The Denver Broncos look to take out the Indianapolis Colts for the second time in a row, and here’s three things they need to do to make that happen.
The Broncos were limited in the first half offensively, and they were hampered by a lackluster run game. Now there’s a few reasons why. One was because they didn’t run the ball much; just seven times. Bo Nix checked out of a ton of them in the first half. And a reason they ran the ball so much in the second was because they didn’t let Nix do that anymore. Another reason was Sean Payton just didn’t call enough runs.
And while a lot of their rushing success came off of the I formation in 22 personnel, that should be saved for a late-game scenario and four minute offense. What I want to see early in the game is a lot of their Inside Zone rushing scheme (including Swipe and Lead) out of the Pistol. This will get those interior double teams going early, getting the offensive line warmed up, and it will get the backs running downhill from the get go. This is a dangerous combination.
And considering that the Dolphins couldn’t get anything going offensively and they only managed a mere 78 rushing yards, it’s almost like those two things go hand-in-hand.
2. Contain Jonathan Taylor
And on the flip side of the ball, Jonathan Taylor is clearly the best player the Colts have to offer from their offense (besides Quenton Nelson), and eliminating him should eliminate at least half of their offensive capabilities. Taylor put up 98 total yards on 21 touches on Sunday. Taking him out of the equation will force Daniel Jones to take the game upon his shoulders that much more, and while he was able to do that against the Dolphins mediocre defense, I can’t imagine he’ll have the same amount of success against Denver.
And the Broncos were able to do a good job of stopping the run against the Titans. A talented back like Tony Pollard, behind a pretty good offensive line, was only able to manage 3.3 yards per carry and was given 18 carries.
It’s safe to say that playing quarterback is made easier when given a clean pocket to throw from. That’s what the Dolphins gifted Daniel Jones on Sunday, getting to him just once. Compare that to the Broncos’ 12 QB hits and six sacks and you can tell why one quarterback had a better time last week than the other.
The Colts’ offensive line is solid, but compared to the animal that is the Denver front seven, they should be no match for what Vance Joseph is going to throw at them. It’s time to crank the heat up on Jones. When the Broncos consistently get home, Jones is going to have less time to read the field, and even worse, he’ll constantly be having to look over his shoulder in fear of a Denver pass rusher. They’ll be breathing down his throat.
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