.
Finally, as badly as Moss was struggling, Payton or Vance Joseph should have tried to switch to Kris Abrams-Draine, even if it was just for one possession. Moss was not playing well and the Bengals were feasting on him. Denver made no adjustments.
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