Ravens 30, Broncos 7: Denver Handed First Loss of 2009

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The Denver Broncos have come crashing down to earth, and rightfully so.

Denver went to M&T Bank Stadium early Sunday afternoon and had their lunch served courtesy of the Baltimore Ravens.

Denver lost its first contest since week three of the preseason in an ugly 30-7 rout by Ray Rice, Joe Flacco, and Baltimore.

Both teams were coming off bye weeks, but it was clear which team was more prepared for this game. Baltimore never trailed in their first victory in four games, and they made the Broncos look silly with their resurgent defense.

Denver had multiple matchups they could have exploited this afternoon, but the Ravens' pass rush was simply unstoppable. They confused Denver's usually reliable offensive line, and Kyle Orton (who usually has time enough to knit a sweater) was chased around all day long.

The Ravens were simply better in every facet of the game on Sunday, both offense and defense.

Despite allowing 23 points, the Denver defense actually held their own for the most part. The one area they really struggled was in third-down conversions, where the Ravens were able to convert over half their attempts. 

The Broncos crossed into enemy territory only three times, and entered the red zone only once. 

Their best drive of the game consisted of the biggest play being a 40-plus yard pass interference call on Domonique Foxworth. Denver did capitalize on their only red-zone attempt, which is encouraging, but they had a lot of help from Baltimore in getting there.

This was a very discouraging game for the Broncos and their fans, but all of the pessimism is unwarranted. 

The Broncos are a team that has exceeded all expectations this season, and a 6-1 record is of elite caliber. Denver is behind only Indianapolis in the standings, and they lead San Diego by two games in the AFC West, with a head-to-head victory and a home game left against them.

This loss should be considered a reality-check for the Broncos, who undoubtedly will be more prepared for their Monday night matchup with Pittsburgh next week.

One thing that needs to be fixed is the special teams, believe it or not. Denver has allowed a return touchdown in two straight games, and Eddie Royal could get absolutely no room on his returns today. Simply no blocking was happening.

The Broncos looked lackadaisical and downright undisciplined. One of the reasons Denver has been so good this season is because they have been able to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and Baltimore simply played Denver's game today.

Denver got a taste of its own medicine, but this fan thinks a return to the winner's circle is coming sooner rather than later.

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