Week 15: Broncos vs. Chargers

Denver Broncos

Another week and another tough test for the Denver Broncos.  This week the Broncos will be playing for their fourth consecutive AFC West title.  If the Broncos are able to snag a win today they will set themselves up nicely for the playoffs and inch closer to a first round bye although they will need help to secure the number one overall seed for the third season in a row.  This week look for the Broncos to get their passing attack back on track.  For those who say Peyton Manning is done, this should be evidence that he is far from done.  I think the Broncos will get the passing game rolling today and the nice weather should be a great aid to Peyton Manning.  Now that doesn't mean that the Broncos will stop running the ball.  I think that they are still going to put an emphasis on the running game, but I think their goal in this one should be to be more efficient both running and passing the ball.  Last week the Broncos were not very efficient at either, and I expect them to work to move the ball in a more efficient manner.

Denver Broncos

One positive from last week was the running game in the red zone.  If C.J. Anderson can continue to be a threat down inside the ten yard line this offense will be tough to beat when they get down near the goal line.  The running game is very important for the Broncos going forward, because it will keep defenses honest.  Having a running game in the playoffs will make a huge difference for the Broncos because they will be able to rely less on Peyton Manning.  I love the way this team is playing football right now because they can win with a subpar game from Peyton Manning.  During the last two postseasons they have relied way to heavily on Manning and if he does not play a perfect game they struggle.  Over the last few weeks the Broncos have proven that they can win football games even when Manning is not in top form.  Running the ball and defense will be the key for the Broncos going forward, and the occasional pass from #18 sure won't hurt either.

Denver Broncos

Speaking of defense, how good have they been over the last few weeks?  The defense is finally clicking on all cylinders and they have been extremely impressive over the last several weeks.  If they can continue to play at such a high level the Broncos are going to be a very tough team to beat going forward.  One player that has finally been rewarded for his stellar play is Chris Harris.  He got a five year contract extension this week and no player is more deserving of a pay raise.  He is one of the best corners in the league and it is good that he is finally paid like a top flight corner.  It seems like every single week he is making a huge play in the football game.  Last week he made a great play near the end zone that helped seal the Broncos victory.  I expect him to make another big play this week against Philip Rivers.  Rivers is a guy that Harris has made big plays against in the past and I think we could see another big play this week.

Denver Broncos

Another player on the defensive side of the ball that has been playing at a high level lately is Malik Jackson.  It seems like he does not get the credit he deserves because guys like Von Miller and Demarcus Ware get most of the accolades along the defensive line, and deservedly so.  However, if you watch the play along the defensive line Jackson is consistently making plays wether it is stopping the running game or getting after the quarterback.  He has been a big reason for the defensive improvements lately because he adds another pass rushing threat to this defense.  I expect him to make some big plays today because he often lines up at defensive tackle.  This should give him a great opportunity to rush the passer because San Diego is very weak in the middle of the offensive line, and more specifically at the center position.  They have lost three centers for the season and it has been a real problem spot for them throughout the season.  Look for Jackson and others to look to create pressure up the middle and get right in the face of Philip Rivers.

Denver Broncos

Brandon Marshall is another Bronco defender that deserves a ton of credit for the great play of the defense over the last several weeks.  He has been a huge difference maker for the Broncos, and has helped lessen the blow of losing Danny Trevethan.  Trevethan is expected to return this week and that will give defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio lots of options at the linebacker position.  It gives him two guys that are tackling machines, and have the ability to make plays in coverage as well.  One thing that I would look for the defense to do is match up one of these guys on Antonio Gates on obvious passing downs.  Tight ends have had a field day against the Broncos defense and I think they will try a few different things today against Gates to try to slow him down.

Prediction

I think this game is going to be close and it will be a back and forth contest.  I think the winner will be decided by turnovers.  Taking care of the football will be key in this game as the teams are fairly evenly matched.  The Broncos defense has been great lately at taking the ball away, but that has been slightly negated by the offense not taking care of the football.  Look for Peyton Manning to take better care of the ball today.   Ultimately I think the Broncos defense will be the difference in this one.  They have been playing great lately, and I think that will continue today.  Look for a turnover or two that will be the deciding factor in this game.

Final Score- Denver Broncos 27, San Diego 21

Week 13: Broncos vs. Chiefs

The Broncos finally found a running game! For the first time this season the Broncos were able to run the ball and not just when the defense allowed them to do so.  They ran the ball against the Dolphins when they knew the Broncos were going to run the football.  That is the biggest difference that you could see in this game.  When the Broncos went for it on 4th and 2 and popped one off for twenty yards, it was a good sign for the Broncos running game.  C.J. Anderson will get most of the credit for the improvement of the running game and deservedly so, he played great and will be the starter for the rest of the season, but enough cannot be said about the offensive line.  They have been attacked all season as the Broncos weakest link, and last week they responded with their best performance of the season.  You could see that they were physically controlling the Dolphins in the running game and the passing game.  If the line is able to maintain their level of play the Broncos offense will be one of the most dangerous and balanced offenses in the league.  Thats the good news.  The bad news is that the Broncos defense struggled to do much of anything in this one and they were consistently beaten by the Dolphins.  One of the most concerning things that I saw was the lack of a consistent pass rush.  Teams are often chipping Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware with a running back or tight end, and making it harder for those two to get to the quarterback.  The Broncos have to be able to generate pass rush in other ways, whether that is blitzing or finding another player who can consistently create pressure.  Keep a close eye on the defense this week to see how they handle the Chiefs in the passing game.

Denver Broncos

Speaking of C.J. Anderson has he been impressive or what?  The Broncos coaching staff finally gave him his shot and he has not disappointed.  He has been great both running the ball and catching the ball.  If the Broncos want to continue to be successful on offense they need to feed Anderson the ball early and often.  Running the ball also had a profound effect on the offensive line.  When the Broncos run the ball it keeps the offensive line aggressive and that is part of the reason that they looked so good last week.  The Broncos also need to stay committed to the running game this week because the Chiefs have one of the worst running games in the NFL.  They are currently ranked 26th in the NFL and they have struggled even more over the last several weeks.  The Raiders managed to run all over the Chiefs last week and I would expect the Broncos to look to do the same.  Another reason I loved the way the Broncos ran the ball is that it set up the pass so perfectly.  For the first time this season the Broncos opponent didn't know if they were going to run the ball or pass the ball.  That meant that Peyton Manning was not under constant pressure when he dropped back to pass, and Peyton looked far more comfortable in the pocket against the Dolphins.  This will be important this week as well as the Broncos face off against a Chiefs pass rush that is very formidable.  Slowing down Tamba Hali and Justin Houston just a little bit could mean the difference between a win and a loss.

Denver Broncos

I am also looking for Demaryius Thomas to continue his torrid pace in this game.  He has been unbelievable this season after a bit of a slow start.  I know he did not reach 100 yards last week but he scored three touchdowns and had ten receptions so I would say he had a pretty good game all in all.  His role will become even bigger if Julius Thomas is unable to go again this week, which is looking more and more likely.  He did not practice again this week and that is usually not a good sign for a players availability on game day.  One player that could benefit from the absence of Julius is Wes Welker who finally got a second touchdown pass last week.  The chiefs will look hard to take away Demaryius and Emmanuel Sanders which means Welker will have plenty of opportunities in this one if he can get open.  Last week he was great on third down and in short yardage situations which is how I would expect the Broncos to use him going forward.  He is not the player that he once was but he can still be a valuable contributor for this Broncos team.

Denver Broncos

One player I would like to see more of this week is Omar Bolden.  Last week he took over kick returning duties and he did a much better job than Andre Caldwell has done at any point this season.  I expect him to keep that job and as long as he continues to perform he could look to take over the punt returner job.  This is something that has been a problem all season.  Isaiah Burse is simply not that special and to be honest I don't know how he managed to secure a roster spot on this team.  Had Jordan Norwood not been injured in the preseason there is not way that Burse is on this team.  Last season we had Trindon Holliday returning punts and he had fumbling issues, but at least he provided the chance for a big play in the return game.  This year Burse has had no big returns and he has had fumbling issues as well, fumbling three times (has only lost one).  The Broncos need to find somebody who can provide decent returns and hold onto the football so Peyton Manning and the offense can at least have a chance.  The special teams have been an issue all season but hopefully things will improve now that Brandon McManus is finally gone.  How he managed to hang around this long is anybody's guess, but I suppose the 33 yard field goal miss was the straw that broke the camels back.  It will be interesting to see how Connor Barth does as the new kicker.  My only concern with him is that he did not play last year so he could be rusty but he must have impressed the Broncos in workouts as he beat out an experienced kicker in Jay Feeley.  Keep an eye on special teams this week as they just need to avoid costly mistakes, which have plagued the special teams unit all season long.

Denver Broncos

If the Broncos hope to win this game they are going to need to see some major improvements from the defense.  They struggled to stop the Dolphins last week, although I will say they made some good halftime adjustments and got big stops when they needed to in the 2nd half.  The dolphins were able to exploit the Broncos run defense, which most teams have not been able to do.  They ran a lot of zone read run in the first half and the Broncos defensive ends were getting sucked to far in and the edge was sealed, which allowed Lamar Miller to break free around the edge.  This week it is very important that they keep Jamal Charles contained, because if he breaks contain you are in for a long day.  He is one of the most dangerous runners once he hits the open field, so the Broncos have to do the best they can to force him to run in between the tackles.  Another key when facing Charles is tackling him as a unit.  He is great at making people miss, so the Broncos have to swarm the football, and gang tackle him so he is unable to use his trademark elusiveness.  I expect the Broncos defense to rebound in this game, but if they do not and they continue to struggle this will be a major concern going forward.

Prediction

This will be a hard fought game and I think the Broncos are going to struggle in this one.  The Chiefs will be playing at home during primetime with some of the loudest fans in the NFL.  I think if the Broncos struggle early they could be in for a very tough night.  They need to come out and score a few touchdowns early to take the crowd out of the game and force the Chiefs to throw the ball.  I think the Broncos should be able to win this game if they execute and avoid turnovers.  Look for a close ball game that will most likely not be decided until the fourth quarter.

Final Score- Denver Broncos 27, Kansas City Chiefs 21

AFC West showdown: Broncos vs. Chargers

It’s hard to believe that it is gameday it is but these Thursday night games roll around very quickly especially after a Sunday night game.  The Broncos face yet another tough test as they face off against the division rival San Diego Chargers.  Every division game carries extra importance, but that is especially true when you are facing off against one of the best teams in the league.   A win would put the Broncos in great position to win the division and secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.  The Broncos players have said all week that they will come out ready to play after facing a short week.  They were faced with the exact same situation last year and laid an egg against this same Chargers team. 

Keys to Victory

Denver Broncos

To win this one the Broncos will have to come ready to play as they are facing another great opponent.  It seems like I say that every week but the Broncos really do play tough team after tough team.  While it is hard right now these tough tests could really benefit this team down the road and especially come playoff time.  I think the fact that the Broncos get this game at home should be a big plus for them.  The chargers have also suffered quite a few injuries that will hurt their chances in this game. 

Denver Broncos

One key to this game will be the Broncos run defense.  The chargers will look to control the ball to keep Peyton Manning on the sidelines for as long as possible.  This was the strategy they used last year to beat the Broncos, and they have used this strategy this season to beat teams like Seattle.  The Broncos defense has to stop the run to force the Chargers to make big throws on third and long.  Although stopping the pass could be easier said than done.  Philip Rivers has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL this season and is playing at an elite level.  Denver will have it’s hands full with the Chargers offense in this one.  Look for Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware to try to get pressure on Rivers early to try to make him uncomfortable in the pocket. 

The pressure will also be on the Broncos secondary as they will have to try to slow down the pass catching weapons that Philip Rivers has to throw to.  They will have their hands full with players like Keenan Allen, Antonio Gates, and Eddie Royal.  I look for Chris Harris to have another great game.  Last week against the 49ers he was aggressive at the point of attack, coming up and making some pick time stops on quick screens to receivers.  He has been phenomenal coming off of his ACL surgery and is looking like an even better player than the one we saw last year.  Between Harris and Aqib Talib the Broncos have one of the best cornerback duos in the league.  Look for these two players to have a huge game, and expect one of them to make a game changing play in this one. 

Denver Broncos

Offensively the Broncos just have to keep things rolling.  Over the last two weeks the Broncos offense has looked like it has found a rhythm.  The running game has been the most impressive part of the offense so far in the last few games.  Early on I was concerned about the running game but Ronnie Hillman and Juwan Thompson have made some big plays in the running game over the last few weeks.  Hillman has shown great explosiveness to the hole and has shown the kind of burst that you like to see from running backs.  If the offensive line can create decent holes for him against the Chargers he could have some big gains on the ground.  I am looking for Hillman to have a major impact in the passing game this week.  It looks like each week he is getting more comfortable in this offense, and I think he will have a big impact in the passing game. 

Denver Broncos

I am looking for the Broncos passing game to have a big game as the Chargers will be without several key players in the secondary.  Cornerback Brandon Flowers has already been ruled out with a concussion, and rookie corner Jason Verrett is questionable as well.  If Verrett is unable to play in this one, the Chargers secondary could be in for a very long day.  When I watch chargers game Verrett already appears to be their top cover corner, and losing him would be a major blow to the Chargers.  Look for Peyton Manning to test the secondary early and often in this one.  One player who should continue his recent success is Demaryius Thomas.  Thomas has been on an absolute terror lately, and this should be an opportunity for him to continue his recent dominance. 

Prediction

These Thursday night games are very hard to predict as you really can never tell which team is going to come out ready to play.  It is also hard to gameplan when you only have three days to prepare for the upcoming game.  I think that these teams will both show up ready to play in this one, as I am sure they understand the significance in terms of the division standing.  In the end I think the injuries that the Chargers are facing on defense will be to much for them to overcome.  I expect Peyton Manning to have a big day against a weakened Chargers secondary.  However, I expect Philip Rivers and the Chargers to put up quite a fight in this one.  They are a very talented team and will be able to stay with the Broncos for most of the game.  In the end I think the Broncos having this game at home will be the biggest difference. 

Final Score- Broncos 34 Chargers 27