Broncos earn bye-week rest after passing another gut-check test

DENVER — The Broncos will answer questions on another day.

Questions about coverage that surrendered more yards to Jerry Jeudy than any other receiver who’d ever faced the team, breaking a 59-year-old record. About a pass defense that let Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston accumulate more gross yardage than all but one quarterback who ever faced the Broncos. And about an offense that went three-and-out four times and strung together multiple first downs on just four of 12 non-kneeldown possessions.

They can take their time before diving into the answers because they have a bye that is much-needed on multiple levels — as a physical break, as a mental respite and as a chance to simply exhale after nearly three and a half hours Monday night that attempted to walk the line between breathtaking and bonkers, but at times resulted in collapsing and vomiting on the line line itself.

“It was not perfect by any means,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said after the 41-32 win, “but we were able to finish.”

This still-developing and imperfect team is defined by what it strives to become as much as what it is. But it eked out the win for this reason above all: Because in the midst of a team reconstruction project as massive as the ongoing work on its new facility, a foundation of sturdiness and resilience is already firm.

It didn’t exist in prior seasons. It does now.

It manifests in a pair of lengthy drives —78 and 61 yards, respectively — in the second half that chewed up a combined 10 minutes and 9 seconds, allowing the defense to catch its breath after the Browns diced up the Broncos’ secondary.

It’s Payton leaning into the hybrid receiver/runner role for Marvin Mims Jr. a job that has unlocked his playmaking potential and turned him into a game-breaking threat all over the field.

It’s Bo Nix overcoming some drops and some frustrating moments to hit Courtland Sutton on multiple third downs and deliver perhaps the finest throw of his brief pro career, a bullet to Mims that hit him in perfect stride for the fourth-longest touchdown pass in Broncos history.

And it’s about a defense making game-changing plays when needed most — a pair of pick-sixes, one near the end of each half, that compensated for the avalanche of yards surrendered during the game.

None of that happens without a fire-forged resilience borne out of humbling losses — including one that might have been the worst in club history — and escapes that began accumulating last year during a 5-game winning streak.

“We’ve been in it before, so you don’t know when game will get ugly,” said safety P.J. Locke. “Obviously our goal is to hold teams under 20 points. You know, that’s our weekly goal. And they went well over that.

“And it’s just moreso just, we’ve been in that situation before and now, if we ever had to get back in that situation, it’s nothing new.”

Next week, they’ll work on the details of getting Nix back to his efficient self. About cutting penalties and tightening coverage.

For now, the Broncos will catch their breaths and take a well-earned break.

• They’ve earned the rest for so many reasons, including these:
• 
An 8-3 mark since an 0-2 start;
• Nix showing signs that he is a long-term QB answer;
• Nik Bonitto becoming the first double-digit Broncos sacker in six years;
• Courtland Sutton having the most productive 5-game stretch of his career;
• Mims Jr. finally finding the offensive role that suits him best;
• Pat Surtain II locking down receivers, including Jeudy when he was given the assignment of covering him;
• An average of 25.4 points per game, on pace to be the franchise’s best since the salad days of Peyton Manning.

“We just continue to take steps forward,” Locke said. “I don’t care how young we are, man.”

These Broncos are young enough to still have questions to answer and plenty of room to grow. But they’re experienced enough to know how to win games that flow against them.

That’s a pretty nice place to be. And before they dissect what remains to be fixed, they have the rarest of blessings in the midst of a playoff race: a chance to catch their breath.

“I feel like it’s really important that we get our rest this bye week and come back and look at the film and keep it rolling,” said edge rusher Jonathon Cooper. “But definitely take some rest and yeah, [I’m] just really proud of this team right now.”

He should be. By the standard of NFL postseason participation, they’ve not yet accomplished anything … but they’ve already accomplished so much.