7 things we learned from the Broncos 31-21 collapse to the NY Jets

Another Denver Broncos game, another second-half collapse.

The most recent edition of this horrid habit led to a 31-21 loss to the New York Jets.

The Broncos fall to 1-4 on the season and face the Kansas City Chiefs in two of the next three weeks. Yikes.

Here’s what we learned after Denver’s loss on Sunday.

Second-half collapses cost Denver ... again

This is the main reason the Broncos are 1-4. Every single loss is due to the meltdowns in the second half. At least Denver is consistent.

It’s not just one area of the team that falls apart in the second half either. It’s the whole freaking team.

That falls on the coaches. That falls on the players. Everyone.

Once is an anomaly, twice is a trend. I have no idea what it means when it happens four times.

But Sean Payton needs to get this corrected.

Jaleel McLaughlin is turning into quite the player

The undrafted rookie running back is so much fun to watch. And on Sunday, McLaughlin pretty much was the offense.

He finished with 68 yards rushing on just nine carries, plus three receptions for 21 yards and a touchdown.

Payton needs to get McLaughlin even more touches. It’s clear he’s a playmaker for this offense, so use him.

Denver’s defense remains horrible

The Broncos defense allowed 234 yards rushing. Yes, Breece Hall had a 72-yard touchdown at the beginning of the second half, but if you take that away, he still had 105 yards.

Meanwhile, Zach Wilson was able to pick the defense apart; especially in the second half.

New York isn’t exactly a top-flight offense, but Denver did its part to make it look like one.

Red zone defense lone bright spot

Denver held the Jets to 0-for-5 in the red zone. That’s the only reason the score wasn’t more lopsided than it was.

At least the Broncos defense can keep a bad offense out of the end zone.

Round of applause to Vance Joseph (sarcasm font).

Denver’s offense can’t convert in red zone

Meanwhile, the Broncos went 2-for-4 in the red zone. Compared to the Denver offenses we’ve seen in the last seven seasons, that’s actually pretty good.

But it wasn’t good enough for the Broncos on Sunday. Had Denver scored touchdowns, even one, in the red zone, the game would have been completely different. Two of those red zone drives were in the first half when the score could have been 21-8 (in an ideal world).

Broncos offense disappears ... again

For the fourth time in five games this season, Denver scored a touchdown on its opening drive. And that was pretty much it for the offense.

Russell Wilson and the Broncos had a chance late in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t deliver.

How this offense looks so great on the first drive only to morph into a clown car makes zero sense.

Credit the Jets defense, especially in the second half. But, again, the collapses in the second half are why this team is losing games.

Wilson and the offense were putrid after the opening drive.

Home-field advantage is now gone

There was a time when Mile High Stadium was the toughest place to play in the NFL.

That is no longer the case.

After Sunday’s loss to the Jets, Denver is now 0-3 at home.

That is unacceptable and shows how far the Broncos have fallen.