In The End, Turnovers (or Lack Thereof) Came Back to Bite the Denver Broncos

Turnovers: When an offense allows the opponent gain possession of the ball without any points being scored or the offense willingly punting the ball away. To make it simple, a fumble or an interception. 

A big part of turnovers isn't just offensive, however. A defense must force the turnover on the offense. That may mean stripping the ball out of the running back's hands, or getting in position to intercept a pass.

A big part of the success (or failure) of a defense comes with their ability (or inability) to force turnovers. On the other side, an offense is most effective when it is able to minimize turnovers. Holding on to the ball is key for wide receivers and running backs, and throwing smart passes is the key for quarterbacks.

The "turnover battle" is an important part of each game. When a team wins the turnover battle, they usually win the game. This is a very cliche term used by nearly every head coach after a game, but it rings true week in and week out throughout the season. 

Another important team statistic is the turnover ratio, or the number of turnovers committed by a team's offense compared to the number forced by their defense. Successful teams usually have a net gain of turnovers.

For the Denver Broncos of 2008, turnovers were a disaster. For the Broncos, the offense was not the whole problem. The Denver defense had great difficulty forcing turnovers all season. The big number for this team was the final ratio: -17. They gave the ball away 17 more times than they took it away. They tied with the 49ers for last in the NFL in that category.

The most successful teams this season had a net gain for turnovers. The top five include the Dolphins, Titans, Ravens, Colts, and Giants, all of whom are playoff teams. Judging on turnovers alone, it is remarkable that Denver achieved an 8-8 record with that kind of net loss.

During the Broncos' three game December collapse, they forced only one turnover in that stretch. In the final two games, the Broncos didn't recover any fumbles or intercept any passes. The team finished 31st in the league in total interceptions with six, in front of only the winless Lions. They did not return any for touchdowns.

On offense, Jay Cutler threw 18 interceptions on the season. That was second in the NFL, behind only Brett Favre of the Jets. It should also be noted that Jay Cutler attempted 616 passes, which was also second in the NFL. He also set a single season Broncos record for passing yardage. The Denver running backs (whichever was playing) were, overall, good at holding on to the ball, as fumbles were not the main problem.

The real problem was the complete lack of turnovers forced by the bedraggled Denver defense. If they had stopped one of the Buffalo Bills' drives by forcing a fumble last week, the Broncos could be in the playoffs.

Of course, the "what could've been" speculation is unproductive and pointless. In order to improve their defense, Denver must bring in a coordinator who is willing to be more aggressive. When defensive backs play closer to receivers, they tend to intercept more passes. When linebackers are in the correct position, they can hit harder and force more fumbles. A defense that is able to force turnovers will be more successful than the conservative style that the Broncos have played with most of the season.

The Denver defense is not a completely lost cause, but there are many changes that need to be made. As the GM of the franchise, Mike Shanahan will undoubtedly make many changes within the defensive unit, and it will be interesting to see how they rebound and force more turnovers next season.