The Denver Broncos had us in the first half, not gonna lie.
After terrible efforts from Denver’s offense in Weeks 1 and 2, many in Broncos Country were prepared for another rough year. Despite the elite play on the defensive side of the ball, there was an abundance of mistakes from rookie QB Bo Nix and the rest of the offense that made it seemingly impossible for them to sustain drives throughout the whole game.
However, just when many in Broncos Country started to expect the worst moving forward, the Broncos bounced back with a massive 26-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Surely everyone saw this coming, as no true fans would have ever doubted the Broncos… right? (Definitely don’t look at the LTB crew’s predictions for that game).
Bo Nix looked extremely poised in the pocket and decisive with the football, appearing to have cleaned up his footwork and timing issues from prior weeks. The Broncos’ receivers also provided much better effort in this game, especially in terms of separating and fighting for yards after the catch against the Buccaneers defense. And, of course, Denver’s defense remained dominant, sacking QB Baker Mayfield seven times and forcing two turnovers.
Overall, the Broncos were nearly flawless on all sides of the ball, which is extremely encouraging to see. Before this game, there was concern that it was going to take a long time before Denver had the chemistry or talent to win convincingly. Now, fans know for certain that the team has a high ceiling when the offense is humming.
However, that increased confidence also comes with even higher expectations moving forward. This week, Denver faces what figures to be an even tougher opponent with the Jets, and still have plenty of things that they must clean up soon.
Without further ado, here is what we need to see from the Broncos in their Week 4 matchup with the New York Jets.
Limit NYJ’s Yardage on the Ground
If there is one aspect where the Broncos defense has dealt with some inconsistencies, it has been defending the run. The last time Denver faced a premium talent at running back, Seattle’s Kenneth Walker, they were torched by the high-end talent for 103 yards and a touchdown. They also had some rough moments against Pittsburgh Steelers RB Najee Harris and Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving.
The Broncos are also dealing with a big loss in the front seven, as LB Alex Singleton – a big contributor to the team’s run defense – will miss the rest of the 2024 season with a torn ACL.
The loss of Singleton comes at a bad time, as New York boasts one of the league’s most talented running back rooms with Breece Hall and Braelon Allen, which will give Denver its toughest test since Walker in Week 1.
Thankfully for Denver, New York hasn’t been very efficient running the football in 2024, ranking 26th in the league in run-block win rate and averaging just four yards a rush (good for 23rd in the league).
Despite their struggles, the Jets will undoubtedly look to run the ball this game, as the Broncos’ secondary has been playing lights out all season long.
While Zach Allen has been arguably the best defensive tackle in football this year, Vance Joseph and Co. will need everyone along the defensive line and edge rushers to step up in this game.
If the defensive line clogs up the middle running lanes and Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto set the edge, the Broncos will have a good chance at winning. Stopping the run should lead to more pressures created against QB Aaron Rodgers as well.
Also, keep an eye out for former New York Jet John Franklin-Meyers, who is still looking for his first true breakout performance in Denver. A revenge week against the Jets may be the perfect opportunity for him to do so.
Denver Broncos’ OL Must Hold Up
From the Denver Broncos’ perspective, the line of scrimmage might just be the biggest worry in the game.
If they hope to beat the New York Jets, then the offensive line must find a way to slow down Pro Bowl defensive lineman Quinnen Williams.
There is additional talent in the Jets’ front-seven as well, as DT Javon Kinlaw has had a nice bounce-back season so far and EDGE Will McDonald IV has burst onto the scene with five sacks.
What makes this notion so scary is the fact that Williams and Kinlaw will line up over Broncos center Luke Wattenberg and guard Ben Powers, who have been arguably the weakest links on the offensive line so far.
As every Broncos fan knows, the team has struggled mightily to run the ball. They are averaging just 4.2 yards per carry, which is heavily inflated by Nix’s impressive scrambles and Tyler Badie’s 43-yard rush vs the Buccaneers.
This is, again, an area where the Jets are struggling, as they are allowing 129 yards per game on the ground. If Denver hopes to get their primary backs Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin rolling this season, this may be the perfect week to do so.
However, there is still no doubting the talent that the Jets have along their defensive line. Despite Bo Nix’s great performance in Week 3, the passing offense will not be sustainable if the Broncos are unable to run the ball and/or Nix is constantly being pressured up the middle.
The game may very well come down to how Luke Wattenberg and Ben Powers perform, which has been hit or miss to date. Wattenberg specifically needs to figure it out soon, or else the team may have to turn to Nix’s former college teammate, Alex Forsyth, as a replacement.
More Touches For Tyler Badie
Speaking of the Denver Broncos’ rushing attack, the interior offensive line struggles aren’t the only reason that they are averaging a measly 99 yards per game on the ground.
Simply put, the Javonte Williams that we all know and love is still stuck in 2021.
This outcome is wildly unfortunate, as Williams was on pace to become an elite back before suffering a devasting knee injury in 2022. Now, he simply lacks the explosiveness and vision to justify many carries moving forward, which is reflected by his 2.2 yards per carry.
Jaleel Mclaughlin has also failed to make a huge difference as a runner, as he is averaging 2.2 yards per carry as well. While he is still a fun athlete, he is somewhat of a tell whenever he enters the game, as the defense knows he is likely getting the ball on a toss play or a screen pass.
On the contrary, Tyler Badie has done nothing but exceed expectations in 2024. From preseason to now, he has shined every time he has been given the ball and is averaging an NFL-best 8.6 yards per carry. This is obviously not a sustainable number, as he has not had many carries to this point, but it is absolutely noteworthy in comparison to the other backs in the room.
Badie has looked explosive and has provided the best vision of any of the Broncos’ running backs, by far. There are plenty of examples on film of him actually reading his blocks and letting them develop, whereas Williams usually runs into his own lineman or tries to bounce an inside run to the outside.
It appears that Badie has earned the trust of Sean Payton as well, as he received the majority of the carries in the fourth quarter while the Broncos were running out the clock against the Buccaneers.
Perhaps the key to the run game is Badie receiving more touches while Williams shifts into more of the Samaje Perine role, as he has still been great in pass pro. While this may or may not “fix” things, it is at the very least worth trying, as Badie has undoubtedly earned more carries moving forward.
