3 Big Remaining Questions After Broncos' First Preseason Game
The Denver Broncos finally got their first game action of the season on Saturday night, launching the new era of head coach Nathaniel Hackett and the Walton-Penner group. Although we didn't see hardly any starters in the game, we learned quite a bit.
But what questions remain with four weeks until the regular season officially kicks off?
Why Was the Running Game so Non-Productive?
Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon weren't running the ball, and the Broncos' starting offensive line wasn't out there, except for Calvin Anderson, but Coach Hackett was not happy about what the offense produced on the ground.
The Broncos finished the game with 22 rushes for 39 yards, averaging just 1.8 yards per carry. Now, we know this will look better with the starters, but perhaps the play calls and designs were lacking, and that is something to keep an eye on for the rest of the pre-reason.
What Was That, Albert Okwuegbunam?
The Broncos' tight end room, in general, is a bit of a question mark, but leading that room is Okwuegbunam, a former fourth-round pick. He didn't see a ton of snaps, but he played enough to make an impact, and unfortunately, he didn't do much.
Albert O didn't see a single target and missed a key block on a 4th-&-2 in Cowboys territory. It's hard to be too tough on him in a preseason debut, but he needs to make those blocking plays if he wants to see a lot of game time in the regular season.
Which WRs Make the Team?
In what was probably the most impressive part of the game, the Broncos saw several receivers fighting for a spot on this team make play after play. Fan-favorite Kendall Hinton had an incredible touchdown catch, Seth Williams made a great 50/50 catch for a touchdown, and both Brandon Johnson and Jalen Virgil made big receptions and were constantly seeing targets.
We know Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, and Montrell Washington are near-guaranteed to make the roster, which leaves probably two spots up for grabs now that Tim Patrick will miss the entire season.
Bottom Line
At this stage in the season, it's better to have fewer question marks and more guarantees, and the Broncos have things going the right way. The general feeling amongst the fans is overwhelmingly positive, and unless there are some unfortunate injuries, this team is carrying a ton of momentum and energy into the season.
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