The Broncos utilized the formation four times Sunday against the Jets, and suddenly, their offense featured one of the NFL’s top rushing duos in the same set: and .
The breakout rookie running backs combine to average 5.5-yards per carry, and 578 overall — fourth-most among NFL teammates through five weeks — as the seemingly perfect mix of physicality (Freeman) and finesse (Lindsay). Their presence together in one backfield is enough to keep plenty of NFL defensive coordinators up at night.
“Itap meant to put stress on people because you don’t know who is supposed to get the ball,” Lindsay said.
Added Freeman: “The possibilities are even higher for what we could run and being creative.”
Then why did Denver’s ground game get throttled back over their recent three-game slide? From offensive balance in wins against Seattle and Oakland to start the year — 74 passes (.55) to 60 rushes (.45) — to a more pass-heavy approach in losses to the Ravens, Chiefs and Jets — 118 passes (.65) to 63 rushes (.35).
The Broncos trailed Baltimore by 13 points with six minutes left and New York by 24 points with five minutes to go. Defenses adjusted and the Broncos’ offense sputtered when forced to air it out. Quarterback Case Keenum touts a lackluster 78.1-passer rating, No. 30 league-wide, and much of of his production has come late in games — throwing 67-of-192 overall passes (34 percent) in fourth-quarter comeback efforts.
“We don’t go into the game counting runs. We actually take what they give us,” coach said. “If they’re playing single-high (safety) defense versus our receivers, thatap the time to throw the football. We can’t run the ball into a loaded box all game, especially when you’re down by that many points. That dictates kind of how the play calls are handled. Obviously, when they’re playing shell and when they’re playing cover-two, we hand the ball off.”
It has left Lindsay and Freeman powerless to develop rushing rhythm when tiring defenders are most vulnerable to giving up chunk yardage. The key? Preventing it from impacting their psyche.
“Every game is a different story,” Freeman said. “I just try to do the best with what I’m presented with — and I think thatap for everybody. You can’t worry about those things. You have to go out there and control what you can control.”
Lindsay put it bluntly: “We’re not going to sit here and make it about us. Itap not about us. Itap about winning.”
Winning teams find creative ways to utilize their best players. The introduction of the Freeman-Lindsay package, what Joseph called “20 Pony,” is perhaps a step in the right direction. On two of Denver’s four snaps in the set, Lindsay hit on rushes of 29 and 7 yards.
“You hope to get a shell defense, which we got, and we handed the ball off twice and got some big plays,” Joseph said. “Then when they close the middle, you can throw it and move Lindsay out of the backfield as a fourth receiver option. Itap purely scheme.”
A well-rounded offense supported by a staunch defense, two team facets Denver lacks, would give it authority to impose offensive will as opposed to continually taking only what defenses will allow. Until then, Freeman and Lindsay will wait patiently for their time to shine.
Two rookies, sometimes in the same backfield, with something to prove.
“Hopefully, we come up with more packages like that,” Lindsay said. “We’ve just got to play our part.”
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Where Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman rank among the NFL’s top rushing duos through five weeks.
| Team | Players | Carries | Yards | YPC | TD |
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| Jets | and | 116 | 654 | 5.6 | 5 |
| Cowboys | Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott | 116 | 601 | 5.2 | 2 |
| 49ers | Matt Breida and | 111 | 597 | 5.4 | 2 |
| Broncos | Royce Freeman and Phillip Lindsay | 106 | 578 | 5.5 | 4 |
| Chargers | and Austin Ekeler | 107 | 537 | 5 | 3 |
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