Broncos’ Path to Beating Rams Hinges on These 2 Matchups

The Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams match up well on both sides of the ball.

Both teams do things that can be hard to handle, but that's what makes this matchup between the two Super Bowl favorites so exciting. Despite both teams starting ugly out of the gate and turning in lackluster Week 1 showings, the Broncos and Rams are contenders.

When it comes to Broncos-Rams, two matchups stand out and could be a deciding factor in the outcome. Buckle up for some excellent edge vs. tackle clashes on Sunday Night Football.

Riding high off a big win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Broncos are back at home this week to host the Rams. Let's look at two matchups the Broncos absolutely must win against the Rams.

Broncos RT Mike McGlinchey vs. Rams OLB Byron Young

Young is an underrated edge rusher and a good No. 2 option. There's a reason the Rams went and got Myles Garrett, who is on injured reserve, but Young is a quality player.

Young can cause chaos and wreck games. If the Rams still had Garrett, Young would be an even bigger threat, but he had 74 pressures last season and double-digit sacks as the top guy. In Week 2, he had five pressures.

On the flip side, McGlinchey has been a weak link through two games for the Broncos. The veteran right tackle has given up seven pressures thus far and has struggled as a run blocker.

McGlinchey's biggest weakness is handling quicker, faster pass rushers, which is exactly the type of player Young is. Young lines up almost exclusively over the right tackle, with 70 snaps there compared to 17 snaps over the left tackle, 14 of which came in Week 1.

Young can wreak havoc if he isn't accounted for and blocked. If McGlinchey can't handle Young, it will be a long day for Bo Nix.

Young struggles to set a firm edge and secure tackles in the run game, which puts an even bigger onus on McGlinchey on the ground. If the Broncos can win this matchup, it'll be huge for their offensive game plan.

Broncos OLB Nik Bonitto vs. Rams LT Alaric Jackson

On the other side, Bonitto vs. Jackson could have an even bigger impact on the outcome of this game. Bonitto lines up almost exclusively over the left tackle (65 snaps vs. 12 snaps).

He's one of the NFL's quickest and most explosive pass rushers, with one of the fastest get-offs. Bonitto has only picked up five pressures thus far, but his impact has been immense and goes beyond the box score. One example is the strip-sack Bonitto had on Trevor Lawrence last week, which was erased by a Riley Moss penalty.

As for Jackson, he has allowed only four pressures in two games and has been stellar in pass protection and is a quality run defender. He has the quickness to handle more explosive pass rushers, which makes him a tough matchup for Bonitto.

However, Matthew Stafford is, understandably, worse when dealing with blindside pressure. That makes it all the more important for Bonitto to win his matchup with Jackson.

If Bonitto wins consistently enough, it can force mistakes from the reigning NFL MVP and create opportunities for the Broncos' defense. Stafford isn't afraid to take risks with his passes, and slight pressure can accelerate his time to throw and lead to an interception.

However, if Jackson is able to handle Bonitto, Stafford is significantly better at moving in the pocket to avoid pressure and doesn't rush his throws when he can see pressure coming. After being officially shut out in the sack department through two games, Bonitto is due for a big game.

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