The Denver Broncos (5-4) lost to the Baltimore Ravens (6-3) 41-10 in Week 9 of the 2024 NFL season on Sunday afternoon. Here are five quick takeaways from the defeat.
1. P.J. Locke has been missed: Locke has missed the team’s last two games with a thumb injury and there’s been a noticeable dropoff to Devon Key. Locke himself could be a candidate to lose his starting job in 2025, but he’s certainly better than the depth options behind him. The Broncos will undoubtedly hope the safety is ready to return next week.
2. Courtland Sutton can’t do it all at WR: Sutton hauled in seven receptions for 122 yards on Sunday. No other wide receiver posted more than two catches and quarterback Bo Nix was Denver’s only player to catch a touchdwon pass on Sunday. The Broncos lack playmakers at the position and the WRs behind Sutton (ahem, Lil’Jordah Humphrey) are hurting more than they’re helping. Josh Reynolds (finger) is eligible to return from injured reserve next week and the offense could really use him.
3. Bo Nix is still trending up: It certainly wasn’t a great game from Nix, but the blame for his interception falls on Humphrey. Nix finished the day 19-of-33 passing for 223 yards with one turnover and one touchdown catch. He’s getting little help on offense, but the rookie QB continues to show fight. Nix still has some rookie growing pains to get through, but he has the right makeup to have success in the NFL.
4. The Broncos aren’t true playoff contenders yet: Denver’s 5-3 record going into Week 9 might have been a bit of fool’s gold. Mathematically, the Broncos could obviously still squeak into the playoffs this season as a Wild Card seed, but Sunday’s game demonstrated where Denver stacks up against true contenders in the AFC. The Broncos have a young, inexperienced team that’s lacking in depth due in part to the team’s limited salary cap space. All things considered, a 5-4 record is a respectable mark at this point in the season. But Denver’s more pretender than contender at the moment.
5. Expect a quiet NFL trade deadline: It wouldn’t make sense for the Broncos to trade away future draft capital with a splash move at the deadline. Denver’s not one player away from making a run, anyway. It also wouldn’t make sense to part with a player like Sutton — their best WR — when Nix is developing. The Broncos might stand pat at Tuesday’s trade deadline.
Up next for Denver is a road game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
