Week 18 provides the opportunity for the Denver Broncos to earn the top seed in the AFC. If so, the Broncos will earn a first-round bye and enjoy the perks of homefield advantage throughout the postseason.
That’s certainly a major reason why Denver is treating it like a playoff game. Here are some of my thoughts on what Denver has to do in order to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
Dial up the pass rush to rattle Trey Lance and force some turnovers
With Justin Herbert sitting out for Sunday’s gridiron matchup, that means backup quarterback Trey Lance will take command of the Chargers’ offense. After being an early first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Lance went from a potential future superstar at the position to being relegated as a journeyman backup several seasons later.
Early this week, Head Coach Sean Payton spoke about the Broncos’ biggest glaring issue as the postseason nears—their lack of turnovers. With a -5-turnover margin on the season, Denver is in the bottom 10 in the NFL and have only forced 11 turnovers on defense this season. Going up against the former North Dakota State Bison standout will provide Denver with the opportunity to make some headway in that department.
I’m expecting big things from Denver’s defensive front seven going up against a banged-up offensive line. The Chargers have surrendered 56 sacks on the season. If players like Nik Bonitto, Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers, and Jonathon Cooper can dial up the heat and force Lance into making some bad decisions, that would help the defense generate some turnovers.
I don’t care if it’s an interception or a fumble. I just want to see them making a play or two that can help change the tide of the game. My gut tells me that is going to happen this weekend.
Bo Nix needs to have a better performance against the Chargers in this matchup
One of the reasons the Broncos have a bright future is because of their quarterback situation. While some were hesitant to move on from Russell Wilson, Denver absorbing a monumental dead salary cap hit over the past two seasons and subsequently drafting Bo Nix was certainly the right call to make.
Even though he was the sixth quarterback taken in the 2024 NFL Draft, it’s fair to say Nix has exceeded any expectations fans could have of him. In 33 starts, the former Auburn-turned Oregon prospect has 23 wins, 7,565 yards passing, 54 touchdowns and just 23 interceptions. That’s quite the impressive start to his career.
One of the best aspects of his game has been a penchant for late game heroics—sporting eight fourth quarter comebacks and ten game-winning drives on his resume. Through nearly two seasons, Nix has also been one of the best quarterbacks at avoiding turnovers and taking bad sacks. All of the aforementioned have been key to Denver’s success the past two seasons.
This Sunday, the Broncos will need Nix to play much better than he did in their first matchup to earn the #1 seed in the AFC. He and the passing offense really struggled in that game. The Chargers still boast one of the best pass defenses in the league. They are allowing less than 185 yards a game passing, 61-percent in completion percentage, and have surrendered only 16 touchdowns while snagging 19 interceptions.
It’s a tough draw, but I’m confident Nix can continue to play well and do enough to help the Broncos earn the #1 seed. That would be a great way to cap off the regular season for the second-year quarterback.
Get the ground game going with RJ Harvey and Jaleel McLaughlin
When JK Dobbins went down earlier in the season, that was a big turning point for the Broncos offense. In their early season loss to the Chargers, Dobbins rushed for 83 yards on 11 carries for a touchdown and was one of the only bright spots on offense.
Controlling the pace of the game and being effective running the ball will be mission critical this weekend. Over the past several games, RJ Harvey’s dual threat ability as a runner and receiver has been on display. To date, the second-round pick has 12 touchdowns, the best of any rookie skill position player. But in his first game against the Chargers, Harvey had just two yards on two carries.
A healthy scratch for the first half of the season, Jaleel McLaughlin has popped off some great runs the past two games. It may not seem like much, but his 12 carries for 77 yards in that timespan shows he deserves more opportunities moving forward. His vision and cutback ability on zone concepts has been a big asset for Denver’s offense.
Finding a way to get the ground game is a must in Week 18 and moving forward. It’s hard to win in the playoffs, it’s even much more difficult when you can’t tote the rock efficiently. That’s why I believe getting Harvey and McLaughlin roaring is one of the best things Denver can do to get their fourteenth win of the season.
