Denver Broncos Week 4 Stock Report
The Denver Broncos are 3-0 and get to play at home for the first time in two weeks as they welcome the Minnesota Vikings to Denver on Sunday.
The team is winning games with suffocating defensive play. After three weeks, the Broncos have the top-rated defense in the league, allowing an average of only 259 yards per game. The defense is allowing the lowest QBR in the league by far at 16.7 (league average is 58.5).
The offense is getting some things turned around, but it is still a one-dimensional unit. The passing game seemed to work better with quarterback Peyton Manning in the pistol formation. The rushing attack has not yet been jump-started and had its worst game on the ground against the Detroit Lions with only 41 rushing yards as a team.
Head coach Gary Kubiak is wowed by the level of talent the Broncos see each week.
"The NFL is the best that there is, regardless of how you look at it," he said. "Every week that you line up, you play great people. Games are so close week in and week out, and they’re so difficult week in and week out.
"We just try to stay focused on how we win that game and what we do to win that game.”
Here is the stock report for the Broncos as they head into Week 4.
Stock Up: LB Shaquil Barrett
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The collection of pass-rushers on this team is simply amazing. Starting outside linebackers Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware are two of the best in the NFL. However, the backups behind that duo are quite formidable as well.
Shaquil Barrett and Shane Ray can certainly get after the quarterback—and they are dangerous as part-time pass-rushers for the Broncos. Ray is the first-round pick for the team this year, and he’s certainly done a good job of creating pressure. Barrett is the second-year pro from Colorado State, and he’s gone from the practice squad to the playing field in that time to shine for the Broncos.
Kubiak likes pairing Barrett with Ray in certain situations.
"They've worked hard. They're on the roster for a reason," the coach said. "You've got to trust them and know that we'll put them out there in any type of situation. I was proud to see them go in there and do a good job."
Barrett is essentially a forced-fumble specialist. It seems like when he gets to the ball-carrier or the quarterback, he will often strip the ball away. He did just that against Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford on Sunday night in Week 3. Forcing fumbles was something Barrett developed a knack for in college, and that skill has translated to the NFL.
He may not have a ton of tricks as a pass-rusher, but Barrett can create pressure with a relentless motor, a large wingspan and a good closing burst to the ball. Going forward, we should see him continue to be a disruptive player for the Broncos in his reserve role.
Stock Down: The Ground Game
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The team just can’t figure out how to jump-start the rushing attack. The offensive line isn’t blasting open many holes or cutback lanes. The backs have little room to work with, and so far the Broncos rank 31st in the league with only 171 rushing yards in 2015.
Starter C.J. Anderson has been banged up (or playing with a minor injury) in every game this season. Backup Ronnie Hillman looks good with space, but he can’t push the pile and struggles when the holes aren’t there.
Kubiak wants to stick with the rushing attack and work things out on the ground.
“We’re just struggling to run the ball, space-wise. We have to look as coaches too because we’re doing a lot more one-back now than we probably ever have. We have to look at that and find them some space.”
Kubiak expressed confidence in Anderson: “I think that we can run better a lot of times, so I think that it’s a combination of everybody, but we just need to keep battling through it. We have to keep C.J. on the field. C.J. has been coming off of the field.”
Anderson’s minor injuries have been an issue for the coach: “In the first three games he’s been nicked up. Things are going on and we have to keep him on the field consistently. I think that it’s getting better in every place. I think we have to keep pounding and get better at a lot of things.”
On the injury report this week, Juwan Thompson is fully practicing. He suffered a neck injury against the Lions in Week 3, but it looks like he’s going to be ready to go against the Vikings if needed.
No matter how the team fixes the rushing attack, it is clear the Broncos intend to do everything they can to do just that. Right now, they’ll need to improve their run blocking and keep Anderson healthy. That’s a good start.
Stock Up: WR Bennie Fowler
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The Broncos have an interesting assortment of wide receivers behind superstars Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. Jordan Norwood has done a fine job as a slot receiver, and Bennie Fowler looks great as a part-time pass-catcher.
Fowler went undrafted out of Michigan State last year and spent his rookie season on the Broncos practice squad. He’s starred each year in training camp, and now he has his chance to prove what he can do on the football field.
Against the Lions, Fowler played 15 snaps and was targeted four times, catching all four passes for 50 receiving yards. He was able to showcase his speed, improved route running and run-after-the-catch ability in Week 3.
Kubiak talked about Fowler’s breakout performance after the Lions game: “Just watching Bennie practice, you tell your players how important practice is. Bennie has practiced exceptionally. I told Tyke (Tolbert) going into the game that I want to get them all involved as best we can and Bennie is making plays on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and we gave him a chance on Sunday and he did it again.”
The coach concluded: “I think it’s Bennie’s work. He deserves the credit, it’s his work.”
Fowler may continue as a reserve receiver with the Broncos this year, but he can provide valuable depth and produce when called upon. He looks like another gem the team found via the college free-agent pool.
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Stock Down: TE Virgil Green
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The Broncos are using the tight ends more as the season goes along, but they still aren’t using Virgil Green as much as they perhaps should. In Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs, he hauled in two catches for 12 yards and one touchdown. That could have been a sign of greater things to come.
Instead, Green played the fewest snaps he has this year and was not used as much as Owen Daniels was as a receiver in Week 3. Green’s snaps have gone down each week this year (29, 29, 17). While Daniels played 59 snaps, he was targeted nine times, catching five passes for 28 yards and one touchdown. Green was targeted just once, catching his lone pass for a 26-yard gain.
Kubiak knows the team can start using the tight ends more if it can protect the quarterback without them.
“We've been having to keep some of those guys in to protect because of some of those issues. I think that [TEs] Owen [Daniels] and Virgil [Green] can help us, but keeping our quarterback upright is of the utmost importance. It's kind of a double-edged sword right there.”
Kubiak emphasized, “We need to get them more involved, get them some more touches and I think that will come as we evolve.”
Green is a fine athlete, and he most certainly is an underrated receiver. The Broncos still may use him more in the future, but as for this week, his stock is down.
Stock Up: QB Peyton Manning
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The pistol formation seemed to make quarterback Peyton Manning comfortable on Sunday night against the Lions. After running the pistol formation only once in the first two games combined, the Broncos used the formation for 29 snaps. They also used the shotgun formation for 29 snaps, and Manning only went under center for a mere three snaps (he had averaged 27 snaps under center over the first two games).
The Lions could not slow down the Broncos passing game. Manning went 11-of-18 for 118 yards against the Lions out of the pistol formation. Overall, he finished the game with 324 passing yards and two touchdown passes on 31-of-42 passing.
Manning has seen improvement in the offense since Week 1.
"I think the coaches are just trying to put us in a better position to move the ball and execute," he said. "We're still learning every week because you're getting a new challenge because you're playing a different type of defense.
"Every week presents a new challenge, but you're just looking to improve in certain areas. There's still plenty of improvement to be made, but I thought we made some strides last week."
The pistol formation looks like it’s here to stay for the Broncos—and it should be. Manning was quite effective in the formation, and the Broncos passing attack looks back on track. Their veteran quarterback is now back to playing like he did in early 2014.
All quotes and injury/practice observations obtained firsthand. Record/statistical information provided via the Broncos' media department unless otherwise noted. Advanced stats via ESPN's employees-only database.
Contract and salary-cap information provided by Spotrac. Transaction history provided by Pro Sports Transactions.
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