Mile High Report
Boy, has it been a week for Broncos Country. I was struck with sadness and concern at losing Bo Nix to a freak injury that punched me in the face post-game after one of the most memorable playoff games I’ve seen the Broncos play (and I’ve seen a hell of a lot of them).
I immediately took notice of how Sean Payton talked about it in his announcement press conference, and my attitude switched to hope.
I spent some time this week reviewing my past posts about Stidham to help give me a sense of what we can expect. I’ve been just as excited as all of you out there with the way this team and fanbase are rallying around Jarrett Stidham. Side note: I absolutely love the Stiddy Lebron meme that has taken us by storm on social media. I have no idea who started it, but I give a big hat tip to the creative mind behind it.
As the week has progressed, I’ve gotten settled into the idea that this game is going to be difficult. The Patriots are not a pushover. We’ve all called them cupcakes because of their schedule all season long, but they have proven time and time again that teams underestimate them at their own peril.
Here are the central keys to the Broncos coming out of this game with a victory and a Super Bowl appearance for the first time since 2015:
What the Broncos need most is a productive run game. That’s been an honest weakness. RJ Harvey isn’t nearly as impressive running the ball as he is catching passes out of the backfield or pass blocking. Jaleel McLaughlin is more productive, but doesn’t pass block as well, which tends to make the offense less dynamic when he’s in.
With J.K. Dobbins ruled out, the Broncos have to find a hot hand and produce ways to keep the offense on schedule. While I’d normally suggest an offense supplement this with a screen game, the Payton offense already does that each and every week. Heck, if Tyler Badie starts popping off, give him more touches.
If the Broncos do get the run churning early, look for it to open up the play-action deep shots we all love.
Jarrett Stidham is a smart quarterback. He’s been in this offense for three years, and that makes him well-suited to knowing what Payton is calling, why he is calling it, and where he should be going with the ball. Stidham needs to be patient and let the team get to work. He should only play hero ball at the end of the half and game when the impact of a turnover is minimized.
The secret sauce of this team all year long has been the offensive designs of Sean Payton and his staff. They absolutely will get the Pats...
