The Denver Broncos secured a victory in Week 1 of NFL regular season thanks in part to a dominant effort by their defense. It’s always great to start off the season 1-0. This week, they head on the road to Indianapolis to take on the Colts in Week 2. In order to come out with a victory, they will need to improve on the offensive side of the ball and play a complete game. Here are three players I’ll be watching closely this weekend.
Courtland Sutton — Wide Receiver
Longtime veteran Courtland Sutton earned himself a lucrative extension this offseason. Against the Titans, Sutton caught six receptions on nine targets for 61 yards and a touchdown. Four of those catches also resulted in first downs. He and Bo Nix started of the season much better than last year, but I’m hoping the eight-year pro can be even more effective this Sunday.
The Colts’ secondary is banged up and could be without numerous players including starter Charvarius Ward. If that is the case, I expect veteran Xavien Howard to draw most coverage responsibilities with respect to Sutton. Howard had a down year with the Dolphins last season, but prior to that had been named a Pro-Bowler or All-Pro in four of the five prior seasons.
Howard may have lost a step or two with his speed, but his length and ability to be physical at the catch point remain strengths of his. The Broncos will need Sutton to step up and match Howard’s toughness in order to help secure a victory. I feel confident in #14’s ability to get the job done.
Defensive tackle — D.J. Jones
Picked in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, nose tackle D.J. Jones has quietly put together an incredibly productive career. For the past several seasons, Jones has been a key cog in the Broncos’ turnaround on the defensive line. In his ninth season in the league, the veteran defensive lineman was voted as a captain by his teammates for the first time in his career.
Durable, reliable, and dependable—Jones’ consistency on a weekly basis is worthy of praise. Last weekend, he was a big reason why the Titans weren’t able to accomplish much of anything on the ground. With teammate Malcolm Roach sidelined with a calf injury, the Broncos will need Jones to keep playing at a high level, especially facing a formidable rushing attack led by veteran Jonathan Taylor.
The Colts lost a few starters from last year’s interior offensive line in free agency, giving way to younger players like Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves. Expect Jones often to be in alignment near or over these two players. While those two players have a lot of potential, I’m banking on Jones’ veteran savvy and technique to help keep Denver’s run defense strong on Sunday.
J.K. Dobbins — Running Back
Signed late in the summer to bolster the Broncos’ running back stable, veteran J.K. Dobbins carried the ball 16 times for 63 yards with a touchdown in his debut in Denver. Averaging just shy of four yards per carry, I felt he performed adequately in Week 1. However, there is still room for improvement and some of that comes down to play-calling.
The Broncos were quite unbalanced in their offensive approach in the first half against the Titans. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter their running game really started to click as the game wore on. This week, I’m hopeful that Denver is more diligent calling run plays early on in hopes to get their ground attack moving forward.
When the Broncos ran Dobbins on first down, he averaged 6.1 yards on ten carries. But on six other carries between second and third down, he only had 2 yards. My idea? Give Dobbins more than four carries in the first half. The Colts didn’t utilize a lot of extra defenders in the box last week. If that holds true this weekend on first down, that will present a great opportunity to establish the run with Dobbins leading the way.
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