Courage takes patience. And earmuffs. And blinders.
Based on my e-mails, Broncos fans would rather eat shards of glass than watch the team remain committed to running the ball. Denver has been awful on the ground by any measure, most notably yards. The Broncos’ 358 yards rushing rank as the third-fewest in the NFL. Their average of 3.3 yards per attempt sits second-worst.
They are running to nowhere. The easy answer is to abandon the ground game and let quarterback Peyton Manning try to revive his season operating out of the shotgun.
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Five games in, the offense features no identity. The difference is that other teams with wallowing run games own losing records, such as the Detroit Lions, Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints. The Broncos boast an undefeated record.
That can’t be lost as the team looks for wins going forward against the likes of Green Bay and New England. The record, if not the commanding lead in the AFC West, offers an opportunity to try to run the ball for at least one more week. The Broncos play Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, a team with real issues up front. Cleveland allows an average of 5.0 yards per carry, second-highest in the league.
If the Broncos can’t gain traction against the Browns, all bets are off. It would be time for a cold evaluation of the offensive line and running backs in the bye week.
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“We’ve got to keep pushing and find a way to do it,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “It’s about us.”
Denver’s offensive problems are multipronged, from Manning’s inconsistency and alarming interceptions to few broken tackles by running backs to eight dropped passes, tied for 10th-most in the league.
If the Broncos’ issues were simple, don’t you think they’d be fixed by now? While Manning’s slump commands the most attention, run blocking presents a bigger problem. Kubiak’s offense — even this blended version — spins off the ability to run, setting up play action, tight end crossing routes and crippling long bombs.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Broncos’ offensive line ranks near the bottom in run blocking. In particular, Ryan Harris, Louis Vasquez, Virgil Green and Ty Sambrailo grade out poorly. It should come as no surprise that Kubiak has opened the competition at left tackle between Harris and Tyler Polumbus. One of those two could shift to right tackle when Sambrailo returns, but there can be no guarantees.
Center Matt Paradis continues to improve. Left guard Evan Mathis ranks as the Broncos’ best run blocker, but now he’s hurt. There is concern that he won’t play Sunday, which would leave rookie Max Garcia in his place. Vasquez, an all-pro two seasons ago, and Green have not looked comfortable in this scheme.
Too many ineffective one-on-one battles and just enough injuries summarize the Denver offensive line’s season. These aren’t excuses. They are reasons. Still, if the Broncos can’t run the ball against Cleveland, change could (if not should) follow.
Woody Paige:
An upcoming bye week affords a chance to reassess. Besides, any major shifts beyond the midway point of the season run the risk of becoming counterproductive.
The danger of an underwhelming Broncos offense is obvious: It will compromise the defense, the team’s greatest strength, by keeping the unit on the field too long.
The Broncos won’t run from their problems. But if they can’t run, there will be bigger problems down the line against top teams.
Troy E. Renck: trenck@denverpost.com or @troyrenck
Spotlight on …
Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots
When:
Sunday night the Patriots face the Colts for the first time since Indianapolis served as the whistleblower on the Deflategate scandal.
What’s up:
Tom Brady, at the center of PSI New England because of the air pressure he prefers in footballs, insists he views this as just another hurdle on the schedule. Yeah, right. Brady avoided a four-game punishment for his role in the scandal when a federal judge overturned the suspension, but it forever tarnished his legacy. The Colts poked a hornets nest. General manager Ryan Grigson sent an e-mail to the NFL “raising concerns” about the Patriots receiving an illegal advantage before the AFC championship game last winter. It resulted in the NFL-backed Wells report.
Background:
This season serves as Brady’s middle finger redemption tour. He has thrown for 1,387 yards, 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Brady has a reputation as a ruthless competitor. It’s hard to imagine he’d like anything more than to hang 50 points on the vulnerable Colts. He has done it before.
Renck’s take:
Everything sits on the line for the Colts. Win this game, and it saves their reputation — and possibly coach Chuck Pagano’s job. It’s uncertain if quarterback Andrew Luck will play. Will it matter? The Patriots maul Indianapolis. They have won six straight against the Colts, outscoring them 189-73 in the past four meetings. If the Colts keep the deficit to less than double figures it should be considered a victory.
THREE UP
1. Patriots: Coach Bill Belichick unearths treasure in Dion Lewis, a forgotten player. The running back creates problems in space and has a nose for the end zone. Has scored a TD in three consecutive games.
2. Packers: Wide receiver Randall Cobb runs hot at home with TDs in his past five games. He also owns six scores in the past five games against AFC teams.
3. Bengals: There will be suspicion about the Bengals until they win their first playoff game since 1991. But they are a legit contender.
THREE DOWN
1. Lions: A playoff team last season, this group offers shades of the 0-16 Lions. QB Matthew Stafford continues to regress at an alarming rate, and was benched last week.
2. Chiefs: At least Kansas City has the Royals. Chiefs haven’t recovered from loss to Broncos, and RB Jamaal Charles is lost for the season.
3. Texans: Hard to believe a QB guru like Bill O’Brien has handled the position so poorly. The defense is lifeless under Romeo Crennel. Latest examples of former Belichick assistants who struggle without him.
