Today’s question comes from William in Grand Junction:
Q: Other than the constant Tebow talk, is there something else the Broncos have to address Sunday?
A: William, start with how the Broncos will play run defense against the Raiders with most of their safeties hurting.
The Raiders, while not always the smoothest of passing teams, can consistently pound the ball in the running game.
With wet weather expected, the Broncos will have some difficult choices to make in run defense on a potentially sloppy field. Usually a safety is added to the mix near the line of scrimmage, especially when they go to their nickel (five defensive backs) or dime (six defensive backs) packages against three- and four-wide receiver sets.
When the Broncos are at full speed, that player is usually Brian Dawkins, who’s asked to close down the line of scrimmage or batter a tight end or two along the line of scrimmage.
However, Dawkins will miss the game with a knee injury, while fellow safeties David Bruton (ribs) and Darcel McBath (thigh) have been limited in practice all week and are questionable.
That leaves Renaldo Hill as the only healthy full-time safety on the depth chart.
That could limit the Broncos’ options. If they play a cornerback at one of the safety spots, as they do at times with Nate Jones or Syd’Quad Thompson, they become a lighter defense to run at.
The Raiders will almost certainly try to pound away at the Broncos’ nickel and dime packages, or run out of a spread look on what may seem to be a passing down, because there could be some big plays if they get the backs through the point of attack.
The Raiders’ two most consistent players in the passing game may be tight end Zach Miller and running back Darren McFadden. They’ve both been targeted more than 50 times this season.
Put them both in the pattern at the same time and a safety is going to have to get one of them. If the Raiders then push the cornerbacks down the field by running Jacoby Ford and Louis Murphy on deep routes, the Broncos could be short-handed defending the intermediate part of the field.
So, while the Tebow Watch has been in full gear, there are other Broncos that could have almost as significant an impact on the game as Kyle Orton’s sore ribs do.
Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com
