Miles
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- Mar 18, 2019
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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — In this edition of "Ask Aric," we're taking a look at how the Broncos' offense can take a step forward earlier in games.
That was the main talking point from Head Coach Vic Fangio and several players following a 34-27 loss to Atlanta, and members of Broncos Country are curious about the same topic.
In addition, we'll also reassess the Broncos' playoff chances, Denver's future plans for the offensive line and whether KJ Hamler will be more involved in the offense moving forward.
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Do you think it would be beneficial for the Broncos to run up-tempo/no-huddle especially at home giving the altitude? It seems Lock is more comfortable in the hurry up offense. - Scott S.
In theory, this makes total sense. When you go up-tempo, it gives defenses less time to substitute and adjust, and you can get into a rhythm. It worked for the Broncos on their final drive in the fourth quarter against the Chargers, but they didn't go no-huddle as much as you might think. Then, in the fourth quarter against the Falcons, they again only operated without a huddle on a few occasions. In general, I think it's dangerous to go no-huddle and up-tempo too early in the game. We've seen teams struggle with the ramifications, as it puts stress on your own defense when you're giving the unit less time to rest. If you go three-and-out in hurry-up, you may only run a few seconds off the clock. That's a recipe for disaster. Overall, though, I think the Broncos' struggles are unrelated to whether or not they huddle. They simply need to execute better on first and second down and stay on the field on third down. That's the simple remedy Fangio, Offensive Coordinator Pat Shurmur and Drew Lock have all identified. When they do that, they'll be able to score points earlier in games and won't face the end-of-game pressure that they have in the last two weeks.
Will KJ Hamler start to get more involved after that game winning catch? - T.J. H.
This question came in ahead of the Atlanta game, and I think it was clear in Week 9 that more Hamler is in the cards for the Broncos. Hamler doubled his previous high mark for catches as he caught six passes for 75 yards. He also added one 15-yard rush. Coming into the season, I expected Hamler to be involved in the offense via jet sweeps and crossing patterns to get him in space, but I've been impressed with his ability to make catches in traffic. Presuming Hamler is able to stay healthy down the stretch, I think he'll only continue to be more involved in the offense and could identify himself as a true threat for the Broncos. With Hamler and Jerry Jeudy as leading rookie receivers, Courtland Sutton poised to return next year and Tim Patrick, Tyrie Cleveland and DaeSean Hamilton as additional pieces, the Broncos' receiving corps appears to be in good shape for the future.
Is there a reasonable chance that the Broncos make the playoffs or should we begin look forward to the next season? - Carson B.
Carson, the Broncos' playoff odds fell from 16 percent to six percent after a loss to the Falcons, but they'll be right back in the mix if they can earn wins against the Raiders and Dolphins. Both teams are currently in the wild-card hunt, so victories would not only push the Broncos back to 5-5, they would give the Broncos a head-to-head advantage over teams competing for the seventh playoff seed. Baltimore or Pittsburgh likely has one of the wild-card spots locked up, and Cleveland appears to have the edge for another. That means the final spot could come down to the Colts/Titans, Raiders, Dolphins and Broncos. In all likelihood, the Broncos will need to go 6-2 down the stretch to get to 9-7 and earn a spot. It will be challenging, but it's not time to turn ahead to 2021 yet.