Final Score: Broncos lose 17-16 in error-filled game against Seahawks

The Denver Broncos had ample opportunities to beat the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football. Two goal line fumbles and a total of six points in four red zone drives left them down one with time running out. Facing a fourth and 5 with the game on the line, head coach Nathaniel Hackett preferred to try a 64-yard field goal over putting the ball in Russell Wilson’s hands to make a play.

Denver lost 17-16 in a sloppy, error-filled game. The good news is they moved the ball at will for the most part. Hopefully they can clean things up quickly heading into next week.

First Quarter

Seattle came out with a lot of fire and intensity and took advantage of some sloppy early defensive effort by Denver. Geno Smith avoided what should have been an easy sack by Alex Singleton and found a wide open Will Dissly for a 38-yard touchdown pass on their opening drive.

Russell Wilson and the Broncos offense did come out on their opening drive and moved the ball. Andrew Beck made a couple of key catches, including this one-handed grab.

That drive would end in a 30-yard Brandon McManus field goal.

The Seahawks offense didn’t slow down until they were faced with a fourth and inches from the Broncos seven-yard line. Pete Carroll called for the offense to go for it and Geno Smith was stuffed for no gain. Denver was driving to end the quarter, but that drive would end in a punt early in the second.

Seahawks 7, Broncos 3. Full first quarter recap.

Second Quarter

The concerns with the Broncos defense continued in the second quarter as Geno Smith would rack up 164 yards and two touchdowns passes with just a single incompletion in the first half. Denver’s offense, led by Russell Wilson, had kept pace somewhat with that with scoring drives on all but one possession. The biggest of which was this 67-yard catch and run by Jerry Jeudy.

Courtland Sutton logged his first reception of the year too on a 30-yard catch that set them up for a field goal to close out the half. Overall, the offense had been good enough, but the defense had been absolutely terrible in that first half. They have generated zero pass rush and are leaving receivers wide open in the secondary.

Seahawks 17, Broncos 13. Full second quarter recap.

Third Quarter

The third quarter was a quarter of brutal missed opportunities. Twice the Broncos drove down inside the half yard line and twice they have fumbled the ball away back to Seattle. Melvin Gordon fumbled the first time on a fourth and goal carry and Javonte Williams the second time.

The only positive from the quarter was a much improved defensive effort. Randy Gregory forced a fumble on the first Seahawks drive of the quarter. However, it was the missed opportunities that seemed to be hanging like a dark cloud of the Broncos heading into the final quarter.

Seahawks 17, Broncos 13. Full third quarter recap.

Fourth Quarter

Bradly Chubb got a strip sack in on Geno Smith early in the fourth quarter, but the ball was recovered by the offense. The drive would end, however, and Seattle would punt for the first time of the night.

Suddenly, Russell Wilson and the Broncos began to drive. Wilson hit Courtland Sutton for 17, then Jerry Jeudy for 18 as Denver methodically drove down the field with 10 minutes left in the game. Jeudy would eclipse the 100 yard mark later in the drive, snagging a third down pass for another 14 yards to get Denver down into the red zone again.

On their third trip inside the three yard line in this game, the Broncos again found a way to shoot themselves in the foot. First a pass to Eric Tomlinson barely missed getting his big toe in bounds and then a false start on Courtland Sutton pushed them back. At least they didn’t settle for a turnover. A field goal cut the Seahawks lead to one midway through the fourth quarter.

Seahawks 17, Broncos 16.

The Broncos would get the ball right back after Bradley Chubb got his second sack of the game on third down to force the punt.

Jerry Jeudy would start the drive out with a bad drop on second a short. That almost killed the drive out of the gates, but Albert Okwuegbunam would take a short pass and fight his butt off to barely get the first down after measurement.

Two plays later, the Broncos would face another third down at the two minutes warning. Javonte Williams broke all of the tackles on his way to a nine yard gain with the offense looking like they want to win this game bad.

The infamous tuck rule caused the Broncos to stall out. They would bring out Brandon McManus to try a 64-yard field goal. Kickers are 8 for 69 all-time and it was predictably 8 for 70 after McManus missed the kick.

Seahawks 17, Broncos 16.