Four games into their 2024 season, the Denver Broncos offense is struggling to be consistent. This weekend’s matchup against the Raiders provides the opportunity to have their best performance to date.
After an 0-2 start, the Denver Broncos have strung together consecutive victories to get back to an even record.
A win this weekend against the Las Vegas Raiders would mean everything. First and foremost, it would put the end to a five-year skid dating back to 2019 against their longtime divisional rival. That’s the top priority. Moreover, it would put them smack dab in the middle of the early playoff race in the AFC.
3-2 looks a lot better than 2-3, especially with another divisional game on the horizon against the Los Angeles Chargers next weekend. In my opinion, both of these games are must-win affairs for Denver if they want to be serious contenders for the postseason.
There is no question that the Broncos’ defense has been the best performing unit thus far. They are Top 5 in the National Football League in most major categories and have been ferocious through four games. It’s been a pleasant surprise and quite possibly the most intriguing development in the league this season. I have very few concerns about Vance Joseph and his unit being able to take care of business on Sunday.
However, what I am most concerned about is Bo Nix and the offense being able to get the job done at home. Here are some reasons why.
The Broncos are 25th league-wide in passing yards and are dead last with just one passing touchdown. To make matters worse, they have only accrued 25 first downs through the air which is the third worst mark in all of football. With respect to their rushing attack, they are in the bottom half of the league with 425 yards gained and are averaging just a hair over 4 yards per carry.
It was reasonable to expect some growing pains with a rookie quarterback and a young cast of skill position players around him. Alas, the early returns from the Broncos’ offense to date have been below-average. Quite simply, these sorts of numbers aren’t even close to being good enough if the franchise wants to seriously contend for a playoff spot.
That doesn’t mean anyone in Broncos Country should be throwing in the towel just yet on the Nix Era in the Mile High City. It’s far too early for that. But it’s more than fair to say that he and his teammates play to date have been less than desirable and believe it has to get better.
I’m a glass half full kind of guy. If there was ever an opportunity for the offense to hit their stride and finally make an impact this weekend’s matchup against the Raiders would be it. The Raiders struggle immensely stopping the run and are giving up nearly 140 yards per game on the ground. They are middle of the pack in pass defense and are giving up a little over 200 yards per game through the air.
Given the numbers above, one would reasonably conclude that emphasizing the run and getting that going would be the main objective of Sean Payton’s gameplan for Sunday. Javonte Williams looked rejuvenated in the second half against the New York Jets and put together a handful of decisive runs that ignited two second half scoring drives to secure the Broncos an impressive road victory.
I’d love to see him build upon that and grind away against a Raiders defense who will be without several starters. If they can do that, it should open up things for Nix in the passing game. While he struggled in the first half against the Jets, he made several high-quality throws in the second half that showed the type of promise he offers as a quarterback. We just need to see the consistency.
The Broncos’ offensive line has done a great job protecting Nix and he is getting the ball out quickly. He is one of the least sacked quarterbacks in the league which is a major upgrade from what we witnessed last season. That being said, I’d like to see him clean up his footwork. That’s my biggest issue with him after a four-game sample size.
There are far too many plays where he is throwing off his back foot while drifting away from defenders. It was also his biggest weakness in college—whether it was at Auburn or Oregon. He could get away with it in college, but that isn’t going to work in the pros. He needs to step up into the pocket and deliver with a sound base. If he does that his accuracy will improve and his overall play and efficiency should blossom.
I’m looking forward to seeing the offense take a major step forward this weekend. Out of any defense they have faced to date, the Raiders certainly are their most favorable matchup. Let’s see if they can finally put together a complete game on that side of the ball and be a factor in them coming away with a decisive victory.