Inconsistent Run Game Could Cost Broncos Much More Than First Loss of 2015

When an NFL team doesn't lose its first game until the first Sunday of November, sounding the alarm regarding that team's shortcomings may appear, well, alarmist.

However, it doesn't take Chicken Little to see all is not well for the 7-1 Denver Broncos. In the team's Week 9 loss to the Indianapolis Colts a problem that has shown itself more than once in 2015 again reared its ugly head.

If the Broncos don't fix what ails their ground game, it may end up costing them a lot more than a relatively meaningless regular season game on a fall Sunday in Indiana.

A week ago against the Green Bay Packers, it appeared the Broncos had found their mojo on the ground. With tailback C.J. Anderson looking like his 2014 incarnation for the first time all season, Anderson and batterymate Ronnie Hillman combined for a season-best 160 yards. It marked the second straight game the Broncos had topped 150 rushing yards.

All was right with the world, especially as the Broncos rolled the Pack in a battle of unbeatens.

However, as ESPN's Jeff Legwold wrote, against the Colts it was another story altogether:

"

Coach Gary Kubiak has repeatedly said for the Broncos offense to be at its best, the team would have to find a way to run the ball with some consistency. And with the wins over the Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers, 152 and 160 yards rushing respectively the Broncos had appeared to have found some much-needed rhythm. But that rhythm was nowhere to be found in a flurry of negative plays Sunday with Ronnie Hillman’s 1-yard rushing on seven carries to go with C.J. Anderson’s 34 yards on seven carries.

"

Legwold's colleague Mark Schlereth said much the same thing, albeit with a bit more snark:

OK, so by the second half there was a lot more snark:

Snark or no, Schlereth (and Legwold) have a point. The Broncos run game was completely inept Sunday in Indianapolis. Gaining 2.5 yards a carry isn't going to buy a team much offensive balance. Take out the 12-yarder that was Anderson's long for the day, and that average drops to 1.7 yards per tote.

This, against a Colts run defense that entered the week 26th in the NFL in run defense, surrendering nearly 125 yards per game.

After the game, Kubiak admitted to reporters (via the team's website) the Denver run game wasn't a factor Sunday:

"

We've been running the ball good (the past two weeks), and possession time's been good for us. Today, I'm sure we lost possession time big time. Our run game just was not much of a factor today.

"

The problem is the Denver run game hasn't been much of a factor at all this season, which is doubly concerning when you consider Kubiak's supposed status as a ground guru. Even after the big games against Cleveland (whom everyone runs on) and Green Bay, the Broncos entered Sunday's loss 24th in the NFL in rushing.

That's nine spots lower than a season ago.

Granted, that's not Kubiak's fault. The Broncos offensive line has been terrible at opening lanes for the backs this season. Per the offensive line rankings at Football Outsiders, the Broncos possess the fourth-worst run-blocking line in the league in 2015. Last year the Broncos ranked 12th.

And the lack of a run game is trickling down to the rest of the offense. Yes, Peyton Manning's arm may not be what it was. Yes, some of his 13 interceptions (more than Manning has thrown in seven different entire seasons over his career) are due to tipped passes and bad decisions.

And some are due to the fact defenses can sit back in zone coverages because they know they have nothing to fear from the Broncos on the ground.

And how many of those bad decisions are borne of Manning pressing because he knows the team can't run the ball?

The most worrisome part? There's no quick fix for this problem. Walter Payton would have had trouble picking up yardage Sunday given how many blue jerseys were in the backfield with regularity.

The Broncos have to try though, try to at least establish some offensive balance. The lack of it finally caught up with them against the Colts.

And make no mistake. It will catch up to them in the playoffs.

Gary Davenport is an NFL analyst at Bleacher Report and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and the Pro Football Writers of America. You can follow Gary on Twitter, @IDPSharks.