In case you forgot, the Broncos tended to sleepwalk through the beginning of games, both on offense and on defense in 2016. The defense was particularly bad in the opening drive for the opponent (at least in the first half of the year)
| Opponent | Date | Plays | Length | Yds | Result |
| CAR | 9/8/2016 | 8 ( 3 P, 5 R, 0 Y) | 4:24 | 71 | Touchdown |
| IND | 9/18/2016 | 7 ( 3 P, 3 R, 0 Y) | 3:24 | 26 | Field Goal |
| CIN | 9/25/2016 | 5 ( 1 P, 4 R, 0 Y) | 2:50 | 74 | Touchdown |
| TAM | 10/2/2016 | 3 ( 1 P, 2 R, 0 Y) | 1:29 | 4 | Interception |
| ATL | 10/9/2016 | 9 ( 6 P, 3 R, 0 Y) | 3:42 | 75 | Touchdown |
| SDG | 10/13/2016 | 12 ( 10 P, 4 R, 0 Y) | 7:00 | 75 | Touchdown |
| HOU | 10/24/2016 | 3 ( 1 P, 2 R, 0 Y) | 1:23 | 5 | Punt |
| SDG | 10/30/2016 | 7 ( 4 P, 3 R, 0 Y) | 3:41 | 85 | Touchdown |
| OAK | 11/6/2016 | 8 ( 4 P, 3 R, 0 Y) | 4:12 | 47 | Field Goal |
| NOR | 11/13/2016 | 5 ( 3 P, 2 R, 1 Y) | 2:00 | 12 | Punt |
| KAN | 11/27/2016 | 3 ( 1 P, 2 R, 0 Y) | 1:32 | 4 | Punt |
| JAX | 12/4/2016 | 3 ( 2 P, 1 R, 1 Y) | 1:32 | 4 | Punt |
| TEN | 12/11/2016 | 11 ( 2 P, 9 R, 0 Y) | 6:06 | 70 | Touchdown |
| NWE | 12/18/2016 | 4 ( 1 P, 2 R, 0 Y) | 1:44 | 7 | Punt |
| KAN | 12/25/2016 | 7 ( 2 P, 5 R, 0 Y) | 3:51 | 77 | Touchdown |
| OAK | 1/1/2017 | 6 ( 2 P, 4 R, 1 Y) | 4:16 | 16 | Punt |
Note that in the first half of the season, our defense gave up a score on the opponent’s opening drive six times in eight games.