3 Keys to a Broncos Victory Over Lions in Week 15
A pervasive conspiracy theory exists among some casual NFL fans that games are predetermined under a storyline facade, like the illusion of professional wrestling. Such claims are unfounded and preposterous, yet, based on the theatrical drama of the 2023 Denver Broncos, it's difficult to fault people for wondering.
If pro football is ever found to be predetermined, then the league office should be nominated for an Emmy Award. After the Broncos' 1-5 start, they’ve almost dug themselves out of that deep hole, propelling themselves into the AFC Wildcard sweepstakes and the hunt for the AFC West crown.
At 7-6 and winners of six of the last seven games, Denver is currently one game behind the 8-5 Kansas City Chiefs. This Saturday night, the Broncos will play their third consecutive road game in the Motor City against the 9-4 Detroit Lions.
Saturday night's matchup will be the first between pupil and mentor as Lions head coach Dan Campbell faces his former boss and friend, Sean Payton. The Broncos are currently one of six 7-6 teams in the AFC, which means their playoff run essentially begins in primetime against Detroit in another must-win game.
What will it take for Denver to come out on top and keep the dream alive? Here are three keys to a Broncos victory that’ll advance their postseason aspirations.
Showcase Sutton on Saturday Night
It remains to be seen whether Payton and Russell Wilson are truly compatible enough to bring the Broncos franchise back from the depths of NFL irrelevancy and return the team back to the ranks of league royalty.
However, one thing is abundantly clear: Russ’ red-hot chemistry with wide receiver Courtland Sutton is winning football games for Denver. A sixth-year veteran and team captain, Sutton caught his 10th touchdown of the season last Sunday, making him the first Broncos receiver with double-digit scores since 2014.
In 13 games, Sutton has recorded 53 receptions for 699 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 13.2 yards per catch. Whether it be in the middle of the field on a crossing or slant route or the deep moon-ball throws to the end zone, Wilson trusts Sutton to make exceptional plays and bail the offense out of tough situations.
Sure, there have been moments from other offensive playmakers, but Sutton has emerged as the undisputed alpha dog of Denver’s wide receiver room that has seemingly passed Jerry Jeudy by. It’s not for lack of trying, but the Wilson-Jeudy connection just isn’t there, so it’d behoove Denver to stop trying to force the issue.
After all, running backs Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin, wideout Brandon Johnson, and tight end Adam Trautman all have multiple touchdowns, compared to Jeudy’s lone solo score back in late October. Sutton has earned a Pro Bowl nod (2019) and is having his best season since tearing his ACL.
Ironically, the Broncos' WR1 could be matching up with Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton or Jerry Jacobs on Saturday night. It’ll be critical to let the 6-foot-4, 216-pounder go on a lion hunt in Detroit with heavy targets from Wilson, designed by Payton.
Lose Yourself, Russ
The storylines in this game are like something out of a Hollywood screenplay, and the Broncos' star of the show could be Wilson on Saturday night. He'll have the chance to channel his inner ‘B-Rabbit’ as made famous from the movie 8 Mile, an adaptation of Eminem’s rise to fame through Detroit rap battles as an unlikely underdog.
The parallels between the movie and the second chance Russ has received from Payton share similarities, including humility, perseverance, maturation, and redemption. Instead of wielding a microphone to verbally assault a rap rival, Wilson has an opportunity to silence the hordes of doubters against a top-15 Lions defense.
Last Sunday in L.A., the nine-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl XLVIII champion exemplified poise, scrambling for key first downs as he mostly eliminated costly turnovers. The box score shows an interception, but it was a turnover that was not on Russ, as rookie wideout Marvin Mims Jr. had the ball snatched from his hands after completing the catch.
The point is Wilson went with his instincts against the Los Angeles Chargers, and that ultimately led the Broncos to their first divisional road win since 2019. Instead of playing hero ball, Russ kept it simple, which won the game for Denver.
Wilson has currently eclipsed 2,609 yards passing and has thrown 23 touchdowns to eight interceptions in 13 games this season. Against the Lions, Payton and Wilson must trust each other.
Russ needs to believe that Sean will have called a play that puts him in a spot to succeed, while the head coach should trust that his quarterback will execute his responsibilities accordingly for the given play. I’m not suggesting that Wilson get pass-happy by any means, nor should that be the game plan.
But Russ should make the most of his opportunity and "lose himself" in the game of football that he fell in love with as a boy in Virginia. After all, “You only get one shot; this opportunity comes once in a lifetime.”
Tame the Lions' Ground Game
In case you’ve been living under a rock since Campbell took over as Lions in 2021, I can assure you Detroit is a formidable opponent. After a 1-6 start last season, Campbell led his team to win 8-of-10 games to finish the season with a winning record, the Lions' first since 2017.
Detroit’s offense plays in the image of its outspoken and gritty head coach, especially when it comes to running the football. The Lions' two-headed backfield monster is led by David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, as the team is currently ranked fourth in the NFL in total rushing yards. Both backs each logged 66 yards rushing with one touchdown in the Lions' most recent loss to the Chicago Bears.
Quarterback Jared Goff has been able to lean on Detroit’s rushing attack, similar to how Wilson has embraced a game manager style of play, resulting in both teams having a winning record entering Week 15 and firmly in playoff contention.
But as soon as that running game gets stagnant or is taken away, Goff’s brand of hero ball yields disastrous turnovers at the most inopportune times. Therefore, it’ll be critical for Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph to prioritize stuffing the Lions' run game early and often.
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson’s unit averages 137.5 rushing yards per game behind an O-line that employs former Broncos guard Graham Glasgow. Not to mention center Frank Ragnow and right tackle Penei Sewell, who are renowned as upper-echelon players in the trenches. Ragnow has been banged up, but despite being listed as questionable for Saturday, he practiced in full on Thursday.
Recently, it’s been Denver’s dynamic pass-rushing posse of Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, and Baron Browning raising hell on opposing offensive tackles and QBs. But Bonitto has been ruled out of this week's action, so it’ll be the big boys in the trenches, including D.J. Jones, Jonathan Harris, Mike Purcell, and Zach Allen, that’ll be relied on to wreck the run.
Only then can the Broncos catch the Lions by their toes.
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