Two games into things, the Broncos are your basic mystery team.
They’re 2-0, but they easily could be 0-2. The other nine 2-0 teams in the league have outscored their opponents by an average of 27 points. The Broncos? They’re four points ahead of the competition.
So where is this Broncos season headed? A crystal ball and a palm reader would come in handy when trying to answer that question. In lieu of having either, there are some numbers that suggest the Broncos are going to be good, really good.
First, a couple of facts. A major special-teams breakdown, namely Roscoe Parrish’s 74-
yard punt return for a touchdown, hurt them at Buffalo. And a fluke, a 44-yard interception return for a touchdown off a tipped pass, cost them a touchdown against the Raiders.
Take those plays away and the Broncos win each game rather handily. But then, this isn’t fantasy league, it’s the real thing. So let’s look at some real numbers that, any way you look at them, are impressive. Frankly, they make you wonder how the Broncos didn’t dominate each of their first two opponents.
We’re talking about a team with 49 first downs, 25 more than the competition. That’s a huge differential after two games. The Colts, by comparison, have six more than their opponents.
The Broncos are getting better at converting third downs, too. That’s typically an area where young quarterbacks struggle, but Jay Cutler has moved the chains 13 times out of 30 attempts on third down. That’s 43.3 percent, an excellent figure. Add in the 3-for-3 figure on fourth down and there’s only one logical conclusion: The Broncos are making plays when they need them.
Now what they need to do is make more plays near the goal line. They start cashing in with seven points on some of these long drives and things could get real interesting in this dusty, old cowtown.
Follow Jim Armstrong’s daily Broncos commentaries on The Jimmy Page at 7 a.m. and noon. And read his Third & Short column on Sundays and the day after Broncos games.
He can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
