DETROIT — The NFL did not do the Broncos any favors with this December schedule stretch.
The game here in Detroit was the Broncos third road game in 13 days. And in three different time zones to boot.
Not that a team in playoff contention can complain this time of year.
The Broncos were both trampled and surgically dissected by the Detroit Lions, 42-17 here Saturday night before a raucous Lions’ partisan crowd at indoor Ford Field. Lions' quarterback Jared Goff threw five touchdown passes, three to rookie tight end Sam LaPorta.
"We tip our hats to Detroit, they kind of kicked our butts tonight,'' said Broncos head coach Sean Payton. "They outplayed us, they outcoached us. There wasn't a lot of positive for us in that game. ... Frustrating night. Tough to have one when there's a lot at stake.''
These are not your grandpa's, or dad's, or older brother's Lions. Detroit improved its NFC North Division-leading record to 10-4. The Broncos fell to 7-7, which would all but dash their hopes to overtake the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC West Division.
"We've got to be better,'' said Denver defensive lineman D.J. Jones, who had an early sack. "We've got to stop the run more consistently. Starting with myself. Just as a team we've got to be better, we've got to prepare better."
A wild-card playoff spot remains possible for the Broncos. Their next two games are at home against 3-10 New England on Christmas Eve and the 5-8 Los Angeles Chargers on New Year's Eve. The Broncos then finish at Las Vegas against the 6-8 Raiders.
The way the playoffs are shaping up, though, the Broncos may well have to sweep those last three games.
"For sure,'' Jones said. "To make it? Yeah.''
But it's doable.
"Yes, sir, it is,'' Jones said. "There's no quit in this locker room."
They'll have to play better than Saturday night. The Lions, who have been a top 5 offense in yards and points the past two years, amassed 448 yards on the Denver D, including 185 yards rushing.
Goff was surgical, particularly with his mid-range passes across the middle. He finished 24 of 34 for 278 yards, the 5 touchdowns and a 134.6 passer rating.
"There's a lot of football,'' said inside linebacker Alex Singleton. "We sucked today. We know what it is. We've got to play better."
This was the 10th time since 1970 the Broncos have played three consecutive road games. They have never gone better than 1-2. Even the Broncos' first Super Bowl-winning team in 1997 went 1-2 on a three-game swing, losing at Pittsburgh and at San Francisco. Perhaps, there is a road fatigue difficulty factor involved.
The 2023 Broncos split the first two games of this road trip. They didn't exactly knock down history’s door in game three.
“No, I think they made several more plays than we did,'' Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson said in brushing aside the three-game road factor. "I think that we’ve got to get back home, rest up and get ready to go. And we knew it was going to be a challenge. We knew that it was going to be a challenge against these guys. We also knew, though, this stretch that we put ourselves early in the season that we’ve got to keep believing. And we’ve done it before. We believe we’re going to do it again and we can’t think any other way.”
Then again, especially on offense the Broncos had no excuse. The Lions’ defense had allowed at least 26 points in its last five games. It gave up 38 points to the Chargers for crying out loud. And yet, the Lions shut out the Broncos in the first half.
The Broncos had just four first downs and 75 total yards in the first half - their lowest first-half output since the Kendall Hinton game in 2020. In the second quarter alone, the Lions had 194 yards to the Broncos minus-2.
Wilson was 4 of 10 for 69 yards in the first half – 40 came on Denver’s first offensive play of the game, a slant to Jerry Jeudy, who caught the short pass and ran into Detroit territory. Two plays later, Wilson was stripped on a sack and the Lions recovered the fumble, killing the Broncos’ lone scoring threat of the half.
"I was trying to pitch it forward, get it to Traut (Adam Trautman),'' Wilson said. "Either get him to it or incomplete pass – I thought I pitched it forward and they called it a fumble.''
Broncos season-ticket holders received playoff-tickets notification Friday. No, the Broncos weren't wagging their tail after winning six of their previous seven games. The NFL requires all teams that are within 3 games from their division lead and with a record of at least .500 to notify their fans of potential home games. The Broncos qualified as their 7-6 record left them within one game of 8-5 Kansas City for the AFC West lead.
Then again the Broncos sent out playoff ticket notifications in 2021, too, as they were also 7-6. That team finished 7-10.
The 2023 Broncos are off to inauspicious start to their final four-game stretch. A chance to score on their first series was dashed when Wilson fumbled off a safety-blitz sack by Ifeatu Melifonwu. Detroit defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs picked it up and rumbled 33 yards to the Denver 37 yard line.
The Denver defense came up with a three-and-out stop, the highlight in a 0-0 first quarter.
But as the slow-moving game moved from the final 1:30 of the first quarter to 2:30 into the second, Goff started firing darts that picked apart the middle of the Denver defense. He connected with LaPorta for 17 yards, Josh Reynolds for 21 yards and threw back left on a misdirection play to LaPorta for a 19-yard touchdown.
It was 7-0 Lions with 12:31 left in the second quarter.
The Lions were winning the line of scrimmage on both sides. On the Broncos’ next series, running back Javonte Williams was stuffed for a 3-yard loss and Wilson was sacked by defensive lineman Josh Paschal.
Detroit got the ball back and Goff was throwing with ample time from the pocket. And Goff can hum it when he has a clean pocket. He lofted a pass down the right sideline that Reynolds caught for 20. Gibbs then ran for 21.
After a 7-yard loss, Goff hit receiver Jameson Williams in the left flat, who broke a tackle attempt by Fabian Moreau and went for 18 yards to set up first and goal. Goff then zipped a pass across the middle to Gibbs for a 9-yard touchdown and 14-0 lead with 8:15 left in the first half.
At that point, Goff was 15 of 20 for 160 yards, two touchdowns and 131.2 passer rating.
He had one more drive in the first half, finishing it off with a 15-yard completion to Amon-Ra St. Brown, who caught it with no one around him at about the 5-yard line, then leaped and somersaulted over upcoming safety P.J. Locke and into the end zone.
Locke dealt with a neck injury during the week and it was questionable whether he would play. He gave it a go but was among the many Broncos who didn't have it.
"It's football,'' cornerback Pat Surtain said, answering for Locke on the St. Brown sensational flip to the finish.
It was 21-0 Lions at halftime.
The Broncos did answer in the second half with two touchdowns and a field goal drive that could have been more. The field goal came after it looked like first, Jaleel McLaughlin and then, Javonte Williams might have crossed the goal line. No replay seemed to be available in time for Payton to challenge.
"When you start challenging spots, it becomes difficult,'' Payton said. "The frustrating part was the next sequence, when we had the penalty."
A rare offside penalty called on right guard Quinn Meinerz on fourth down brought the ball back to the 6, at which point an irate Payton took the 3 points.
"I was confused, I don't even know what penalty was called,'' Meinerz said. "And so that's why I went up to the ref and was like, what was the call and who was it on? And he said, offsides, and he pointed at me.''
Payton was livid at the officials, first, then at his quarterback Wilson, apparently because the quarterback didn't get his offense set properly. But Payton wouldn't go there with what he was yelling at Wilson about.
"I was upset about the call,'' Payton said. "That's all. It's simple."
But the cameras caught Payton scolding Wilson pretty good.
"No, I was upset about the call,'' Payton said.
Asked a different way about what he said to Wilson, Payton said: "What I talk with Russell about is none of your business."
Payton was fiesty in his postgame press conference.Special teams gunner Tremon Smith blew off a reporter seeking to ask him about blasting Lions' punt returner Kalif Raymond even though Raymond called for a fair catch.
The hit by Smith drew a 15-yard penalty and a few minutes of pushing and shoving match from players on both sides.
Wilson never gives up, though. People can talk about what he can't do. His coach can yell at him. But no one is a more fervent competitor. He threw one touchdown and ran for another. Wilson finished 18 of 32 for 223 yards.
He was no match for Goff, though.
Broncos Bits
Prior to the game Saturday, the league announced two Denver defenders, Jonathon Cooper and Josey Jewell, were fined for unsportsmanlike conduct from their game last Sunday against the Chargers. It occurred after Jewell sacked Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert with 4:46 left in the half. Jewell was fined $13,659 and Cooper $5,362, both for celebrating the sack. Jewell has been going with a pistol shot action to go with his Outlaw Josey Jewell name and Cooper joined in. Neither was penalized on the field and both have appealed. …
The Broncos elevated quarterback Ben DiNucci and defensive tackle Tyler Lancaster from the practice squad for the game against the Lions. DiNucci was inactive but received additional pay as a reward for rejecting a chance to sign with the Saints’ 53-man roster. Lancaster, who is strong against the run and the Lions have a strong running game, has now used up his maximum three elevations. To play again after Saturday night he will have to be promoted to the 53-man roster – as the Broncos did Saturday with tight end Lucas Krull. …
Jones came up with a third-down sack of Goff in the first quarter to knock the Lions out of field goal range. It was his first sack of the year.
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