The Donatell Diary: Another Strong Defensive Effort Wasted
K. Joudry
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We’re at the point in the season when Denver really needed everything to start going right. The defense, to their credit, continued their impressive play. They went on the road and held a talented division rival to a mere 17 points. Unfortunately, it was Groundhog Day for the offense. Once again, Ed Donatell’s side of things was let down by poor play on offense.
Readers who haven’t been following along or who’d like a refresher can feel free to read the reports on the Broncos’ defensive performance in Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 12, Week 13, Week 14, and Week 15 (Week 11 was Denver’s bye week). It’s now time to take on Week 16.
The Positives
Since the Week 11 bye, Denver has allowed 13 points, 22 points, 10 points, 15 points, and 17 points. Somehow, that has resulted in the team going 2-3 during that stretch. The game we’re discussing today is the 17-point defensive effort.
Both the Raiders and Broncos entered the game at 7-7. Both were desperate to keep their playoff hopes alive. For teams like these two – pretty good but far from elite – the plan is to hit one’s stride at just the right time. If everything starts to go perfectly just as the playoffs are nearing, a Wild Card team can sometimes make some noise in the playoffs. The Raiders, to their credit, did make it into the postseason (though they got eliminated early).
Derek Carr went 20/25 but only had a single TD and an INT alongside his 201 yards of passing. He also fumbled the ball.
LB Jonas Griffith made several nice plays. It was notable since (if I’m not mistaken) he was the backup to a backup. The two starting MLBs have been out for a while. When their backup went out, Griffith went in. He moved well and displayed good physicality. Donatell’s ability to get his depth to perform at a high level is encouraging for a Minnesota team with a lot of young talent.
In the above clip, you’ll see edge rusher Bradley Chubb make a great play for an interception. The impressive defensive play directly led to a Broncos touchdown. It’s one thing to hold one’s opponent to a modest amount of points, it’s another to play so well that you’re allowing your own offense to score. It’s yet another indicator that this was a well-coached defense.
The Negatives
Carr completed a sensational TD pass to Hunter Renfrow:
Sometimes, the defense is really good and the offense is just better. It’s a moment when you tip your cap and move onto the next play.
Josh Jacobs is largely responsible for the Raiders winning this game. He didn’t do much in the opening half, but he consistently picked up yards in the second half. Quite often, the LV offensive line could get the entire Denver defense moving in one direction, allowing Jacobs to use his vision and quickness to cut back for decent gains. He showed really good balance and effort in these moments. By the end of the day, Jacobs had 27 carries for 129 yards.
Peyton Barber was able to build on Jacobs’ success by bringing a carry in for a score:
On a critical 3rd & 2 just before the two-minute warning, the Raiders came out in heavy personnel. It was a play action pass to TE Foster Moreau, who was wide open for a large gain. All of that running success set up the play beautifully. Denver’s defense couldn’t respond, and LV went on to win the game.
When the opposition’s run game gets going, Donatell will need to come up with creative solutions. Quite often, Donatell only has six men in the box: two defensive linemen, two edge rushers, and two middle linebackers. If a team can run against a light box, then there are some issues. Hopefully, that’s where having great safeties – Harrison Smith, Camryn Bynum, and Lewis Cine – can help. Bringing safeties down late can give the defense the numbers advantage it needs to succeed. That can allow the defense to stay in nickel to matchup in the passing game while still stifling the run.
The Conclusion
If Minnesota can mirror what Denver accomplished last season on defense, Vikings fans will be very happy. The defense found a way to be continually competitive even though they were often in tough circumstances. The offense offered very little support and the injuries were plentiful. Even still, they proved to be a strong group. It’s reason for some purple hope. Donatell – alongside Vic Fangio – was able to get depth players playing really well.
The second last game of the Broncos season involves a matchup with the talented Chargers in Week 17.
Purple PTSD Also Read: How Adam Thielen Earned His Spot in Minnesota
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