The Denver Broncos are sitting pretty at 4-2, fresh off a massive win against the reigning Super Bowl champs, and they’re gunning for their third straight W. Next up, it’s a road trip to face the Arizona Cardinals, who just pulled off a huge upset against the Los Angeles Rams. The good news for the Broncos is that they had a mini-bye week, meaning they might get some players back from injury or the commissioner’s exempt list. Denver is favored by 4.5 points on the road, with the total looking like an over at 43.5 points, leaning towards the over at -115.
Numbers Don’t Lie: Where Both Teams Stack Up
When you dig into the stats, both teams have their work cut out for them, especially on offense. The Broncos’ offense is struggling to find its footing, ranking thirty-first in total offense with just 252.2 yards per game. Their rushing offense is twenty-sixth (84.2 YPG), passing offense is twenty-eighth (168.0 YPG), and scoring offense is twenty-sixth, putting up only 19.0 points per game. That’s a tough look seven games into the season.
The Cardinals aren’t exactly lighting it up either, though they are a bit better across the board on offense. They sit twenty-third in total offense (307.3 YPG), twenty-second in rushing (96.3 YPG), twentieth in passing (211.0 YPG), and twenty-fourth in scoring (21.0 PPG). So, it’s not going to be an offensive shootout if these numbers are any indication.
On defense, the Broncos are twenty-second in total defense (348.3 YPG), but they really struggle against the run, ranking thirty-first with 139.8 rushing yards given up per game. However, their passing defense is solid at tenth (208.5 YPG), and they’re tied for tenth in scoring defense, allowing 20.8 points per game. That passing defense is a real bright spot. Arizona’s defense is twenty-third in total (350.5 YPG), twentieth against the run (120.8 YPG), and twenty-second against the pass (229.7 YPG). Their scoring defense is tied for thirty-first, letting opponents rack up 29.7 points per game. That’s a huge weakness the Broncos absolutely need to exploit.
The Trench Warfare & Nix’s Flight Plan
So, what’s it going to take for the Broncos to keep this winning streak alive? The MHR staff laid out some key points. First up, winning the line of scrimmage on offense. The Broncos’ offensive line has been the definition of “meh” so far this regular season. It isn’t what it’s been in recent years, but it’s not completely horrid either. The O-line absolutely needs to dominate Sunday to open up those running lanes and step up their pass protection. Everyone knows success on offense starts in the trenches. Getting that right could finally jump-start this offense.
Then there’s the quarterback situation with Bo Nix. Look, no one’s seriously talking about benching him for Jarrett Stidham, despite what some might jokingly suggest. That said, Nix definitely needs to play better. He’s just not seeing the field well to start the season. The good news is he’s known for slow starts in every season he’s played, so hopefully, this is just more of the same and he’s about to turn it on. Getting through the hardest part of their schedule with a 4-2 record is exactly what you hoped for. Now, at seven games in, it’s time for him to “take flight” a bit. On the defensive side, the main key is the same as it’s been all season: pressure the quarterback. The defense has actually done a great job this season “causing mayhem in the backfie,” and they need to keep that up.
This Sunday’s game isn’t just another notch on the schedule; it’s a chance for the Broncos to push their winning streak to three after battling through a brutal early schedule. They even got a mini-bye week, which means we could see some key players back on the field. The Cardinals just proved they can pull off a huge upset, so the Broncos need to bring their A-game if they want to keep this run going. Get ready for Sunday, it’s gonna be a showdown!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mile High Report.
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