While the Denver Broncos With a 4-3 record, largely attributed to the strength of their defense, the offense showed signs of inconsistency. However, there is potential for improvement.
If the Broncos want to compete for the playoffs, they need to find consistency on offense, and that starts with Sean Payton looking in the mirror.
The problems on offense came in both phases, as the passing and running games struggled. Payton needs to look at what has worked best for the offense and start using those types of plays to help players get going.
Of course, the bigger issue is players getting the job done every play, but Payton can help them. Today I’m going to explain how Payton can help you. The Broncos’ playmaking has changed since Week 2, and you’ve seen more on offense, making execution the bigger issue.
Put the RBs on point and protect the ball
The first is the running game, where there have been issues with blockers and ball carriers. The Broncos need consistency here, as it can take some pressure off rookie quarterback Bo Nix and the passing game. During the season, the Broncos had four games with positive EPA/rush and three negative games, and as many games with more than five rushing yards per play as they had less than four, with two each.
Ball protection is a significant area of concern, with four fumbles between Javonte Williams and Audric Estime. Estime’s two fumbles on nine total touches raise confidence issues.
Williams, with two fumbles on 73 carries, has the NFL’s second-worst fumble rate among 24 qualifying running backs. The team’s ball protection needs to improve, as Williams has spent several weeks being one of the most ineffective running backs in the NFL.
O-Line imperfect, but not the problem
There are plenty of complaints about the Broncos offensive line, and it has its issues. However, the blocking issue should be more with the tight ends rather than the offensive line. Before the 33-10 victory against the New Orleans Saintsthe Broncos were ranked 14th in block win rate, with left tackle Garett Bolles fourth among offensive tackles.
The Broncos running backs, primarily Williams, struggled to see lanes and hit lanes with burst. There have been improvements here, especially from Williams, but the Broncos need it to stay up against more formidable run defenses.
That hasn’t been the case this season, and running on a Saints defense allowing 196 rushing yards per game from Weeks 3-6 doesn’t change the perception much. However, this kind of game can greatly boost players’ confidence. Hopefully the Broncos can build on this play and maintain a consistent running game throughout the season, even if it’s not as good as against the Saints.
Repair repairable mechanisms
The Broncos rank first in pass blocking success rate and third in pass blocking efficiency, keeping Nix 11th with the lowest pressure rate at 30 percent. Despite this, there have been serious issues finding consistency in the passing game. The most important element to include is the need for intermediate and deep components to make the passing game more threatening.
Nix completed 224 pass attempts, 73 of which went more than 10 air yards down the field, while only 25 were completed. He also threw four of his touchdowns and five interceptions while attacking that area of the field.
The boom or bust aspect makes it extremely difficult for Denver to find a consistent passing game. The absence of these aspects can make it difficult to pull off late-game comebacks when time is running out or stick with an offense that manages to break down the Broncos defense.
As an example, let’s look at Nix’s near comeback against the Los Angeles Chargers. He completed seven of 14 passes for more than 10 air yards, which was better than the season average, and helped lead the close comeback.
However, there were 19 attempts, with 12 successes under the 10+ air yards. These use up a lot of free time and make a comeback difficult, especially when the Broncos enter the fourth quarter with just four assists down 23 points. These big, explosive plays are necessary – with such a time constraint, you need significant gains to maximize efficiency.
Payton and Broncos QB coach Davis Webb need to fix Nix’s lower body mechanics. The rookie has a bad habit of throwing out of the platform when not necessary, leading to accuracy issues, especially when working more than 10 yards downfield. If these coaches can correct that, it should lead to more consistency from Nix and the passing offense in that area of the field.
Continue to step up your efforts
Receivers also need help getting open and becoming more reliable pass catchers. Courtland Sutton failed to even record a target in Week 7, and Josh Reynolds is currently on injured reserve, but they averaged 2.5 and 2.3 yards of separation, respectively.
On average, Troy Franklin, Devaughn Vele and Lil’Jordan Humphrey average over three yards of separation on routes. As for drops, Nix’s adjusted completion percentage is still fifth-worst in the NFL, and the abandoned metric factors pass through there.
It’s up to Payton to find consistency in the offense. It starts with running a reliable running game, schematically determining what works and what doesn’t, and determining what works each week.
While the Broncos rely on the running game, they can focus on fixing Nix’s lower body mechanics, which should lead to a much improved and more consistent passing attack. This is necessary if the Broncos want to make a serious push for the playoffs.
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