The beatdown over the Dallas Cowboys is ancient history by now, so the Broncos are turning their attention to another team from Texas.
And although the Texans’ record is 3-4, they are playing at home after
a good win over the Niners. So as this week’s ultimate fan, TheGueroLoco, reminds us in his fabulous UFG — the Texans shouldn’t be taken lightly, but the Broncos have the personnel to win this.
Week 9: Broncos at Texans
MHR – Rumor has it you live near a bunch of Cowboys’ fans. How much fun has this week been for you?
TheGueroLoco: It has been an absolute blast! I got to spend all of Sunday night trolling Cowboys fans on social media, which never gets old! I moved to Texas 22 years ago, and since I have lived here, the Broncos have never lost to the Cowboys. The last time Dallas beat us was Sept. 10, 1995 (John Elway was hurt, for the record). The next time we play will likely be in 2029. So by the time they beat us again – IF they ever beat us again – it will have been 34 years.
Another great thing about all these wins is that most of them have not been close. Cowboys fans can’t use their usual excuses about the refs, or Dak choking. It’s just good ol fashion beatdown after beatdown!
I am a big fan of memes, most of which I confiscate and redistribute (lol), but a few years ago I made this one myself! Feel free to steal it!
MHR – One of our new post-game stories at Mile High Report is to ask “what did you learn about the Broncos this week?” It’s a great question, so what did YOU learn about the Broncos the last few weeks?
TheGueroLoco: I do have some good news for Cowboys fans! I know y’all hate Jerry Jones as much as just about any fanbase can hate an owner. Well guess what? Jerry Jones doesn’t own the Cowboys anymore. The Denver Broncos do!
Okay, I’m done trolling Cowboys fans (maybe).
The one thing that has been true about the Broncos in the Sean Payton era is they beat the snot out of bad teams. That looked to not be true after back-to-back tight victories against New York’s not-so-finest. (I blame both games on the London trip, but I digress). On Sunday we got back to being the team that thumps bad teams. That’s a good thing, but won’t matter come playoff time.
My biggest takeaway is that when the players execute Payton’s game plan, good things happen.
MHR – The Broncos’ offense finally looked in sync on Sunday – or at least like it picked up where it left off in the fourth quarter against the Giants. Is it too soon to believe that this offense can be something special this season?
TheGueroLoco: Probably? Look, the Dallas defense is absolutely atrocious. On top of that, they were missing arguably their two best players in Trevon Diggs and DeMarvion Overshown (plus a few safeties). So not only were we playing a bad defense, but they were severely undermanned.
For now, it is too soon to say the offense IS something special. I still absolutely Bo-lieve that this offense CAN be special. I just don’t think beating up on a bad, injured defense allows us to say that unequivocally.
The main thing with this offense is they have to put up points against good and great defenses – which they finally get to do this week! Once I see them hang 24+ on a Top 10 defense, I’ll say they HAVE arrived.
MHR – The big story on Sunday was the production of the rookies – touchdowns from RJ Harvey and Pat Bryant plus an interception by Jahdae Barron. And the other touchdowns and interception were from “year two” guys – Troy Franklin and Dondrea Tillman. Not to mention, the guy under center is just in his second year as well. How encouraging is it to see so much production from so many young players?
TheGueroLoco: Not to throw cold water on a great game, but again, it was the Cowboys, lol.
That being said, any growth from the young players is a positive. The Cowboys’ game plan was clearly to shut down Courtland Sutton, and they were moderately successful. Seeing Troy Franklin step up was the most encouraging thing for me. All of the trade deadline chatter is that the Broncos need a WR2, but I’d love to see Troy put that to bed this week with a breakout against the Texans.
Seeing RJ Harvey house that sweep was awesome, we finally got to see his burst and open field ability (the last time I can remember him having a run like that was Week 1 against the Titans). If he can continue to provide explosive plays and catch the ball out of the backfield it adds another dimension to this offense.
I love Pat Bryant, I think he’s the guy who will ultimately unlock the middle of the field. He is incredible on slants, and can really be the go-to option when we need 5-8 yards. We’re now eight games into the season, and he seems to be coming into his own.
Aa for the defensive guys, Tillman getting that INT and turning into a running back for 15 seconds was fun to watch! Barron still hasn’t really played enough for us to make any judgments about him. I’m glad the team has been able to bring him along slowly, but he needs to step up big with Patrick Surtain II out this week! He’s a Texas kid, so I know he’s up to the challenge! (I turned my back on Colorado college teams, and embraced the burnt orange … sorry, not sorry!)
MHR – On the other end of the age spectrum, the Broncos just signed 41-year-old tight end Marcedes Lewis to the practice squad, primarily for his blocking ability and leadership. Do you think this signing indicates the Broncos, current AFC West leaders, want to do everything they can to give Bo Nix an edge – whether it’s another pair of hands to catch the ball or another blocker to protect the QB?
TheGueroLoco: Very interesting way to word this. To directly answer your question, no.
If that was the case, they would have traded for David Njoku or another veteran tight end that was not a street free agent. This is a desperation move to fill a void for a few weeks while they figure out how long Nate Adkins and Lucas Krull will be out. It is also an indication that the Caleb Lohner and Patrick Murtagh (never heard of Murtagh before now)) are nowhere near ready.
I do think it is a good move, though. This is a veteran’s veteran. He has been in the league since Sean Payton was a rookie head coach, so to say he has been around a while is an understatement! He is a guy you can plug right in. He blocks like an offensive lineman, and if you have to throw the ball to him, he will catch it. He only has 11 catches over the last three years, so don’t expect him to come in and be a weapon for Nix.
MHR – The run game last week broke wide open with JK Dobbins having his second game over 100 yards and rookie RJ Harvey busting out three touchdowns. Was that just because Dallas has such an awful defense, or are our running backs finding their footing (literally)? How do you expect them to do against DeMeco Ryans’ defense?
TheGueroLoco: Two things can be true at the same time: Dallas defense is 🍑, and the Broncos’ run game is finally clicking. After the 40-yard TD, Harvey didn’t do too much on the ground, but the rest of his work was mostly goal line and late game clock grinding.
I really enjoy watching JK Dobbins tote the rock. It is clear that a patient, veteran back was what we were missing last year. Our RB crew last year just seemed to charge full speed ahead into whatever they believed to be there as soon as they took the handoff.
Dobbins, on the other hand, is very patient sets up his blockers and churns his feet, always finding creases and extra yards. He always seems to get what’s blocked plus a few extra. Usually, when a guy is averaging 5.0+ yards per carry, he gets a bunch of chunk plays of 15+ to go with lots of 1-3 yard gains. Dobbins seems to find 5-7 yards on about every play and then every other game hits a 20+ yarder. It is a joy to watch.
The real question now is the last one: How does that translate this Sunday? This week is going to be tough sledding. My hope is Payton does not abandon the run like he usually does. This one is going to be a slog; those 5-7 yard carries are probably now 2-4. Denver has to just keep slamming into the brick wall until it breaks. If Payton abandons the run early and tries to win with screens and bombs (basically, our entire passing game revolves around these two things right now), it will be a long day. I believe Payton will stick to it and JK finally gets 20 carries, but it only translates into 70-80 yards.
MHR – Joe Lombardi said the Texans defense will be the best one the Broncos have faced so far. And likely the Broncos are the best defense that the Texans have faced. Which defense has the easier path on Sunday (or which offense is more likely to overcome the opposing defense better)?
TheGueroLoco: The Broncos defense has the “easiest path.” The Texans offensive line is by far the biggest weakness on the team. If Denver can get pressure with four pass rushers, they can dominate this game. I would also point out that this does not mean that four-down linemen are the only ones rushing the passer. This is a completely new line in Houston. None of them has played next to each other prior to this year. I think this key is a staple of Joseph’s defense: put 7 guys on the line of scrimmage and change up who is coming. In the last two weeks, this has led to interceptions by both Justin Strnad and the aforementioned Tillman. Repeatedly doing this will lead to miscommunications on the Texans offensive line and repeated sacks and throwaways for Stroud. If Denver can generate 4+ sacks and 10+ pressures, this game swings dramatically in their favor.
MHR – The Broncos defense has been outstanding, especially making the NFL’s No. 1 offense last week look rather pedestrian. And even though CJ Stroud and the Texans’offense struggled early this season, last week looked like they turned a corner. How dangerous could Stroud be for our defense?
TheGueroLoco: I have watched a decent amount of their last two games and I have some news for you! No corners have been turned. The Texans have been able to beat teams with bottom eight pressure rates. Against the Seahawks, Stroud was running for his life most of the night and they did not score a single offensive touchdown (defense got one on an endzone strip sack). The 49ers front seven was decimated by injuries last week and didn’t have the firepower to pressure Stroud. The NFL in 2025 comes down to the trenches: can you pressure the Quarterback and can you keep pressure off of yours? Stats bear out that the Broncos are the best in the league in both of these categories. They lead the league in sacks, and Bo has been sacked less than any QB in football.
Could Stroud have a monster game? Yes, if Denver cannot get pressure, he can pick us apart, especially with PS2 out. I think Denver will heat him up enough and force the ball out quick. I trust the backend to make tackles and keep everything in front of us. This will be a great game to play “bend but don’t break,” because the Texans redzone offense is 31st in redzone percentage at 42.11. Ironically, their defense is also 31st at 70.59% (it’s technically a tie for last, but I like the symmetry).
MHR – Vance Joseph had a great quote this week about the approach to young quarterbacks, noting that thinking you always blitz a young quarterback is faulty because if he gets the ball out fast, he neutralizes the blitz but then also gets more favorable one-on-ones with receivers. What do you think the best approach will be for limiting Stroud’s strengths and keeping him more one-dimensional?
TheGueroLoco: As I said earlier, get home with four. Easier said than done for most teams. Dial up lots of simulated pressures. Give him exotic fronts where the line does not know who is coming. This line is still learning how to play together and will miss enough of these to swing the game. IF for some reason we struggle to get home, start blitzing Ja’Quan McMillian and the ILB’s but do that as a last resort.
MHR – Last week’s win over the Cowboys was also done mostly without Pat Surtain, and that meant Ja’Quan McMillian, Jahdae Barron and Kris Abrams-Draine had to step in, which they did. How confident are you in the Broncos’s secondary, without PS2, going against an offense that put up over 300 yards in the air last week?
TheGueroLoco: PS2 is what makes the whole thing go with this defense. The Broncos play man coverage at a higher rate than any other team in the league (and it’s not that close). This game is a litmus test for Vance Joseph as a coach: can you scheme around losing your best player? We will probably have to move to more zone coverage, which I think can work as long as we get pressure. The biggest key to me is Riley Moss, not the other three guys you mentioned. He needs to continue to play at a high level (I know some in Broncos Country hate him, but he has been really good this year). If he can get through the game without giving up a big play on third down (catch or DPI), it will go a long way toward us winning this game.
I am also really excited to see KAD. He is a converted WR and Payton says he has the best hands on the team (I am sure that was to fire up the WRs). They’re going to test him and I think he makes a game changing INT along the way.
MHR – Dre Greenlaw will be back in the line-up on Sunday. How much of a difference-maker is he (or do you think he will be) for this defense?
TheGueroLoco: He’s played one game. Alex Singleton isn’t coming off the field. He wears the green dot and is a team captain. Justin Strnad has played really well. In Greenlaw’s first game back, he played around 20 snaps. I don’t see that going too much over 30 in this one. Unless he forces a game changing fumble or lights up Stroud because the line forgot to block him, I don’t see him changing much. This isn’t because he isn’t a great player, but because Strnad has been playing at a very high level. Strand has been our best ILB this year and isn’t even playing full time as is.
I could see Greenlaw’s impact being bigger if he went in for Singleton at some point, but that isn’t happening barring injury.
MHR – Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper, working in tandem with Zach Allen and JFM, provide relentless pressure. Combined with the secondary, and an improved inside linebacker corps, there are not too many holes in this defense. Which part of the Broncos defense do you think is the most formidable to opposing offenses?
TheGueroLoco: With Surtain II out, there is no question it is the pass rush. You listed the starters, but the Broncos bring pressure in waves with Jonah Ellis, Dondrea Tillman, Malcom Roach, and Eyioma Uwazurike, among others coming off the bench. This unit not only leads the league in sacks, but is on pace to break the single season sack record!
MHR – Who are your midseason MVPs – offense, defense, ST?
TheGueroLoco: I am going to run this like the Offensive Player of the Year and remove the QB position. It’s the most important position in football and Bo deserves credit for how he has played for stretches.
Offense: I have to go JK Dobbins here. He’s currently third in the league in Rushing yards. He’s tied for 4th in yards per carry (minimum 75 carries). He’s been the missing piece that this offense needed.
Defense: Vance Joseph and Sean Payton have both said publicly that the entire defense is based around the generational talent that is Patrick Surtain II. Nik Bonitto has been fantastic, but Surtain’s numbers (minus the INTs) have arguably been better than last year, when all he did was win Defensive Player of the Year. Pat’s MY GUY, and he gets the nod here.
I believe this is a get-right game for Bonitto. He has always struggled a bit against top-tier tackles. Sunday, he feasts against a rookie. By the time PS2 is back, Vonitto (this was a typo, but it might make a good nickname. Let’s hear it from the comments section) will likely have surpassed him.
Predictions
Stats for BO NIX? 17/28 177 yards no TDs and more importantly no turnovers.
Stats for each Broncos RB? Dobbins finally gets 20 carries and snags 75 yards and a TD. Harvey adds 8 for 23.
Number of yards receiving/TDs for the receivers? Sutton 3 for 40, Franklin 6 for 52, and Bryant 3 for 18, with some tough catches on 3rd down to move the chains.
Longest FG for Lutz? 58
Number of sacks to CJ Stroud? 5
Number of times Nix barely misses getting sacked? 5
Broncos player with the most tackles? Talanoa Hufanga
Who gets the first sack of the game for the Broncos? Bonitto’s jump gets Aireontae Ersery on the first drive to force a punt.
Who gets any sacks? Bonitto 3, Cooper 1 ,Ellis 1
How many INTs/FF/FR for the Texans’ D? 0/0/0 Broncos play a clean game
How many INTs/FF/FR for the Broncos’ D?
2/0/0 KAD and another DL/Edge in coverage I’ll go with Cooper since he’s been SO close a few times.
How many completely wrong DPI penalties called on Riley Moss? 1
Final Score? Good old-fashioned rock fight…Denver 16, Houston 9
The Favorites
Favorite John Elway win outside of the Super Bowls? The Drive!
Favorite Broncos win ever? Should be Super Bowl 32, but there is something about Super Bowl 50 that still resonates with me a decade later. It wasn’t just an amazing time for Broncos Country, it was a peak in my own life as well.
Favorite Peyton Manning win? I would normally say SB50, but in honor of the Cowboys beatdown I will say the 51-48 victory in 2013. We can call it “The Bootleg.” When Manning faked the stadium, the announcers, and the camera man out and walked into the endzone.
Toughest Peyton Manning loss? Had to be the 2012 Ravens game, because we HAD that game in the bag!
Team you love to beat the most in the AFC West? Right now the Chiefs. The Raiders are so non-competitive it feels like beating up a very younger brother.
Coach you laugh at the most in the NFL? None of them really make me laugh. Pete Carroll running around with wide receiver gloves at 70 something is pretty funny though.
Coach you most want to “bench?” I know he is a coordinator, but I will always have a special disdain for Josh McDumbass (New England OC). The only good thing that guy ever did was run the Raiders further into the ground.
Team you hate to lose to the most in the rest of the AFC? Well now it is New England, because they are good again and Mcdouchecanoe is back to being their OC.
NFC team you could cheer for in the Super Bowl? It’s becoming cliche to say the Lions so I’ll go with the Bears since I have family in Chicago.
NFC team you want to face more than any other in the Super Bowl? The only thing Cowboys fans can hold over our heads is Super Bowl XII. Of course it’s them!
Favorite game looking forward to this season? Chiefs on Christmas! The ultimate litmus test: road game in December, short week, great team. If we win that one we can beat anyone anywhere.
Easiest game left on the schedule? No true gimmes left, and it’s a division game. Right now it’s the Raiduhs!
Toughest game left on the schedule? We all know it’s the Chiefs on Christmas in KC!
Favorite Broncos player on the current roster? Patrick Surtain II, he has a chance to go down as the greatest corner of all time.
Favorite Broncos player of all time not named John Elway? Von Miller (PS2 is RIGHT on his heels though)
Favorite new guy/rookie on the team? This is really hard, because they’re all playing so well. I’ll say Talanoa Hufanga
Food/Snack you have to eat on game day? I’m not picky, but as a Texan I have to wash it down with Dr. Pepper
Favorite game analyst/commentator? Joe Buck is one of the great play by play guys of all time. I’ve got to give him some respect!
If YOU were choosing your Broncos’ Mt. Rushmore, who would be included?
I am cheating and making an offensive and defensive. Offense: Floyd Little, John Elway, Peyton Manning, Terrell Davis (SOOOO hard to leave off Shannon Sharpe and DT). Defense: Randy Gradishar, Von Miller, Champ Bailey, Patrick Surtain II (yeah he is that good) sorry Steve Atwater.
How did you become a Broncos fan?
It was a cold December day in 1984 in The Rocky Mountains, and my mom went into labor. Our little town did not have a labor and delivery ward, so they typically sent the moms to the next county to give birth. I wasn’t waiting, so our family doctor had to deliver me. When he slapped me on the butt, I looked at him and said “that Elway kid is something, ain’t he?” The nurses were shocked when they drew my blood and it came out orange. The lab tech took one look at it and said “this one is a Broncos fan for life!”
