The San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos have something in common this season: They're both the teams that provided the Rams' first two losses.
Week 4 brings the Broncos to Levi's Stadium, where the Niners will find out if any lead is safe against a team that refuses to lose.
For two straight weeks, the Broncos have trailed by double digits in the second half, and both times, they won anyway. After a sound defeat in the season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver has staged two very different comebacks against two formidable opponents.
2 Broncos comebacks, 2 very different stories
Week 2 saw the Broncos take on the Jacksonville Jaguars who carried a seven point lead into the second half. The Jaguars then made some untimely mistakes, and Denver capitalized on them. The Broncos defense manufactured a couple turnovers and then forced a punt when the Jaguars needed to score most. It was enough for the Broncos to win by a touchdown.
The Broncos then took on the Rams, who proceeded at the half by 16 points. To that point, the Broncos had been unable to score. But the second half told a different story. Denver's defense strangled the Rams for the first three drives of the second half, and in that time, the Broncos managed to tie the game. It included a successful two-point conversion, as well.
The Rams took the lead again with under four minutes left in the fourth quarter, but the Broncos clapped back with a touchdown of their own, and then sealed the deal with an interception.
The Jaguars made mistakes that led to their downfall, and the Rams didn't stand tall enough to overcome a Broncos team that had come alive.
What the 49ers need to take from this is is simple: Don't put Denver in a position to thrive. San Francisco has the offense to build a lead on anyone, and Brock Purdy is playing the best football of his life.
But if the Niners get traction on Denver, they won't have the luxury of sitting on it. They'll need to play every down like they're the ones playing from behind, because the Broncos have a habit of winning from that position anyway.
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