Broncos' Week 13 Rookie to Watch: Lloyd Cushenberry | C

If the Broncos are going to have a chance against the Chiefs, rookie center Lloyd Cushenberry is going to have to hold his own.

On Sunday Night Football, the Denver Broncos will face off against the Kansas City Chiefs once again. This time, the Broncos hope to have a far more respectable performance than in their first matchup with the AFC West powerhouse. 

When last these two teams met in Week 7, each phase for the Broncos faltered as they relinquished four turnovers and allowed three touchdowns on defense and special teams in the 43-16 blowout. The Broncos hope to go at least 8-8 this season, so sitting currently at 4-7, this team could afford to lose just one more game in order to reach that goal but even after this Kansas City game, the schedule is tough.

Each week, one rookie gets the spotlight, depending on the matchup. After breaking down the film of Week 7, the rookie who needs to step up is obvious.

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Lloyd Cushenberry | C 

Cushenberry didn't have the best of games against the Chiefs.

What’s more, the Chiefs defensive interior is good. Chris Jones is the Pro Bowler, but Derrick Nnadi, Mike Pennel, and Tershawn Wharton are all capable inside as well.

Pennel, Nnadi, and Wharton are all good run defenders, boasting run stop percentages of 8.5%, 8.1%, and 9.1%, respectively. The trio does a good job of clogging up the middle lanes and getting penetration to hit ball-carriers early.

As for the pass rush, the star is Jones, who is third among defensive linemen with at least 150 pass-rush snaps in pass-rush productivity with 8.6, according to Pro Football Focus. Drew Lock struggles more with interior pressure, so Cushenberry is going to need a clean game there. 

Unfortunately, Cushenberry has struggled all season long dealing with capable interior rushers. This is going to be a test for Cushenberry. For a deep-dive look at what makes Cushenberry so key this week, check out the video above. 

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