3 Numbers Reveal How Jarrett Stidham Can Lead Broncos to Victory
Change is inevitable.
The Denver Broncos are in the midst of the most significant change of the season. The Broncos have benched Russell Wilson for Jarrett Stidham.
Regardless of the reason(s) for the switch, Stidham will be the quarterback that faces the Los Angeles Chargers in the Mile High City. There is very little on the line for either team, and this quarterback change will determine whether Sean Payton is right about Stidham.
Let's talk about three stats the Broncos must exploit on Sunday vs. L.A.
41%
Even with the quarterback change, the Broncos should attack deep more often than the norm. The Chargers' defense ranks near the bottom of the NFL, giving up 259 yards passing per game, and it's vulnerable to passes of 20-plus yards.
The Chargers have given up a 41% completion percentage on those deeper throws, which is higher than the league average, and teams have five touchdowns against them when attacking with the deep passing game.
The Broncos should unleash Stidham, even if they want to get more from the timing pass attack than they had from Wilson. If Stidham is truly the player that Payton wants, he must put the faith in him to throw deep. The Broncos will benefit from a few explosive plays.
5.7
The Chargers' defense is not bad against the run, but it's not a stone wall either. The Broncos must commit to the rushing attack and run behind left guard big Ben Powers in this game.
When teams have rushed behind the left guard, the Chargers allow 5.7 yards per carry. That's nearly two yards better than the NFL average.
Furthermore, the Chargers' defense has allowed 113 yards rushing per game, and teams have run for 4.2 yards per carry overall. The Broncos must overcome the weak performances they've had in the rushing attack if they don't want the game to be put solely on the arm of Stidham.
33%
The Chargers have tallied 45 sacks on the season, ranking in the top 10. However, 33% have come from one player: Khalil Mack.
Mack is a very streaky player, and the Broncos can't afford to let him get going. He hasn't posted a sack in the past three games, but it's common for him to be a non-factor for several games only to have a huge day. It'll be up to Garett Bolles and the rest of the offensive line to contain Mack.
After Mack, the rest of the Chargers' defense isn’t particularly scary in the pass rush department, with Joey Bosa ruled out. If the Broncos can take care of business versus Mack, they should be able to keep the others contained.
That will help Stidham attack the Chargers' lackluster passing defense.
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