they came in – ranked last in the league in pass defense.
“It definitely gets you mad, but nobody really runs the ball on us,” Denver cornerback Chris Harris said. “Each week, everyone’s trying to throw the ball. We’re up every game. People are trying to get garbage yardage on us. We know that. We just focus on trying not to give up touchdowns.”
But Denver has allowed 39-plus points twice in the last three weeks. The 28.1 points per game the Broncos allow are more than all but five teams, two of which have faced Denver’s high-scoring offense.
Miller’s return was uneventful. He finished with two tackles, one for a loss, and two quarterback pressures.
On the turnover front, one of Denver’s lost fumbles came from one of the team’s most slippery handed players – Trindon Holliday – while the other came from Ronnie Hillman, who is built more like a third-down back, but found himself with the ball in a critical goal-line situation.
Asked if there’s anything else he can say to Holliday, who has fumbled six times in 18 games with Denver, while also scoring on six kick returns, Fox said: “Maybe say it differently. He understands that. … We’ve got to find a way to come up with the ball and hand it to the official.”
Fox has been taking heat around Denver for the decision to hand the ball to Hillman on first-and-goal from the 2 with 3:15 left and the Broncos trying to cut into a 39-30 deficit. Hillman lost a fumble and the game was essentially over at that point. Hillman has fumbled three times and lost two over his year-plus career.
“If you follow the game and look around the league, most of your top backs have two or three fumbles,” Fox said. “It’s not anything we like, not anything we’re happy about.”
While Manning said he was looking forward to the possibility of playing the Colts again, “because that would mean we made the playoffs,” Fox refused to be baited into a conversation about how Denver’s first loss affects its Super Bowl chances. But his answer suggested he’s aware of the standings. The Broncos are a game behind the Chiefs with two games to play against them.
“We’re 6-1, not even halfway through the race yet,” he said. “We’re in charge of our own destiny. Time will tell.”