3 Head-to-Head Matchups Broncos' Defense Must Win vs. Raiders
Sitting at 3-5 and coming off a rather disappointing Week 9 loss, the Denver Broncos head to the Sin City for the first time in franchise history to take on the Las Vegas Raiders in an AFC West showdown.
Bolstered by an offense capable of creating explosive plays at will, the 5-3 Raiders have a handful of quality playmakers that create mismatches all over the field. With the way Derek Carr has been able to distribute the football at an incredibly efficient level and wiht a top-3 running back in Josh Jacobs in tow, it’s little wonder the Raiders are able to put up 27.3 points per game.
With an incredibly banged-up defensive front that only gets weaker with the absence of defensive lineman Shelby Harris — who tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday — the Broncos are going to have their hands full, especially in the running game.
Fortunately, it sounds as if the Broncos' secondary is going to be back to full strength with the return of A.J. Bouye and Bryce Callahan from injury, as well as the team being awarded De'Vante Bausby off of waivers. After watching the secondary get gashed at will by the explosive Falcons passing attack in the first half last week, any respite available is one desperately needed.
Despite all of the injuries to the defensive front, Denver has been relatively competitive thanks in large part to a defense that figures it out in the second half of games, coming up with key turnovers in critical times and making key plays to kill drives quickly, getting the ball back for its offense. Lately, those extra possessions have allowed the Broncos' young offense to claw its way back into games that it has no business being in.
But if the Broncos want to be able to knock off the Raiders this weekend, there are three matchups they'll have to win defensively. Otherwise, it’s going to be another long Sunday.
LB Josey Jewell vs. TE Darren Waller
If you didn’t know who Waller is by now, you simply haven’t been paying attention. Waller is the second most-targeted tight end in the league right now, behind only Kansas City’s Travis Kelce. With 50 receptions for 393 yards and four scores, Waller is once again having a monster year.
But what makes Waller such a dynamic weapon is his incredible athleticism for a guy as big as he is, as well as his versatility within the offense as a whole. Able to line up in-line as a blocker or split out wide as a receiver, Waller is quickly becoming one of the league’s most dangerous matchup nightmares. Too big for cornerbacks to handle and too fast for most linebackers to hang with moving down the field, Waller is a guy that teams are beginning to alter their game plans for.
This is a huge matchup for the Broncos, and another massive test for Jewell, who has been inconsistent in coverage this season. One of the most targeted linebackers in the entire league, Jewell is going to have his work cut out because he doesn’t have nearly the athleticism necessary to keep up with a stallion like Waller.
Jewell’s struggles this year have been real. He’s allowed 33 receptions on 42 total targets for 298 yards and a score, ranking near the bottom in every metric along the way, including bottom-5 marks (for players with at least 250 coverage snaps) in yards per coverage snap allowed per target, and snaps per reception allowed.
Denver would do well to figure out a way to keep Jewell from lining up opposite of Waller or find a way to bracket cover him with Kareem Jackson as well. If not, Waller is poised for a massive explosion against the Broncos.
CB Bryce Callahan vs. WR Henry Ruggs
One of the reasons that the Raiders' offense is so explosive is the fact that it has one of the fastest players in the league in Ruggs, and it's finding creative ways to utilize that speed without him even touching the football.
Whether it’s taking the top off vertically, stretching the defense horizontally to open up other crossing routes, or just being used as a decoy with pre-snap motion, Ruggs can dictate a defense because the threat of him beating you deep over the top is very real. Teams have to alter their coverage schemes to ensure that he doesn’t get let loose.
Ruggs has only been targeted 21 total times on the season, but 10 of those targets have come 20 or more yards down the field, including a 72-yard touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs a few weeks ago.
With the Broncos likely getting Callahan back from the ankle injury that sidelined him last week against Atlanta, this is the matchup to watch for the Broncos, especially when Ruggs lines up in the slot. Callahan is arguably the fastest player in the Broncos' secondary, and could keep up with Ruggs when they go head-to-head. Hopefully, that bum ankle doesn’t slow him up a step.
Vegas lines up Ruggs all over the formation in an attempt to open up mismatches for the other receivers, so we may not see this matchup on a frequent basis. But when they do line up opposite of each other, Callahan needs to continue his high level of play to date.
Callahan has only given up .60 yards per coverage snap on the season, the third-lowest of any cornerback with at least 250 coverage snaps. He also is in the top-10 in terms of snaps per reception allowed.
Let the sparks fly.
DT DeShawn Williams vs. C Rodney Hudson
If you're having a conversation about the league's best at the center position, Hudson's name is destined to be one of the first to come up. Arguably the best pass protector in the league regardless of position, Hudson has been tremendous once again for the Raiders offensive line.
Hudson has only allowed three total pressures in his 285 pass protection snaps and has yet to allow a sack this year, en route to the second-highest pass-blocking efficiency of any player with at least 250 snaps. This should surprise nobody, as Hudson has performed at this level for the majority of the past decade.
This is particularly significant because the Broncos are going to be without two of their top defensive linemen in Mike Purcell and the aforementioned Harris and stuck to rely on Williams, who has played admirably thus far.
While I don't expect much (if anything) from Williams in the pass rush department, there is a good chance that he can continue his high-quality play against the run. With Hudson being more of a middle-of-the-road run blocker, Williams can take advantage of that and try to shut down one of the leagues best rushing attacks.
Follow Lance on Twitter @SandersonMHH and @MileHighHuddle.
