Broncos-Jaguars Results Encouraging for Titans
With the Tennessee Titans sidelined this week due to a bye, the focus shifted to games that would affect their quest for a playoff berth. The most important result of this weekend was the Houston Texans loss to the Green Bay Packers, bringing them to 6-6 and into a tie with the Titans (the Texans still have the tie-breaker). But another game of interest was Tennessee’s week 14 opponent, the Denver Broncos, who faced off against the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars. They won 20-10, but it was far from a convincing victory. A few months ago, many would have guessed that a game against a team of Denver’s pedigree was all but a guaranteed loss for the Titans. However, there are some takeaways from their win that are encouraging in regards to the Titans chances.
QB Play an Issue for the Broncos
Quarterback was a huge question mark for the Broncos this season. Trevor Siemian eventually won the job and has picked up right where Peyton Manning left off. And by that I mean he has done just enough each game for the Broncos to win, despite being rather unimpressive. However, he was absent from the Jaguars game due to a foot injury. Rookie Paxton Lynch filled in and played miserably in his stead, going 12-24 for just 104 yards. He was very inaccurate and appeared to be overwhelmed at times. Denver’s running game was also unremarkable, and the Broncos only managed 13 offensive points. The Titans will benefit from playing against either a struggling rookie or a hobbled Siemian next week. This is good news for a Tennessee secondary that has been terrible the past few games.
Denver’s Vaunted Pass Rush was Silenced
Seeing Von Miller & Company on your schedule is always a scary moment for quarterbacks and offensive lines. But the normally lackluster Jaguars offensive line kept them in check most of the game. They didn’t allow a sack, and the Broncos had just one tackle for loss. If Blake Bortles hadn’t been stripped late in the game, the protection would have been almost perfect. Jack Conklin will most certainly have his hands full with Von Miller, but he has proven himself to be one of the best right tackles in the league and should more than hold his own.
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Denver’s Defense Should Be Tired
Jacksonville’s offense may not have been effective, but it kept the Denver defense on the field for plenty of time. Jacksonville ran 81 plays, 38 of which were running plays . For comparison, Dallas leads the NFL in rushing attempt average, with 32 a game. That volume of rushing attempts will wear a team down. Their run defense is currently 24th in DVOA, and a fresh DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry should be able to wear down an already tired defense.
It would be unwise to discount such a talented team, but one has to like the Tennessee’s chances against the Broncos this weekend. Expect them to run the ball heavily and for Dick LeBeau to put a lot of pressure on whichever young quarterback starts under center.