Any discussion on how the Detroit Lions score touchdowns should most certainly begin with Calvin Johnson and the wide array of ways he creates headaches for all the guys who get paid to stop him.
Johnson leads the league in touchdowns, with 10; he caught two TD passes in each of the Lions’ first four games to go with one each against Chicago and Atlanta.
The only team to keep him out of the end zone has been San Francisco.
That kind of production will warrant the Broncos using Champ Bailey plenty against Johnson, but the Lions also have some additional scoring pop in the passing game, the kind that has been a trouble spot for the Broncos at times.
Detroit tight ends Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler each have two touchdown catches this year. And both are big targets who run well in the open field.
They fit the mold of often being too physical for many safeties to match up with in coverage while also being too quick for many linebackers down the field.
The Broncos have surrendered two touchdowns to tight ends this season — the Titans’ Daniel Graham and the Dolphins’ Anthony Fasano have each scored once — to go with a receiving touchdown to Raiders fullback Marcel Reece.
It will force the Broncos into some difficult choices Sunday, even if Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford can’t play because of a badly sprained right ankle. The Broncos have played a nickel package that includes three linebackers instead of the customary two in the look — a 3-3-5 configuration.
However, often the third linebacker in that mix, rookie Von Miller, is essentially the fourth pass rusher along the line of scrimmage. When the Broncos move to it, Miller is usually standing up in a defensive end position.
He will drop into coverage at times as the Broncos mix and match in the rush, but dropping into coverage has not been Miller’s strength so far in his young career. Teams have tried to target him at times in coverage, especially the teams that are comfortable throwing out of heavier two-back or two-tight end formations against the Broncos’ nickel look or even their base 4-3 defense.
Miller let Chargers fullback Mike Tolbert sneak by him on the way to a 17-yard catch-and-run in the first quarter of the Broncos’ 29-24 loss to San Diego on Oct. 9. The Broncos later took Miller out of the lineup.
Pettigrew, in particular, will get plenty of chances Sunday. Stafford has only targeted Johnson (68) more this season than he has Pettigrew (56).
And Johnson only has three more catches overall than Pettigrew — 41-38 — so the Broncos can certainly expect some big guys in the pattern. That puts players such as Wesley Woodyard and D.J. Williams in the coverage hot zone, and the Broncos will need a big day from that group overall.
Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com
