Breaking down the Broncos at the midway point of the season.
Offense
The Broncos have experienced a little deja vu with their performance on offense looking eerily similar to last season.
Denver’s offense has produced less rushing and passing yards per game through eight games this season than it did a season ago. The Broncos do have a slightly higher scoring average (24.3 points per game) than they did last season (22.2), but both numbers are skewed a bit because of the Broncos’ high numbers of defensive touchdowns.
First-year starting quarterback Trevor Siemian fits in well in coach Gary Kubiak’s scheme where he profiles better as a game manager rather than the gunslinger he’s forced to be when the Broncos fall behind. Siemian has thrown for 1,487 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions.
C.J. Anderson’s torn meniscus put a damper on a promising yet inconsistent running game. Rookie Devontae Booker has the lead back role going forward. Even when Anderson was playing, the Broncos haven’t been able to control the line-of-scrimmage. They’ve failed to eclipse 90 rushing yards in five of eight games.
Receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders are both on pace to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards for the third consecutive season. No third receiving threat has emerged.
Midseason grade: D+
Defense
The Broncos challenged themselves following their impressive 2015 season to be even better this year. It’s too early to determine if they will be better than 2015’s defense by season’s end, but they aren’t too far off track. They’ve been better in scoring defense through eight games, having allowed just 17 points per game compared to 18.5 per game during the regular season a year ago.
The No Fly Zone is clogging up passing lanes, having allowed just 183.9 passing yards per game, best in the NFL and nearly 16 yards less than last season’s top-ranked pass defense. Cornerback Aqib Talib and Safety T.J. Ward are playing the best football of their careers. Cornerback Chris Harris and Darian Stewart are playing great ball, as usual. Bradley Roby is emerging as a Pro Bowl caliber cornerback. The depth behind them, with a pair of rookie safeties and upcoming cornerbacks, has solidified the unit.
Outside linebacker Von Miller has been everything the Broncos hoped he would be when they signed him to a long term contract. With DeMarcus Ware out with a fractured forearm for most of the first half, Shane Ray emerged as the second half of a fearsome long-term duo with Miller. Denver is tied for the NFL lead with 26 sacks.
The one weak area and biggest difference from last season’s defense has been the middle of the field. Atlanta and San Diego had early success testing the Broncos’ linebackers and safeties in coverage against running backs and tight ends. That issue has been minimized recently, but stopping the run has been a problem all season. The Broncos have given up sizable chunks of yards on quarterback scrambles, draws and runs at the edge rusher. Opponents are averaging 117.4 rushing yards per game. Denver allowed just 83.6 rushing yards per game last season.
Midseason grade: A-
Special teams
In a season where field goal kickers have been anything but automatic around the NFL, Broncos kicker Brandon McManus has followed a strong 2015 season with an impressive 2016 first half. McManus is 16-of-18 and both misses were long attempts.
Rookie punter Riley Dixon has struggled with consistency, and the Broncos haven’t had much success in the return game.
This unit has excelled on their coverage teams pinning teams at the 15.7 yard line on returned kickoffs and allowing just 6.6 yards per punt return. They’ve also become a legitimate threat on field goal and punt block units.
Midseason grade: B+
Second half mission – The Broncos are on pace to match their 12-4 record of a year ago, which earned them the top seed in last year’s playoffs. Offensive struggles are holding them back but if they reignite their run game, particularly on early downs, it would take a lot of pressure off the entire offense and team as a whole.
Four games against the Chiefs and Raiders plus the always entertaining matchup with the Patriots will test the Broncos’ resolve. A sixth consecutive AFC West title isn’t a given anymore.
Broncos’ overall midseason grade: B
