Denver Broncos vs. St. Louis Rams: Complete Week 11 Preview for Denver
The Denver Broncos (7-2) and St. Louis Rams (3-6) will square off at the Edward Jones Dome in Week 11 in a game between two teams who seem to be going in opposite directions.
The Broncos are 2-1 against the NFC West this season, having defeated Arizona and San Francisco and losing to Seattle. The Rams may be 3-6, but they will pose the same type of challenge that those other three opponents did.
The Rams have actually won the last two games against Denver and lead the all-time series 7-5. But they have yet to face the Broncos with Peyton Manning. Yet, there is only one team against which Manning hasn't thrown for 300 yards during his career. That would be the Rams.
Odds Shark currently lists the Broncos as a 10-point favorite, which is substantial for a road team.
For more on this game, including an injury report for Denver as well as key matchups to look for, read on.
Week 10 Recap
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After suffering a tough loss in Week 9 against the New England Patriots, the Broncos got off to a slow start against the winless Oakland Raiders. They trailed 10-6 just before halftime.
But a 51-yard touchdown catch and run by backup running back C.J. Anderson ignited the Broncos, leading to 35 unanswered points before Denver won the game 41-17.
Anderson had his best day as a pro, racking up 163 yards from scrimmage in relief of Ronnie Hillman.
Peyton Manning threw two interceptions but also tossed five touchdowns in the victory. His command of the offense in the second half propelled Denver to its seventh win of the season.
The Broncos posted 249 yards more of total offense than Oakland, and the defense forced three turnovers on the day. It was the Broncos' sixth straight win over their AFC West rival.
News and Notes
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Denver Works Out Richie Incognito
After shuffling their offensive line around before last week's game against Oakland, the Broncos decided to see what free-agent offensive lineman Richie Incognito had to offer.
Incognito has not played in an NFL game since being released last season by the Miami Dolphins.
However, the Broncos made the decision not to offer him a contract.
The Broncos may have felt that Incognito couldn't help their team, or they may have chosen not to deal with the controversy that would be sure to come with him.
Last season, it was Incognito who found himself in the center of the Miami Dolphins' bullying scandal.
"Door not closed on Richie Incognito. Broncos just not signing him at this time.
— Mike Klis (@MikeKlis) November 11, 2014"
Still, the Broncos are a strong group capable of overcoming that. Incognito would bring a physical presence to the offensive line that is sorely missing. It would have been a bold move to bring him in, but a move the Broncos could afford to make.
Linebacker Todd Davis Claimed off Waivers
Andrew Mason of the team's official website mentioned the signing of linebacker Todd Davis, following the team's move to put Nate Irving on injured reserve.
Davis, an undrafted rookie out of Sacramento State, was recently released by the New Orleans Saints. He was immediately placed on the Broncos' 53-man roster.
Davis is probably not a guy the Broncos want to lean on often, at least not right away. But they have growing concerns at the linebacker position, and this transaction gives them some depth.
Davis can also be an instant contributor on special teams.
Virgil Green Misses Practice
Tight end Virgil Green has missed the last two games and he was held out of practice again Thursday.
Though the Broncos have two very capable receiving tight ends in Julius Thomas and Jacob Tamme, they lose something in the blocking department without Green.
Against the aggressive defensive line of St. Louis, Green could be an effective weapon. His absence would be a tough loss for the Broncos in this game.
Injury Report
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| Quinton Carter | Safety | Knee | Probable |
| Montee Ball | Running Back | Groin | Probable |
| Ronnie Hillman | Running Back | Foot | Questionable |
| Virgil Green | Tight End | Knee | Questionable |
| Nate Irving | Linebacker | Knee | *Out |
| Steven Johnson | Linebacker | Ankle | Probable |
| Juwan Thompson | Running Back | Knee | Probable |
All injury statuses courtesy of CBS Sports.
While the Broncos have every running back on the depth chart aside from C.J. Anderson listed on the injury report, Montee Ball is expected to make his return to the lineup. He participated in his first full practice earlier in the week since injuring his groin in Week 5.
His return would come at a good time, since the team will be without Ronnie Hillman.
Though the injury report lists Nate Irving as questionable, he's not going to play in this game. In fact, it looks like his season is over. Jeff Legwold of ESPN reported that the Broncos intend to place Irving on season-ending injured reserve.
"Tough break for Nate Irving, who goes on the IR list after the best stretch of his career: http://t.co/P3OWSn8XGw pic.twitter.com/LKEO8EGRdn
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) November 13, 2014"
That means the team will need players like Steven Johnson, Lamin Barrow and Corey Nelson to step up the same way Brandon Marshall has in place of Danny Trevathan.
X-Factor Players and Matchups to Watch
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Denver Right Tackle vs. William Hayes
The key factor in this game will be the play of Denver's offensive line against the front seven of St. Louis.
Robert Quinn is the best pass-rusher for St. Louis, but he should be matched up against Ryan Clady. The battle on the other side of the line will be equally important.
William Hayes doesn't get the recognition that Quinn receives, but he can be a very disruptive force when rushing the passer.
Last week, Denver slid Louis Vasquez over to right tackle, but it remains to be seen if the Broncos stick with that. They've yet to find an alignment they like on their offensive line.
Vasquez would match up well with Hayes and the Broncos need to build some continuity on the line, so they should stick with the lineup they used against Oakland.
Denver Running Game vs. St. Louis Defensive Front
Ronnie Hillman has played great in recent weeks for the Broncos, but he will miss this game. Still, the Broncos are going to have to get something out of the running game in this one.
Peyton Manning can't drop back 50 times to throw in this game. The Rams have one of the best defensive lines in the league, and they will put some hits on Manning if that is the case.
To combat this, the Broncos need to establish the running game in order to slow down the defensive front of St. Louis. It would also help an offensive line that was pushed around by Oakland at times.
The Broncos should start the game with C.J. Anderson and let him build off the momentum he started last week, then sprinkle in Montee Ball and Juwan Thompson.
Last week, offensive coordinator Adam Gase called 27 run plays and 49 passes. This week, he should try to be a little more balanced.
Julius Thomas vs. Mark Barron
Julius Thomas is obviously a huge part of Denver's passing offense, but Mark Barron probably won't be the player the Rams choose to use in coverage against the big tight end.
Instead, Thomas will need to watch Barron inching up toward the line as a pass-rusher. Just ask the Arizona Cardinals.
Barron was the man who came up to rush Carson Palmer last week on the play that ended Palmer's season due to a torn ACL.
The Rams will try to bring pressure from all angles in this game, and if blocking tight end Virgil Green is unable to play, the Rams won't be afraid to send multiple blitzers.
Manning needs to be aware of this—and his blockers, whether it be Thomas, Jacob Tamme or a running back, need to be prepared.
The Broncos like to get Thomas out in the passing game, but they might need his services protecting Manning more in this game.
X-Factor Player: Terrance Knighton
The Rams will be starting Shaun Hill in this game; while Hill is an experienced quarterback, the Rams would like to get the running game going in order to take some pressure off of him.
Terrance Knighton can clog up the middle and slow down a running game as well as anyone, and he'll do that in this game.
But as the Raiders found out last week when Knighton delivered a bone-crunching hit on Derek Carr, the big defensive tackle can get after the quarterback too.
Hill will have enough to worry about with DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller on the other side of the ball, but Knighton could get to him as well.
Look for Knighton to have a strong performance in this game.
Prediction
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The Rams are a team that is better than its record indicates. They've beaten Seattle and San Francisco this season and held a 14-10 lead heading into the fourth quarter last week against Arizona.
The Broncos are 1-1 on their current three-game road trip, and the Rams present their last challenge in the NFC West this season—at least for now.
The fact that the Rams are making a change at quarterback at this stage in the season could mean a few things. Is Jeff Fisher trying to save his job? Are the Rams just packing it in for next year?
Whatever the case may be, there will be a transitional period for the team as the players get acclimated to having Hill under center. He threw for just 81 yards and an interception in Week 1 vs. Minnesota before being knocked out of the game.
The Broncos are a team with a quarterback who is playing at an MVP level again. There is also the matter of having to keep pace with New England in the race for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Denver has plenty to keep it focused while the Rams are a team trying to find an identity before the 2014 season comes to a close.
Prediction: Broncos 31, Rams 13
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