Miles
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- Mar 18, 2019
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Broncos fans may remember the 2017 season opener against the Chargers, when Gordon caught a pass on an angle route from Philip Rivers and hurdled Justin Simmons to score a touchdown.
Whether Gordon implements this ability on early downs or on key third downs, he should be a matchup problem for linebackers. And if the Broncos can take advantage, they should be able to take a massive step forward in that area.
Gordon's arrival should also help Phillip Lindsay. While Lindsay is viewed in some league circles as a change-of-pace back, his between-the-tackles style actually mirrors Gordon's ability.
The two get through the tackles differently, though. Lindsay's speed helps him get through small holes, and then he's able to turn on the afterburners to get to the next level. Gordon, meanwhile, can run over a linebacker. His power and balance result in plenty of broken tackles.
The two seemed poised to help each other, as Lindsay could perhaps benefit from a reduction in carries. As a rookie he toted the ball 192 times and averaged 5.4 yards per carry. A year later, as he carried the ball 224 times, his yards per carry average dropped to 4.5.
In 2019, he also only tallied 22 rushes of at least 10 yards after recording 30 such runs during his rookie year.
If Gordon helps to share the load, that explosiveness could return.
Even as Gordon split time with Austin Ekeler in LA in 2019, he still received 162 carries. That's 30 more carries than Royce Freeman had last season. Gordon was also targeted 55 times.
Head Coach Vic Fangio has not yet described how he imagines the rotation will work between Gordon and Lindsay, as the deal between the Broncos and Gordon is not yet official.
As such, it's hard to predict which player will start, who will get the majority of third-down reps and who will get the ball in crunch time. The split between carries, however, will likely be much less dramatic than it was in 2019.
If Gordon is to be successful, though, he must focus on ball security. During Lindsay's two seasons in the NFL, he has not fumbled. Gordon, meanwhile, lost three fumbles in 2019 and has fumbled 14 times in his five seasons.
Gordon must also find a way to stay on the field. He has played 16 games just once in his career, though he did not miss a game due to injury in 2019. He played 12 games after he missed the first four contests due to a contract dispute.
When healthy, though, there are few runners as dynamic as Gordon. And with him in the fold, the Broncos' offense could take a major step in 2020.