Bills 26, Broncos 16: Highlights and lowlights

The Denver Broncos fell to the Buffalo Bills 26-16 in what can only be described as a classic trap game. Coming off a big, emotional win over the Dallas Cowboys and playing on the east coast in an early time slot a week before another big game against the archrival Oakland Raiders.

Hopefully this loss refocuses the team and prepares them for this critical matchup with the Raiders next week.

Here are our highlights and lowlights of the Broncos loss to the Bills on Sunday:

Tim Lynch

Highlight: Run Defense

Once again, the Broncos run defense stepped up and completely shut down the Bills rushing attack. The Bills never gave up their hopes to run the ball either, rushing it 33 times netting just 75 yards for a paltry 2.3 yards per rush. Mail it in Broncos Country, this run defense isn’t going away.

Lowlight: Fake Punt

Down by four with an elite defense, you should never run a fake punt from your own 30-yard line. That might have been the dumbest call I’ve seen a Denver team make since John Fox took a knee in the playoffs against the Baltimore Ravens.

Scotty Payne

Highlight: Jamaal Charles

Jamaal Charles out touched C.J. Anderson today and also out played him. He ran the ball 9 times for 56 yards and 1 touchdown. He showed flashes of his post-injury form and also proved too coaches he may deserve more touches going forward. The Broncos offense would have been in more trouble than they already were if Charles didn't play like this.

Lowlight: Trevor Siemian

Did you hear that loud noise? It was Trevor Siemian falling back to earth. After having great games against the Chargers and banged up Dallas defense, Siemian struggled today. It was hot, it was an early game, they traveled east, and it was loud and Siemian struggled. He made some good throws, but for most of the day he looked flustered and lacked the confidence he had the first two games. He also tossed two very ugly interceptions in the second half of the game. Pair that with 0 touchdowns and you have a recipe for disaster on offense. Hopefully we see a better Trevor Siemian next weekend in a big divisional game against the Raiders.

Sadaraine

Highlight: None

We lost on both sides of the ball and got out-coached. If you want to take a moral victory away as a fan about some small way someone did something good, go ahead. I don't see anything worth crowing about in this game.

Lowlight: Fake Punt

The Broncos going for that fake punt was about the stupidest trick play as far as timing and field position that I've ever seen. I like fake punts. I think the team should try them more often. But being down 4 and being inside the 30 yard line at an away game? You give up far too much momentum by failing to risk it. The Denver defense is still a very good unit and should have been relied on to hold their ground instead of that fake punt nonsense.

Adam Malnati

Highlight: Run Defense

The Broncos only allowed 2.3 yards per carry, and held Buffalo to 75 yards rushing. Still stout against the run.

Lowlight: Trevor Siemian

Trevor Siemian continues to do two things that kill drives. He runs backwards at full speed to avoid the rush, taking sacks for big losses. He forces the ball into situations that would be better served if he would just throw the ball into the ground. Against the Bills it finally came back to bite him and the team.

Ian St. Clair

Highlight: Run Defense

The Broncos have now held four-straight opponents to under 100 yards rushing. What makes this feat even more impressive is they did it against the best rushing offense in the NFL the last two seasons. Any doubt or question about that aspect of the defense has been removed, and while there wasn’t much to applaud from this game, that is definitely one.

Lowlight: Team Was Inept

The team looked inept and ill prepared. The offense abandoned the run and with it lost the balance it must have to win games. The defense allowed a Rick Dennison-coached offense to move the ball down the field and execute big plays. There were four false start penalties. There were two terrible interceptions. There was that bizarre call for a fake punt on Denver’s 31-yardline trailing by four points. That is quite the contrast to what the Broncos showed against the Cowboys.

Pete Baron

Highlight: None

Lowlight: Personal Foul Call

The NFL just proved to us that 7 year olds have thicker skins than grown ass men as it's perfectly acceptable to "up high, down low, you're too slow" in 2nd grade, yet it's unsportsmanlike conduct in the NFL. Way to go NFL, way to go refs, you did everyone a disservice today.

What is your highlight and lowlight from the game?