Broncos vs. Chiefs: 5 things we learned After an incredible

Monday Night Football showdown Authentic Brandon McManus Jersey , the Denver Broncos crumbled in the fourth quarter and lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 27-23. It was a game that the Broncos dominated early on, but unfortunately, a series of miscues in the fourth quarter ultimately led to their demise and them slipping to a 2-2 record. Here are five things we learned from tonight’s loss.1. This loss was a heart-breakerAfter dominating the pace of the game for three quarters, the Broncos collapsed in the fourth quarter when it mattered most. It was the first game the Broncos had blown a ten point lead while entering the fourth quarter in more than a decade. Words can’t even describe how heart-breaking this is. Missed calls by the refs, blown coverage on defense, errant throws on the final drive of the game and an impeccable performance by Patrick Mahomes, who was incredible in the final quarter of the game were all culprits in this disaster.2. The Broncos’ defense crumbled in the fourth quarterOne of the most annoying parts about tonight’s broadcast on Monday Night Football was Booger McFarland’s ridiculous repetition of the “Showtime Mahomes” moniker. Every time I heard him say it, which bordered on nearly a million instances, I wanted to throw my television out of the window. While there is no doubt that Mahomes has been beyond impressive this season, the Broncos’ defense played an amazing game and limited the Chiefs’ offense that was scoring points at a pinball game pace — until the fourth quarter.Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce were all silent until the fourth quarter, but that’s when “Showtime” began to show the kind of player he is going to be in the league for a long time. Under the guidance of the second-year signal caller, the Chiefs were able to erase a ten point deficit and comeback to beat the Broncos in the final minutes of the game. It’s incredibly unfortunate that it happened, but hopefully the Broncos can find some sort of positives out of this loss and be prepared to beat the New York Jets on the road next weekend.3. The Broncos’ running game was in top form, but was underutilized As I emphasized numerous times this week, the Chiefs defense has struggled all year long stop the run, so it would be wise for the Broncos to establish the run and keep doing so often. Even though they had success early on, the Broncos’ coaching staff failed to realize how effective their rushing attack was. At times, I found myself wondering if the coaches were witnessing live what we were seeing on television at home.Rookie tailbacks Royce Freeman and Phillip Lindsay provided the offense with a much needed spark and continued to prove that they will be a formidable duo for years to come. In the first half alone, the Broncos rushed 11 times for 93 yards — good enough for a staggering 9 yard per carry average. On the night Youth Bradley Roby Jersey , the two combined for 20 carries, 136 yards and two touchdowns. Instead of throwing the ball on first down and running silly screen plays at inopportune times, the Broncos should have placed a higher emphasis on running the ball — because it was working.4. Garett Bolles had another up and down performanceOne of the big takeaways from tonight’s game was the lackluster pass protection provided by their offensive line early on in the game, in particular offensive tackles Garett Bolles and Jared Veldheer. Bolles had an extremely rough first quarter, allowing a sack and having a penalty called against him. Veldheer exited the game early in the second quarter and was replaced by Billy Turner, who appeared to do well in his stead.But let’s go back to Bolles for a moment. The Broncos claimed to have had a Top 10 grade on Bolles in the NFL Draft when they selected him two years ago, but he certainly hasn’t played like a top draft pick. On a weekly basis, it’s almost a virtual certainty that he will allow an untimely sack or commit penalties that kill drives. In fact, he is tied for (or now has) the league lead in penalties in that regard. I’m not giving up on the second-year player yet, but there is no doubt he needs to improve moving forward.Given the aforementioned and Veldheer being in a contract year, offensive tackle should certainly be one of the Broncos’ top priorities to address this coming offseason. Whether it’s via free agency or the 2019 NFL Draft — the Broncos need to add some top-tier caliber to their offensive trenches. A little bit of competition and pressure may be a way to give Bolles a wake-up call to improve upon the continuous errors and deficiencies he has failed to improve upon since his rookie year.5. Courtland Sutton impressed, showcasing future No. 1 receiver potentialRookie wide receiver and second-round draft selection Courtland Sutton was arguably the most intriguing player through camp and the preseason, but hasn’t had quite the impact some were expecting early on in his career. However, tonight was a step in the right direction for the Southern Methodist University product who had a handful of key grabs that helped jump start the Broncos’ offense and move the ball down the field. Just take a look at his incredible 42-yard snag below.The above illustrates the reason why Broncos fans are so excited about his potential with the team. He also drew a big-time pass interference call in the end zone at the end of the third quarter that put the Broncos in position to take the lead. Sutton’s continued progression will be essential for the franchise, who will have tough decisions to face with high-priced veteran wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders in the offseason. The two are scheduled combine for $30 million against the cap next season (Thomas ~ $17.5 million, Sanders ~ $13 million), but it’s doubtful the Broncos will dole out that much cash to both. Without question, Sutton has all the tools to become a top-flight receiver in the National Football League and the team was lucky that he fell to the second day of the draft.So Broncos Country, what were your five big observations from tonight’s game? Sound off in the comments section and make your voice heard!Scouting the enemy: Seattle Seahawks It has been a few years since the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks faced off on the gridiron, but the old AFC West rival is still alive and well — and without question http://www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-von-miller-jersey , this year’s season opener presents the opportunity for the Broncos to get revenge against a team who has dealt them a duo of heartbreaks in their past two meetings.In September of 2014, the Broncos were able to erase a twelve-point fourth quarter deficit at CenturyLink Field and send the game into overtime. Unfortunately, the team went on to lose 26-20 after Marshawn Lynched scampered for a touchdown early on in extra time. Just seven months earlier, fans were excited and perhaps overconfident at the prospect of their beloved franchise securing their third Lombardi Trophy. But the opening snap that sailed over Peyton Manning’s head was symbolic of the epic the bed-shitting the Broncos would embark upon on their way to yet another Super Bowl shellacking. That devastating game is certainly one of the franchise’s darkest memories — and one that will forever be ingrained in the minds of Broncos Country.Though it’s safe to say Seahawks fans share the same ill-will toward the Broncos as we do toward them and I don’t blame them one bit. Before their last two victories, the Seahawks had lost 12 out of the past 15 meetings against Denver dating back to 1996. Doling out losses to Seattle is something Broncos Country has come to expect. In head-to-head battle, the Broncos reign supreme with a 34-21 series lead. But that was then and this is now. While I admire the success the Pete Carroll led Seahawks have had in his tenure as head coach, there is no doubt this year’s incarnation is a far cry from superior teams fielded in the past.The Legion of Boom is no longer. Richard Sherman is in San Francisco, Kam Chancellor retired, Byron Maxwell is on injured reserve and Earl Thomas’ status for Sunday’s game is tenuous at best after an extensive holdout. Defensive linemen Sheldon Richardson, Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett, all of whom gave the Broncos’ offensive line fits in Super Bowl 48 are elsewhere. K.J. Wright remains, but will be inactive for the season opener due to a knee injury. It appears that the last man standing from their vaunted Super Bowl defense is Bobby Wagner, but he can’t do everything out there.Nevertheless, Russell Wilson is still the heart and soul of their offense and is coming off a tremendous 2017 campaign. Without question, the major key to victory will be containing him. However, with a questionable offensive line and mediocre at best line-up of skill position players around him — I’m not too concern about the Broncos’ ability to start of the season with a big win at home.Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY SportsKeys to the GameEstablishing the running game, controlling the clockIt’s no secret that both Denver and Seattle would like to control the pace of the game by establishing a sound rushing attack. The Broncos have Royce Freeman, Devontae Booker and Phillip Lindsay as a trio that shows a lot of promise, but the same can be said for the young duo of Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny — who are both tough runners and hard to bring down on initial contact. Whatever team establishes themselves first on the ground will have a great chance of winning the game. Both quarterbacks thrive on play action, but in order for that to be successful Demaryius Thomas Jersey , you have to move the chains with the rushing attack.Denver’s Secondary vs. Seattle’s Receiving CorpsThe Broncos’ secondary has a handful of new additions including Traimane Brock, Adam Jones and rookie Isaac Yiadom — but Chris Harris Jr. and Bradley Roby are still the heart of the Denver secondary. Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett are the Seahawks’ top receivers, but former Denver wideout Brandon Marshall is their third receiver and shouldn’t be discounted as a threat. I’m comfortably with Harris Jr. and Roby locking down their top two options, but am concerned and interested to see how Denver combats Marshall. I believe he could be an underrated X-Factor for their offense and the defense needs to have a sound game plan that keeps him in check, even if he isn’t the same elite receiver he used to be.Turn up the heat on Russell WilsonIt’s hard to believe this is Wilson’s seventh season in the National Football League, but it is — and it seems like each and every year he seems to get better and has no shortage of incredible plays that make your jaws drop. Inside the pocket or outside the pocket, Wilson is one of the most accurate passers in the league and doesn’t make many mistakes. If you let him run around or give him too much time, he is going to make you pay.In order to limit his effectiveness, the Broncos’ pass rush will need to do better than they have in the last two meetings and get after him. Luckily, the team has a plethora of sack artists and an improved defensive line that should help in that regard. I expect Von Miller and Bradley Chubb to have good games, and don’t be surprised if DeMarcus Walker provides a significant boost in certain packages when he is kicked inside to get after Wilson.Hart’s PredictionEven though the Seahawks aren’t the top-tier foe the Broncos have faced in recent memory, they are still a formidable team that needs to be taken seriously. If Denver is able to keep Wilson at bay and establish a ground game offensively, I expect good things to happen. Neither are an easy task, but with the vast improvements the franchise has made on both sides of the ball, I believe they have what it takes to earn themselves a hard-fought victory in the season opener. I think Case Keenum will perform well and believe the offense will start off hot against a Seattle defense that is a shell of what it used to be.Broncos 30, Seahawks 23.