Week 9 AFC West Roundup
By Justin Smith
Denver Broncos
3rd Place in AFC West
Record: 6-3
Last Game: Lost to Oakland Raiders 30-20 in Oakland
Next Game: at New Orleans Saints
The Broncos have lost two of three games since C.J. Anderson went down with a season-ending meniscus tear and are in potential trouble, with injuries hitting key personnel on the other side of the ball as well.
The Raiders-Broncos game likely takes on a different tone if Denver’s swag-setter and Pro Bowl CB Aqib Talib plays on Sunday night. Talib has an attitude and swagger to him few have, and while he’s a bit of a cheap shot artist and possibly from some accounts a bit of a despicable human being, he sets the tone for the Denver D and brings their arrogance to a boil.
Without him Sunday, T.J. Ward’s attempts to fan the flames seemed contrived and when the Raiders decided we’re bigger, stronger, and meaner than you so let’s just run the ball down your throat, the Broncos had no answer.
This team looked dominant through five games and Trevor Siemian seemed to be the answer. This team now looks a bit lost in Week 10 and Siemian is looking for answers.
The answer? Find a running game.
Devontae Booker was expected to jump in and rush for 4,000 yards after Anderson went down — if you listen to fantasy pundits, that is — but he’s disappointed thus far. Granted he ran into a San Diego defense that’s very underrated and a quickly improving Raiders defense, but he didn’t do much. At all.
To the point where one jump-jive-and-wail screen pass touchdown from well-known Bronco Kapri Bibbs in garbage time has the Denver staff pondering a potential time-share in the backfield.
Siemian cannot win games for this team. At least he hasn’t since they played Cincinnati in Week 2. He makes some nice throws, and he’s got some solid balls standing in the pocket and making tough throws. But he just doesn’t have “it” — see Dak Prescott for “it” — and “that” is very obvious when you watch this team.
Who knew the key to Denver’s success isn’t actually their defense, but C.J. Anderson? Without him or some viable replacement, the Broncos offense is one-dimensional — and that dimension isn’t pretty when teams can key on Siemian and disrupt his timing.
It’s all about the run — running it, and stopping it. The Raiders pushed the Broncos front around for over 200 yards on 5.0 YPC, and held them to 33 yards of their own. That rush differential — the Raiders had 218 yards on 42 rushes — is almost 200 yards. The Broncos were thoroughly dominated up front on both sides of the ball.
The Broncos need Talib back, someone to run the ball well, and need Siemian to start making some plays. Or else they are in real trouble.