3 inexcusable takeaways from the Denver Broncos' 41-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens

The week 9 matchup between the Denver Broncos And Baltimore Ravens It was the second time this season that Sean Payton faced off against a Harbaugh brother. The Broncos lost to Los Angeles Chargers and head coach Jim Harbaugh in Week 6.

Week 9 was no different, as the elder Harbaugh led his Ravens team to a dominant 41-10 victory over a Broncos team that was overconfident and underprepared entering the contest. The Broncos also had a three-game road win streak behind them.

The Broncos fell to 5-4 on the season, while the Ravens moved to 6-3 in a competitive AFC that is nearing the postseason. Things don't get any easier for the Broncos who have a date with him Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in back-to-back away games.

But before the Broncos can move on to Patrick Mahomes or Andy Reid, they must confront the fact that as a team they were outmatched and embarrassed by the Ravens. Instead of getting a decisive victory that would put the NFL on notice and establish them as contenders, the Broncos looked more like contenders in a nationally televised game by CBS' top commentary duo, Jim Nantz and Tony Romo.

What did we learn from Denver's fourth loss of the season? As the dramatic calls for improvement at every stage of this team reverberate throughout Broncos Country, we must reflect on three damning takeaways from the Broncos' loss in Baltimore.

Nine weeks into the regular season, it's obvious that rookie quarterback Bo Nix is ​​in desperate need of help from offensive teammates who aren't answering the call of duty. The No. 12 overall pick in this year's draft was once again asked to do the heavy lifting for a young Broncos offense that is lacking offensive playmakers.

The most exciting play of the entire game for Denver's offense was a 4th-and-goal at the 1-yard line, where Courtland Sutton completed an impressive two-yard touchdown pass to Nix. The 24-year-old rookie quarterback went airborne on a contested catch and scored the Broncos' only touchdown of the game. Nix finished the game 19-for-33 passing for 223 yards, with one interception and added 36 yards rushing.

After Sutton's season-best performance last week, the team captain finished the day in Baltimore with seven catches for 122 yards, but most of his production came in garbage time. Still, Sutton now has two consecutive 100-yard receiving games.

Nix was able to connect with eight receivers, but none of them proved to be dynamic threats against a Ravens secondary that ranked near the bottom of the league in almost every category. Broncos running back Javonte Williams was the game's second-leading receiver with just two catches for 42 yards, proving the offense is still lacking weapons.

Mistakes cropped up again early in Payton's offense, as Lil'Jordan Humphrey's bobble catch on the second play led to a Baltimore interception. While the game was reasonably competitive in the first half, there was the usual fear that sooner or later something bad would happen.

Despite amassing 319 yards of total offense, the Broncos only scored one touchdown and went 1 of 4 in the red zone and 1 of 3 in goal-to-go situations. Because Denver only had one significant field goal beyond that touchdown, it went 1-for-5 on fourth-down attempts and converted 43% of its third-down attempts.

The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, November 5th at 2 p.m. MDT, which means Payton had better be working the phones. While I'm not suggesting he sell half the team lightly, the veteran playmaker should consider all options, especially buying options. Instead of forgoing draft capital from an already empty cupboard for the rest of this season and dealing with salary cap issues, perhaps it's time to consider moving on from the old guard of players.

Sutton and left tackle Garett Bolles both have unanswered questions about the longevity of their careers in Denver after this season, and rumors continue to swirl that teams have sniffed around the two veterans. Nix's development is progressing faster than we expected, so it would be up to Payton and the Broncos to get this young man weapons sooner rather than later – even if it means losing a fan favorite for draft picks, which could lead to upgrades around Nix next spring.

Nix can't continue to do it all by himself, throwing, rushing and catching touchdowns for the Broncos. Denver needs to get help for this budding superstar or the risk of delaying his development will grow by the week.

What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don't miss any more news and analysis! Take a moment, sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Two from me Key to victory This week was all about dethroning Derrick Henry's rushing attack and hitting a struggling Lamar Jackson with multiple hits. Instead, the Broncos defense gifted a career game to “King Henry,” who surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing milestone and scored his 100th career rushing touchdown.

Henry gained 106 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns against Vance Joseph's defense, averaging 4.6 yards per carry, which meant Jackson did not have to be a designated rusher. Jackson only managed three attempts for four yards in the game.

Jackson was particularly effective in the passing game, going 16 of 19 for 280 yards and three touchdowns as he picked apart the Broncos' secondary. The two-time MVP had seven different receivers, but it was Zay Flowers who exposed the Broncos' defensive backs like Riley Moss, Ja'Quan McMillian and Devon Key. Flowers finished the game with five receptions for 127 yards and two scores in an impressive display of speed and route running.

Often times, the Broncos' nickel and dime packages gave up huge gains breaking Flowers' routes. Denver didn't double-team him or provide safety relief over the top. There were also several inconsistencies where Denver's front-seven rushers, like Jonah Elliss, were asked to cover running backs, tight ends and receivers, adding to the defensive bleeding.

In a showdown between one of the league's most effective offenses and a dominant defense, Denver left the game embarrassed and completely dominated.

The big question now is how the Broncos defense will respond in enemy territory next Sunday against the Chiefs.

Just as the big men of the offensive and defensive lines do, so does the football team, which sets the tone for a franchise's identity. In Baltimore, the Broncos' trench warriors were outmatched and, quite frankly, overwhelmed on both sides of the ball by a group of Ravens determined to impose their will.

The Broncos' offensive line surrendered four sacks to Nix, while the Ravens applied impressive pressure against Denver's one-dimensional passing attack. It was “Sutton or Bust” for the Broncos in Baltimore.

The Ravens shut down Denver's rushing attack as Williams led the team in rushing with a measly 42 yards on 12 attempts. Don't let the 122 rushing yard total in the box fool you, folks. The Ravens dominated the trenches against a Broncos O-line that had previously been on the rise.

Meanwhile, the attitude-oriented, physical players we've come to expect in Denver's defense never showed up. Aside from the defensive sack of John Franklin-Myers, Denver's only QB loss of the game, the pass rushing corps was missing in action. Making matters worse, the Broncos' front seven was plagued by gap integrity and lazy tackling. Zach Allen didn't record a single tackle.

Rush linebackers Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto surrendered outside of containment, allowing Jackson to maneuver and operate at will outside the pocket. Broncos defensive tackle Malcom Roach was the second-leading tackler on the team (four) behind Sty Devon Key's five.

The Broncos' defensive and offensive line played so uncharacteristically that it's difficult to draw a conclusion from this game. Was the Broncos' no-show a result of reading their own press clippings or was it a harbinger of possible problems in the future?

One game is an outlier, but two games become a trend. All the Broncos can do is study the film, get their ass kicked and get off the screen.

The Chiefs are waiting in Arrowhead.

Keep following Mile High Huddle X And Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for daily Broncos live stream podcasts!