Safety T.J. Ward says the Broncos defense needs to be more “focused” late in games, according to The Denver Post via NFL.com.
The Broncos (7-4) have allowed touchdowns in the final two minutes of regulation in each of the last two games. They blew an eight-point lead and lost in overtime at home to the Chiefs on Sunday. In their previous game, special teams bailed out the defense when Will Parks returned a blocked extra point for a two points in the Broncos’ 25-23 win at New Orleans. The Saints had just scored the game-tying touchdown with 1:22 left.
“We’re too lax in those situations. We expect someone to make the play, but we have to expect ourselves to make the play first,” Ward said. “It’s not last year’s team, so don’t compare us to last year.”
These last two games are the only games this season in which the Broncos have allowed points in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter. Since those are the two most recent Broncos games, they’re magnified and the aura of last year’s defense is fading.
If the season ended after 12 weeks, the Broncos would be out of the playoffs. The Dolphins (7-4) hold the tiebreaker for the final playoff spot in the AFC.
It’s a good thing for the Broncos that Ward is being proactive in calling out the defense that he’s a part of, because if the Broncos lose Sunday at Jacksonville (2-9) they’ll be in full-blown crisis mode.
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