Penalty Yards Plague the Denver Broncos Season

In the NFL, where games are often decided by a single score, penalty yards can be the difference between winning and losing—and for the 2024 Denver Broncos, they’ve become a persistent nightmare. Through the first 10 weeks of the season, the Broncos rank 3rd-worst in the league in total penalty yards (823) and 2nd-worst in average penalty yards per game (82.3). These aren’t just random mistakes: many of the penalties are avoidable—false starts, holding, and unnecessary roughness—that derail drives, extend opponents’ possessions, and sap momentum. What’s most frustrating for coaches and fans alike is that the Broncos have the talent to compete in the AFC West, but their penalty problem has cost them at least three winnable games this season. Penalty Yards Plague the Denver Broncos Season dives into the numbers behind the struggles, the specific infractions hurting the team, and the steps being taken to clean up the issue before it derails their playoff hopes.

Penalty Yards Plague the Denver Broncos Season begins with a breakdown of the Broncos’ penalty metrics—revealing patterns that highlight systemic issues rather than random errors. The Broncos have been flagged 89 times in 10 games, with five types of penalties accounting for 70% of their yardage: holding (22 penalties, 203 yards), false starts (18 penalties, 135 yards), unnecessary roughness (12 penalties, 110 yards), pass interference (10 penalties, 98 yards), and offsides (8 penalties, 40 yards). The offensive line is the biggest culprit: they’ve committed 42% of the team’s penalties, with right tackle Alex Palczewski (8 holding calls) and left guard Dalton Risner (6 false starts) leading the way. “It’s not a talent issue—it’s a focus issue,” says former NFL offensive lineman and analyst Mark Schlereth. “False starts happen when players aren’t locked in on the snap count; holding happens when they’re overmatched and panic. For the Broncos, this is fixable, but it requires consistent discipline in practice.” The penalty problem is especially costly in the red zone: the Broncos have committed 14 red-zone penalties this season, turning 7 potential touchdowns into field goals or turnovers—a difference of 28 points that could have changed their 4-5 record to 7-2.

Another critical angle in Penalty Yards Plague the Denver Broncos Season is the impact of penalties on key losses—games where avoidable flags directly led to defeat. The most painful example came in Week 6 against the Kansas City Chiefs: the Broncos led 24-20 with 2:17 left in the fourth quarter, but a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty on defensive end Randy Gregory extended the Chiefs’ final drive, setting up Patrick Mahomes’ game-winning touchdown pass. In Week 8 against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Broncos committed three holding penalties on a single fourth-quarter drive that would have put them in field-goal range, forcing a punt and allowing the Raiders to seal a 27-24 win. Even in wins, penalties have been a problem: in a Week 4 victory over the Chicago Bears, the Broncos committed 11 penalties for 95 yards, turning a 10-point lead into a tense 3-point win. “Those losses stick with you because you know you gave the game away,” Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson said after the Chiefs loss. “We had control, but a penalty let them back in. That’s on all of us—players, coaches, everyone—to fix.” For fans, these games are especially frustrating because they show the Broncos can compete with elite teams—if only they can eliminate the self-inflicted wounds.

A key step in addressing Penalty Yards Plague the Denver Broncos Season is the coaching staff’s adjustments to fix the issue—including extra practice drills, film study, and accountability measures. Head coach Sean Payton has implemented a “penalty-free practice” challenge: if the team commits fewer than three penalties in a practice, they get an extra day off; if they commit more than seven, they stay late for additional drills. Offensive line coach Butch Barry has added 15 minutes of “snap count drills” to each practice, having linemen work on reacting to Wilson’s cadence without jumping early. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has focused on unnecessary roughness by having players watch film of their penalties and meet with team leaders (like linebacker Dre Greenlaw) to discuss when aggression crosses into recklessness. For the Denver Broncos, these changes are starting to show small results: in Week 10 practice, the team committed just four penalties—down from an average of eight per practice earlier in the season. “We’re not going to fix this overnight, but we’re making progress,” Payton said in a press conference. “The key is consistency—turning these practice adjustments into game-day habits. When a player knows a false start will mean staying late, they’re more likely to lock in on the snap count.” The staff is also working with officials to understand how calls are being made this season, bringing in a former NFL referee to lead a clinic on rule interpretations.

Another important element of addressing Penalty Yards Plague the Denver Broncos Season is player accountability—with veterans stepping up to lead by example and hold teammates responsible. Greenlaw, who returned to the lineup in Week 10, has organized “penalty meetings” before practice, where players review the previous week’s flags and discuss how to avoid them. Offensive captain Garett Bolles has taken young linemen like Palczewski under his wing, working with him one-on-one to fix his holding issues. “As veterans, we can’t let young guys repeat our mistakes,” Bolles said. “I’ve had my share of penalties in the past, so I know what it takes to clean it up—focus, discipline, and paying attention to the details.” Even rookies are getting involved: first-round pick Drew Sanders has started a “penalty tracker” in the locker room, writing down each player’s penalties after games and challenging them to improve the next week. For the Denver Broncos, this player-led accountability is just as important as coaching adjustments—because it builds a culture where penalties are unacceptable. “When your teammates are holding you accountable, you don’t want to let them down,” Palczewski said. “I’ve been working with Garett every day, and I can feel the difference. I’m not perfect yet, but I’m getting better.”

Wrapping up Penalty Yards Plague the Denver Broncos Season is the stakes for the rest of the year—and why fixing the penalty problem is critical to their playoff hopes. The Broncos sit at 4-5 heading into Week 11, just one game behind the Raiders for the final AFC wild-card spot, but they face a tough stretch of games against playoff contenders (Raiders, Chiefs, Bills, Chargers). If they continue to commit 80+ yards of penalties per game, they’ll likely lose most of these close matchups. However, if they can reduce their penalty yards to 50 or fewer per game (the league average), they have a realistic chance to make the playoffs. The early signs from Week 10 are encouraging: the Broncos committed just six penalties for 45 yards in a win over the Cleveland Browns, their best performance of the season in terms of penalty discipline. “This is the standard we need to set,” Payton said after the Browns win. “We played clean, we executed, and we won. That’s what we’re capable of when we eliminate self-inflicted wounds.” For the Denver Broncos, the penalty problem isn’t a death sentence—it’s a wake-up call. With the right mix of coaching adjustments, player accountability, and focus, they can turn their season around. But if they don’t fix it soon, they’ll be watching the playoffs from home—knowing they had the talent to compete, but let penalties cost them a shot at success.