Dark Horse Rising

By Peyton Schultze

Despite some offensive struggles, Joe Flacco and the Denver Broncos pulled off their second win of the season against the Tennessee Titans in Week (via Broncos.com).

In Week 1, it was a disappointing loss at the hands of a team playing its final primetime game in Oakland. In Week 2, it was a brutal, last-second defeat on a game-winning kick against a playoff team from a season ago. In Week 3, it was a profound thumping on the road against a team with Super Bowl aspirations. In Week 4, it was once again a heartbreaking last-second loss at the buzzer on a game-winning kick, this time to a lesser team with a rookie quarterback. Time and time again, the 2019 Denver Broncos have faced some devastating losses that have overshadowed the potential of this football team headlined by its sensational group of players as part of their young core.

Through six weeks, the Denver Broncos have truly been through the ringer in regard to how tough their losses have been in the first year under head coach Vic Fangio. But after two straight great wins over the Chargers and Titans, do the Broncos have some hopes of actually turning their season around? The road toward becoming the second team in NFL history to make the playoffs after an 0-4 start is a long one (the 1992 San Diego Chargers under head coach Bobby Ross are the only other team), but Denver looks to keep their short winning streak going this Thursday night when they face a battered Chiefs team in the Mile High City. Will Denver fold under the pressure and prove that their recent hot streak is just a fluke, or will the feisty Broncos cause chaos for Patrick Mahomes and the reigning AFC West champions?

Denver has not been great on offense in 2019, but does have two young superstars in the making with Phillip Lindsay (#30) and Cortland Sutton (via Associated Press).

With how poor the Broncos’ offense has looked at times throughout this season, it is somewhat surprising to see how they remain just two games out of first place in the AFC West. Nevertheless, a very good running game headlined by 2018 breakout star Phillip Lindsay and power back Royce Freeman remains a major strength of this offense and allows Denver to wear down opposing defenses. The combo of Lindsay’s finesse and Freeman’s power has resulted in a great running back combo with some lethal potential, especially considering the offensive line that they play behind is a group that is continuing to grow (although they struggle in pass protection, Denver’s line is very good in the running game). If Lindsay, one of the league’s young superstar running backs, and Freeman continue to perform at a high level in both the running and passing game, teams will have some difficulty matching up with the power and speed of this very young offense.

However, if Denver wants to really get rolling and make a run to the top of the AFC West, they will need significant improvement in quarterback play from veteran Joe Flacco. Flacco, the ex-Super Bowl MVP for the Baltimore Ravens, has faced some mixed reviews so far during his tenure in the Mile High City, but has at least provided some stability so far in the Broncos’ consistently changing QB room. Although Flacco’s numbers (1,435 yards, six touchdowns, five interceptions) show somewhat of an improvement over last year’s starter in Case Keenum, untimely sacks and some costly interceptions have limited the true potential of this offense. For example, at the end of the second quarter of Denver’s eventual Week 4 home loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Flacco chucked a ball over a receiver’s head with time running out before the half, throwing a pick right into the hands of a Jaguar defender. The interception set the Jaguars up for a late field goal before halftime, and proved to be the turning point in another crushing loss for the Broncos. If Flacco can cut down on the amount of terrible turnovers that have plagued him throughout his career (he has an interception in every game this season except Week 1), the Broncos will truly be a much better offense with how many playmakers they have across the board.

One big reason for this imperative change from Flacco is due to the awesome duo of Emmanuel Sanders and Cortland Sutton on the outside. Sanders is one of Denver’s most influential leaders that has been there for quite some time, and has continued to produce with some efficiency this season after an offseason Achilles surgery. Meanwhile, Cortland Sutton has become Flacco’s favorite weapon so far in 2019, and has looked like a true #1 wide receiver for the franchise. With some immense size and raw strength that make him one of the toughest covers on the outside in the league (30 receptions, 477 yards, three touchdowns), Sutton has been one of the best stories of the young season for the Broncos. With other players such as their 2019 first round pick in tight end Noah Fant and the speedy DaeSean Hamilton in the slot, Denver truly has some solid foundational players that need the ball in their hands if the team wants to succeed.

Chris Harris Jr. still remains one of the best corners in the league, and has been a huge piece of Vic Fangio’s defense so far this season (via KUSA).

It was only a few weeks ago when Vic Fangio’s defense had not sacked the quarterback or forced a turnover through three weeks. Since then, despite the loss of Bradley Chubb for the season with a torn ACL, the Broncos have wrecked pure havoc for opposing offenses and rank as the NFL’s #4 ranked defense in the league in terms of total yardage. After Leonard Fournette ran all over the defense in Week 4, the Broncos made some big changes all over their defense that have seemed to turn their season around. On the defensive line, Mike Purcell, DeMarcus Walker, and Malik Reed have stood out in a big way and have stepped up for this resurgent defense. By clogging running holes and suddenly getting after the passer at a high rate, the Broncos were able to sack Titans’ quarterbacks seven times last week and completely took over all afternoon long. They’ll need a repeat performance this week against Kansas City in order to pull off a gigantic upset, especially with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and both of the Chiefs’ starting tackles facing some injuries.

Elsewhere, future Hall of Famer Von Miller has not put up his usual dominant numbers so far this season without Bradley Chubb on the opposite side of him, but has consistently faced double teams while rushing the passer. However, Miller has still been able to contribute in a big way against the run and has been a half a step away from recording several sacks, which should inspire a ton of confidence for Broncos’ coaches and fans alike. Miller is due for a huge breakout game very soon, perhaps even as soon as Thursday night, and he can still single handedly wreck any game he is in without full attention from the opposing offense. Another one of Fangio’s major personnel changes also came at inside linebacker, where Alexander Johnson has been able to make an immediate impact since being inserted into the starting lineup against the Chargers. Nicknamed “Dino”, Johnson has been all over the field for the Broncos and has quickly become a fan favorite with his dinosaur celebration after a big defensive play. Johnson and veteran Todd Davis bring some big time energy to this defense at the linebacker position, and Denver will need both of them to continue their great early season play.

As usual in the Mile High City, the true strength of this defense still remains in the secondary of the Denver defense. Led by an all-time Bronco great in All-Pro cornerback Chris Harris Jr., the Broncos’ defense ranks #4 in the league and has only allowed 196.0 passing yards per game. With key offseason additions such as Kareem Jackson and Bryce Callahan (who has yet to play, but should make an impact upon his return), the Broncos rebooted the secondary formerly known as the “No Fly Zone” and has truly looked the part again. With Harris, Jackson, and uber talented safety Justin Simmons playing at a very high level in the Broncos’ secondary, it will be very difficult for any offense in the league to put up huge passing numbers against this deadly defensive backfield. The Broncos will be tested on Thursday night by the ridiculous talents of Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill, and it will be very interesting to see if the Denver secondary steps up to the plate against one of the best offenses in the league.

Even with their tough 0-4 start, the Broncos have bounced back and made some noise under first year head coach Vic Fangio (via Herald Publicist).

With two wins in a row to somewhat dig themselves out of a deep hole, the Broncos have a bit of momentum heading into Thursday night’s matchup with the rival Kansas City Chiefs. With the Chiefs losing two big games in a row at home and going in the opposite direction of the Broncos at this exact moment, it will be interesting to see if the Broncos can continue their recent hot stretch of great play or if they will fall at the hands of a Super Bowl contender. The Broncos match up fairly well on defense against the exceptional Chiefs’ offense, and this high-profile game could very well come down to if Flacco and the Broncos can make a few game-changing plays on offense against this extremely vulnerable Kansas City defense.

Empower Field at Mile High figures to be as loud as ever on Thursday night, with the Broncos’ first and only primetime home game of the season. With Patrick Mahomes a little beat up and with the Chiefs struggling all over on defense, this may be the Broncos’ brightest chance to reassert themselves as a capable team in a wide-open conference. The Broncos’ superstar players such as Miller and Lindsay may have to have their best games of the season in order to pull off the upset, but it should help behind a loud Denver crowd in the high altitude that is ready to see the Broncos’ most meaningful win in years. It will surely be tough against last year’s league MVP and the #1 ranked offense in football this season, but the league is truly about to find out what Vic Fangio’s 2019 version of the Denver Broncos are made of.