Denver Broncos: 3 Key Areas of Improvement for the Postseason

With the way the New England Patriots have been playing, it seems absurd not to pick them as the AFC champions.

Nine of 10 experts for Sports Illustrated tabbed the Patriots as AFC champions, with the only other one tabbing the now-eliminated Pittsburgh Steelers. In fact, the Denver Broncos were picked to make it past the divisional round in just four of the 10 pools.

The Broncos haven’t played like a Super Bowl-caliber team lately, but they have the ability to be one and win a Super Bowl. But to do that, they need to improve in a few key areas.

Pass Rush

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Sure, the Broncos finished ninth in the league with 41 sacks. But lately, their pass rush has been quiet.

Star free-agent acquisition DeMarcus Ware has been a major reason for the decline of the pass rush. He finished December with a grand total of zero sacks, and the Broncos ended the month with just seven. In their last three games, they accumulated a measly three.

According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Ware placed 42nd out of 54 qualified 4-3 defensive ends in December. The Broncos pass rush went down with him, which is concerning for January.

Elite AFC quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Andrew Luck (whom Denver will face on Sunday) know how to avoid being sacked. Luck was sacked just 23 times all season, and Brady was brought down just 25 times. The Broncos will need to change this trend.

Luckily, they have the right personnel to do it. Von Miller finished sixth in the league with 14 sacks, and Ware finished 15th with 10. If Ware can use the bye to refresh and return to his early-season ways and if Miller continues to terrorize quarterbacks, the Broncos can pile up sacks.

But if they play like they did in December, Brady, Luck and any other quarterback the Broncos might face will have a lot of time to carve up Denver’s defense.

Special Teams

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Playing in the thin air in Denver minimizes the need for great special teams coverage, but even the Broncos need to emphasize the forgotten phase of the game.

In Week 16 against the Bengals, Cincinnati kick returner Adam Jones averaged 44.7 yards per return on three kickoff returns, and he and Brandon Tate combined to average 24 yards on three returns.

The field-position edge the Bengals gained from these returns helped them win 37-28 despite zero catches from A.J. Green and a mere 146 passing yards from Andy Dalton. Against better teams like the Patriots and Colts, the Broncos can’t put themselves at a disadvantage through special teams.

In Week 17, the Broncos were better; the Oakland Raiders averaged 11.5 yards per punt return and a mere 20.6 per kickoff return. However, the performance against Cincinnati still raises red flags.

According to PFF, the Broncos tied for 21st in special teams ranking. Brandon McManus has masked some deficiencies with a touchback rate greater than 70 percent, but the kicks that are being returned have caused difficulties.

Unlike last year, the Broncos don’t have a problem with punt returns, as the sure-handed Wes Welker can field those. Omar Bolden has provided a spark to the kickoff return unit with two big returns recently, which means that the return game isn’t an issue.

But a new issue has come up in special teams, and it’s one that requires just as much attention.

Peyton Manning Passing Game

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Yes, even the greatest can be criticized.

At 38 years old, Peyton Manning is exceeding all expectations. But lately, his performance has been abysmal.

He threw three touchdowns and six interceptions in December, and he had 12 interceptions in his last nine games. He tossed four interceptions against the Bengals in Week 16 and wasn’t exactly sharp in Week 17.

Thanks to the revamped running game led by workhorse C.J. Anderson, the Broncos managed to win five of their last six games despite Manning’s struggles. However, he will need to revitalize the aerial attack in January to complement Anderson.

The Broncos don’t need the Manning who threw a stunning 55 touchdowns in 2013, but they need a better version than the one who showed up in December. He still managed to finish fourth in passer rating and passing yards, so he has a lot left in the tank.

Manning is capable of taking the Broncos to the Super Bowl. He has talented receivers around him and the smarts that have taken him to where he is today.

But he needs to perform much better than he has been lately for the Broncos to come close to winning a Lombardi Trophy.