Getty Linebacker Von Miller #58 of the Denver Broncos stands on the field before a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on October 1, 2018 in Denver, Colorado.
Vic Fangio’s Denver Broncos have slid quicker than an avalanche in the Rockies. After a flawless first three weeks, Denver have lost three straight. Their most recent defeat was perhaps the most disturbing of them all.
The Broncos welcomed a Las Vegas team with an interim head coach and a conflicted locker room, coming off one of the most dramatic weeks in recent memory following Jon Gruden’s resignation. If the Broncos were ever going to beat the Raiders, it was October 17, and in truth they never came close.
The 34-24 scoreline flattered a Denver team which failed to turn up on offense and defense. Raiders’ quarterback Derek Carr dominated the once-vaunted Broncos secondary, averaging 19 yards per completion and passing 7 times for over 25 yards. Overall, Carr was 18-for-27 for 341 yards and two touchdowns in a near-perfect performance. Denver’s pass rush struggled to truly trouble the Vegas offensive line, sacking Carr just once while creating 17 pressures, according to PFF.
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Miller: It’s on Me
Admittedly, the Broncos thrived against the run, allowing a mere 3.7 yards per rush, particularly curtailing Josh Jacobs’ impact on the game. Though their efforts weren’t enough to stop Carr and company. Denver pass rusher Von Miller, who accounted for eight of the defensive line’s 14 pressures, took responsibility for the loss postgame.
“It starts with me,” Miller said following the defeat. “I’ve got to do a better job. I slipped. We started off winning and I’ve got to double down. I’ve got to do more. I’ve got to find a way to make a play. I’ve got to find a way to pressure the quarterback. I’ve got to do what I do best. I have to focus on me. That’s all I know how to do. It’s already hard enough to look at this, look at that, and try to fix this — I’ve got to do better. If I can do better that’ll make everybody else’s job a whole lot easier. I’ve got to do a better job leading. I’ve got to do a better job rushing the passer. I’ve got to do a better job all the way around and I’m confident that I’ll be able to do it.
“I’m confident that I can get it fixed. That’s why I’ve been here 11 years because I’ve always found a way to get it fixed. I’m confident that I can be able to fix myself and put myself in a position to make better plays. If I can do that it’ll just trickle downhill. Our defense will be able to get more picks, more turnovers, and a shorter field for our offense. It all starts with me and I’m completely comfortable with that. I can do it. I’m going to get it done.”
Miller: Ready for Redemption on Thursday Night Football
Sections of the media and undoubtedly many within Broncos Country are growing tired of the skid toward the bottom of the AFC West — the Broncos currently hold the same record as the last-placed Kansas City Chiefs — but Miller isn’t ready to take advice from anyone outside of Englewood.
Whenever you lose a couple of games everybody’s a little bit open to suggestions,” Miller told reporters postgame. “People start thinking, ‘Maybe we should do this. Maybe we should do that. Maybe if we try this or try that.’ This is pro ball. It’s not little league or high school. All the guys that we’ve got here are top of the line. All the players that we’ve got are top of the line, all the coaches that we got are top of the line. From the media guys to the chefs — everybody’s top of the line and we’ve got to trust everybody to do their job. If we can do that, we’ll be alright.”
The Broncos have just a few days to find a solution to the slide ahead of a season-defining Thursday night clash at Cleveland. Despite the short window, the eight-time All-Pro wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I feel like it’s easier this way,” Miller said. “Whenever I lose, I’ve always been the type of guy to say, ‘Let’s run it right back.’ If you beat me in cards, I want to run it right back so I can get that win. If you beat me in a video game, I want to run it right back so I can get a win. I want another shot at it super quick.
“There’s no better time to do it. We’ve got 96 hours to get it done. I like it like this. I want it as fast as possible. I want to get this taste out of my mouth fast as possible. I want to play right now and it’s the perfect situation to be in. We get to play extremely fast, and we get a break right after that. It’s all about winning though.”
Follow Patrick Djordjevic on Twitter: @Patdjordjevic