DETROIT — The Broncos (2-0) take on the Lions (0-2) at Ford Field on Sunday for their second consecutive road game and opponent’s home opener. Here are the inactives and a few of the top storylines to follow in their Week 3 matchup:
Inactives: QB Trevor Siemian, FB James Casey, DE Kenny Anunike, CB Kayvon Webster, S Omar Bolden, G Shelley Smith and T Michael Schofield.
Casey’s first time on the inactive list is a sign the Broncos may plan to use more shotgun. If the Broncos do use a fullback, Virgil Green would be their man.
Bolden, who is dealing with plantar fasciitis, will likely be replaced by Andre Caldwell on kick returns and Josh Bush as backup safety.
Anunike, who was listed as questionable Friday, will have to wait at least another week to make his regular-season debut after undergoing knee surgery in training camp. Coach Gary Kubiak said earlier in the week many would be game-time decisions, Anunike being one.
Although he’ll sit another week, backup linebacker Lerentee McCray will suit up for the first time this season after being inactive the first two games and dealing with a groin injury during camp.
Inactive for the Lions: WR Corey Fuller, LB, DeAndre Levy, DE Phillip Hunt, G/C Taylor Boggs, T Corey Robinson, TE Brandon Pettigrew and DT Jermelle Cudjo.
The Broncos’ run game. It still feels awkward to utter the words: The Broncos, led by Peyton Manning, own the worst offense in the league. They’re averaging a league-low 259.0 yards per game and have allowed the third-most sacks (tied) at seven. While the questions have focused more on Manning and his strength at age 39, many of the offense’s struggles are due to the run game, or lack thereof.
Kubiak’s zone-blocking system is designed to boost the running game. But it requires a line to work in unison to allow a quick and narrow break for a running back to bolt through. The line has struggled so far this season; the front five have played only two games together because of Evan Mathis’ late signing. As a result, Manning has resorted to what he knows and does best: playing in shotgun, with no huddle.
A compromise — running the ball out of the shotgun — may be in order, at least until the line is more comfortable and its technique sound. This may be as good a week as any to try, as the Lions’ defense has allowed 147.5 yards per game on the ground, the fourth-most in the league.
Broncos’ secondary vs. Lions’ receivers. At 29, Calvin Johnson hasn’t produced the numbers he did in his prime. But at 6-foot-5, 237 pounds, his size and athleticism alone warrant extra attention. And now that he’s paired with Golden Tate, the Lions boast one of the top receiving corps in the league.
The Broncos’ defensive backs know this. Aqib Talib and Chris Harris haven’t faced Johnson since 2011, when Talib was with the Bucs and Harris was a rookie. But they got a taste of the challenges he presents in coverage and they’ve seen the damage he and Tate can cause together; last year, Johnson turned in 1,077 yards and eight touchdowns while Tate recorded 1,331 and four.
“Any time you have to go against Pro Bowl receivers, you have to step your game up another notch—a Pro Bowl quarterback, too,” Harris said. “It’s going to be a challenge for all of us. They’ve got their backs against the wall, so we know they’re going to come out with their all and firing.”
Who will lead the Broncos? In Weeks 1 and 2, the defense has carried the Broncos. It’s scored both game-winners — Talib’s pick-six against Baltimore and Bradley Roby’s scoop-and-score at Kansas City — and it’s been the most consistent, and dominant, unit on the team. Manning led the Broncos on a 10-play, 80-yard drive in the fourth quarter against the Chiefs that will go down as one of his most memorable showings. But it didn’t erase the first half, when the offense sputtered, and it didn’t erase the three times Manning was sacked.
The Broncos’ defense has held teams to a league-low 243.5 yards per game and has recorded seven takeaways, three in the red zone, their total in 2014. DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller have combined for 27 quarterback pressures. The Broncos, playing in Wade Phillips’ 3-4, have been unrelenting.
Denver is 2-0, but the current model is unsustainable. The best defense cannot continue to carry the worst offense. Against Detroit, a clearer picture of the Broncos’ balance, and identity, may come into view.
HOW TO WATCH
Broncos (2-0) at Lions (0-2)
Ford Field, 6:30 p.m.
TV: NBC (KUSA-TV) — Al Michaels (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (color), Michele Tafoya (sideline)
Radio: WestwoodOne Sports; KOA (850 AM), The Fox (103.5 FM)
SERIES BREAKDOWN
Meetings: 11
Broncos record: 6-5-0 (Home: 3-2-0; Away: 3-3-0)
Last game: Lions 45, Broncos 10 — Sports Authority Field, Oct. 30, 2011
Tim Tebow completed 18 of 39 pass attempts for 117 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He was also sacked seven times.
CONNECTIONS
• Broncos QB Peyton Manning was coached by Lions coach Jim Caldwell from 2002-10 in Indianapolis
• Lions K Matt Prater was a Bronco for seven seasons (2007-13). He set an NFL record for the longest field goal, at 64 yards, on Dec. 8, 2013, against the Titans.
• Lions C Manning Ramirez was a Bronco for four seasons (2011-14). He was traded to Detroit on draft day in 2015.
• Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas, Broncos DT Vance Walker and Lions WR Calvin Johnson were teammates at Georgia Tech in 2006.
• Broncos team chaplain Luther Elliss was a first-round pick of the Lions and played nine seasons with Detroit (1995-2003).
• Broncos WR Bennie Fowler is from Bloomfield, Mich., and attended Michigan State.
•Broncos offensive tackle Michael Schofield attended the University of Michigan.
• Broncos NT Sylvester Williams and Lions TE Eric Ebron were teammates at North Carolina from 2011-12.
NEXT UP
Sun. Oct. 4 (2:25 p.m.) Vikings, Sports Authority Field – FOX
Nicki Jhabvala: njhabvala@denverpost.com or @NickiJhabvala
