The Broncos can taste a playoff berth after notching their tenth consecutive win on Sunday. The most impressive part of the win, unusually, wasn’t their devastating defense. The catalyst of Denver’s performance was the wide display of offense that Bo Nix and company showed on the gridiron.
After their defense flashed a bit of vulnerability last Sunday against the Commanders, the Broncos had a tougher time than usual preventing the Raiders from moving the ball compared to their last matchup earlier in the season. Bo Nix was also sacked three times on Sunday; the usual staples of Denver’s game showed rare missteps.
So how did they defeat the Raiders so seamlessly?
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Successful Ground Game
The Broncos offensive versatility on Sunday was nothing short of incredible compared to what they’ve shown so far this season. Oftentimes the team struggles with moving the chains before the fourth quarter, or being able to string together big plays. On Sunday, however, everything came together.
To start out, the Broncos’ ground game was incredible from the opening kickoff to the end whistle. Budding star RJ Harvey continued filling the void left by JK Dobbins, who went down a few weeks prior with a season ending foot injury. Harvey rushed for 75 yards on 17 attempts, and even found the endzone for a touchdown.
Harvey now has five touchdowns on his rookie season. The Broncos haven’t seen a runner quite like Harvey since CJ Anderson.
The ground game doesn’t need to necessarily refer to running backs, though. Bo Nix broke through with an eight-yard touchdown run early in the contest. Nix being able to be a threat both in the air and on the ground is crucial to the Broncos’ success moving forward, especially considering the strength of their upcoming schedule.
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Taking To The Air
Denver still did fairly well in the passing game, too. They pushed the ball downfield with confidence and mixed in quick passes to neutralize pressure. Because of how effective both the run and pass game was working, it was almost impossible for the Raiders to stop the Broncos.
What makes this surge meaningful is the potential for sustainability. Denver isn’t known for its overpowering offense, but if the Broncos can hold their own offensively, suddenly games get a lot easier for the team from the Mile High City.
As long as Denver finds a way to exceed 20 points, their chances of winning skyrocket. They haven’t lost a game yet this season while scoring under 20, thanks to their dominant defense. But adding a in a growing level of craftiness and different ways to find the end zone make them that much more dangerous.
Other Offensive Factors
Take Marvin Mims for example. Mims returned a punt 48 yards on Sunday for a touchdown — the first punt return score of his career. Having one of the top returners in the game is incredibly important to Denver’s offensive scheme, especially if he can put Nix in good field position to begin with.
Head Coach Sean Payton has done an impressive job in recent weeks navigating Denver’s previously-sputtering offense.
His playcalling had a clear identity on Sunday, something he’d been lacking in earlier weeks: quick passes occasionally to throw off Las Vegas’ defense mixed with deeper shots when the defense overcommitted that ultimately punished the Raiders. This mix of layups and deep shots goes hand-in-hand with with Denver’s exceptional ground game.
Payton has always been known for his offensive mind, but this game felt like his most complete work so far this season. If the Broncos can manufacture a way to maintain their offensive consistency, there’s no telling what the ceiling of this team will be.
Looking ahead, Denver’s last four games are against tough divisional opponents and even tougher out of conference teams. Payton and the Broncos’ offensive consistency will be severely tested this coming Sunday when they take on the Packers‘ incredible defense headlined by Micah Parsons.
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