BRONCOS

Broncos vs. Colts: Breaking down Denver’s game plan on Sunday

Oct 25, 2019, 2:17 PM

The Broncos were flat out embarrassed last week against the Chiefs. Instead of winning three games in a row, Denver was outshined by Kansas City, losing 20-6 on Thursday night. They’ve had 10 days to now reexamine what has gone wrong and get things corrected before they road trip in Week 8.

The Broncos travel to take on a tough Colts team on Sunday morning with the idea they can still play good football. It will be interesting to see what kind of changes we see on offense without Emmanuel Sanders. The defense also needs to make some modifications with a strong Colts offense as an opponent on Sunday.

Let’s take a look at how the Broncos will attack the Colts on both sides of the ball.

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When the Broncos Run the Ball

The Broncos didn’t run the ball with much success in the game against the Chiefs last week. That has to change this week on the road, but it will be difficult. With the passing game struggling, expect teams to stack the box to try and stuff the run.

If the Colts follow this game plan (and they should), the Broncos greatest success running the ball will be with a “heavy” package. That means fullback Andy Janovich has to play more than the 13 snaps he played against the Chiefs.

Janovich can blast open holes against the Colts for both Freeman and Lindsay. The Broncos need to come out and set a physical tone on offense and that should include a healthy dose of their fullback. If needed, Janovich can get some short-yardage work as a runner – especially when this team is close to pay dirt.

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They should also use Freeman more when they are inside the five-yard line. Last week against the Chiefs, Freeman received his first carry of the 2019 season from that distance and he scored a touchdown. With Janovich leading the way, Freeman can use his 230-pound frame to soften up the toughest of opponents.

Indianapolis has been improving their rush defense as the season has gone on. They have allowed just more than three yards per carry and an average of just 47 rushing yards per game in their last two contests. It has been five weeks (including a bye week) since a running back has scored a touchdown when facing this Colts defense – something the Broncos hope to break this weekend.

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When the Broncos Pass the Ball

It’s going to be weird to see the Broncos pass the ball without Emmanuel Sanders on the field. They traded away Sanders to the 49ers earlier in the week and now this wide receiver corps belongs to Courtland Sutton. This is why they selected Sutton in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Sutton is built like a No. 1 receiver and he’s certainly been targeted and has produced at the expected level so far in 2019.

Without Sanders, the team is going to use a committee approach at the No. 2 spot. The first player up to get a larger opportunity will be second-year pro DaeSean Hamilton. He is a tough player with good quickness and route-running ability. However, Hamilton has struggled through a disappointing sophomore season with the Broncos. In 2019, Hamilton is known more for his drops than his big plays. We’ll see if he can shake off this rocky start and begin making a positive impact.

I’d like to see rookie sixth-round pick Juwann Winfree get some more work now that Sanders is gone. Winfree has been a healthy scratch for every game but one this season for the Broncos. He doesn’t play special teams, so that has prevented him from getting on the field but there is no doubt that he has incredible skill as a wide receiver on offense.

Who could forget this play from the Hall of Fame Game? This incredible touchdown catch showcases the type of threat Winfree could be in the red zone. Also, note that this was the second play he ever played in the NFL and he came down with this crazy touchdown catch.

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Indianapolis gives up 250 passing yards per game on average. They have allowed more than 300 yards passing in four of their six games played this season. This secondary does not have the quality of players that the front seven on defense has, and that’s why you see the inconsistent play.

Sutton should be able to take advantage of Colts No. 1 cornerback Pierre Desir. The rest of the players in the Broncos wideout corps should have positive matchups, as well. This game has to come down to the wide receiver group because pass-catching running backs have little success against potential All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard. They haven’t allowed more than 30 receiving yards to a running back since the season opener.

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When the Colts Run the Ball

The Colts want to wear you out with Marlon Mack. Their starting running back is the freight train of the offense and they give him a consistent workload even when the success doesn’t come quickly. This team is disciplined and will stay focused on running the ball so long as the game is at hand.

Last week, the Texans held Mack to just 44 yards on 18 attempts, but the Colts won the game. Indianapolis stuck with Mack and continued to soften up their opponent to get a huge divisional win. They rarely have a pass-heavy game plan and that’s why Mack will be the most important player for the Broncos to stop.

The Colts offensive line grades out as one of the best in the league. They’ll help the “Mack Attack” greatly and when Mack needs a breather the offense doesn’t miss much of a beat when backup Jordan Wilkins comes onto the field.

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The Broncos are tough against the run, but they face a strong challenge on Sunday. They have allowed the second-fewest rushing yards per game to opposing running backs over the last three weeks. Last week against the Chiefs, Denver’s defense held the Chiefs backfield to only 3.1 yards per carry.

Ever since they put Mike Purcell in at defensive tackle, the Broncos rushing defense has been a strength. Having a safety like Kareem Jackson to play inside the box is a great benefit too.

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When the Colts Pass the Ball

The Colts don’t go into a contest thinking they’ll fill the air with footballs. They are a run-heavy team that will focus on that side of the offense first and foremost. However, if they have to go through the air like they did last week against the Texans they will and they can have great success.

Quarterback Jacoby Brissett has looked much improved this year. Most of the time, he’s counted on to be a game-manager for the Colts offense. But last week, they knew that going through the air would be their best bet to win – and they did.

Brissett set career highs in passing yards and touchdowns against the Texans. The young quarterback has thrown for multiple touchdowns in five of six games in 2019 – three of those contests were three-touchdown performances!

The Broncos have a lot to worry about in terms of weapons when the Colts go through the air. Star wide receiver T.Y. Hilton will be the primary weapon of the Colts passing attack. Hilton has speed, speed and more speed so watch out for big plays anytime he’s on the field. All-Pro cornerback Chris Harris will be covering Hilton in what should be a fine 1-on-1 matchup.

Other receivers like Zach Pascal and running back Nyheim Hines could pose problems for the Broncos defense, but primarily there are two weapons to be wary of with the first one being Hilton.

The second player that could “go off” against the Broncos is tight end Eric Ebron. Last week against the Texans he made one of the most improbable touchdown grabs of the season.

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The Broncos pass defense is third in the league with only 195.3 passing yards per game allowed even though their secondary has been fighting injuries all season long. The mettle of this secondary will be tested at times on Sunday. How they play on the back end of the defense will be a direct result of how much pressure the Broncos get on Brissett Sunday.

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Summary

The Broncos season isn’t going anywhere but several things for the future hinge on this game. If they beat the Colts, perhaps the team feels that they can keep rookie quarterback Drew Lock on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. If they lose to the Colts, I believe it’s realistic to expect the clock to start ticking on when Lock takes over as the starting quarterback.

The Colts offensive line will try to push around Denver’s defense. This will be a hard-fought game which is won in the trenches as the Colts mostly want to run the ball down your throat. Denver has to have the wherewithal to stand up to that.

The Broncos offense needs to win through the air this week – primarily with the wide receivers. This group looks much different without Sanders, but the young guys have to step up and start making plays. There is no doubt that Sutton will be a playmaker in this contest, and he’ll probably lead the team in targets. However, other weapons in the passing game must emerge if the Broncos have any shot at winning this contest.

In the end, the home crowd and the rushing attack of the Colts is too much to withstand. I have the Colts beating the Broncos by a score of 24-17.

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All quotes and injury/practice observations obtained firsthand. Record/statistical information provided via email from the Denver Broncos unless otherwise noted. Game screenshots from NFL Game Pass. Contract and salary-cap information provided by Spotrac.com. Transaction history provided by ProSportsTransactions.com.

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