The best team in the conference — in the entire NFL, in fact — just finished its best week of the season, routing the Chargers 35-21 on Thursday night, four days after ripping the 49ers, 42-17. The Patriots at Foxborough are up next, and there’s not much reason to doubt Denver will win there with extra time to prepare.
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Just in case you’ve been focused on Peyton Manning’s ever-expanding career touchdown pass total, the Broncos quarterback isn’t the only one who somehow keeps getting better. Every aspect of the team is an upgrade over the 2013 version. All of that was on full display against the Chargers as they took control of the AFC West:
First, a quick word about Peyton. Last year’s record totals were 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns. This year, he’s on pace for 4,877 and 50. But he’s upped his yards per attempt to 8.5, and his efficiency has gone up to 119.0, his best since 2004 in Indianapolis.
Exit Eric Decker, enter Emmanuel Sanders. This one’s easy, not just because Sanders just dropped nine catches, 123 yards and three TDs on the Chargers fresh off his first score as a Bronco on Sunday. Decker left to get $15 million guaranteed from the Jets. The Broncos signed his receiving replacement for $15 million over three years. Decker was a big outside target with underrated speed. Sanders is a much smoother, more precise route-runner with more downfield explosiveness. His versatility to line up in multiple positions makes him a tougher matchup, too, especially when working in unison with Demaryius Thomas and Wes Welker. Sanders has made his extra offseason work with Manning pay off big.
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Exit Knowshon Moreno (and Montee Ball), enter Ronnie Hillman. The Broncos have stuck with HIllman through all his fumbling and maturity issues because of legs that could make him the chunk runner who raced past San Diego (23 touches, 138 yards). Moreno was very productive, but he was a limited plodder who got whatever yards were available from defenses that were spread out worrying about Manning’s passing. Ball is a tough runner, but before he went down with a groin injury, he showed limited juice. Perhaps being on his last chance to stick with the Broncos revved up Hillman.
Ryan Clady, still no sacks allowed. Old friend Dwight Freeney and the Chargers’ pass rush were shut out against Manning. Clady, the Broncos’ premier left tackle, maybe isn’t moving as well as he did before last year’s season-ending foot injury, but he’s giving Manning the time to make more field-stretching throws than did his fill-in from 2013, Chris Clark, who was just benched at right tackle.
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Von Miller, pass rusher possessed. Yet another guy the Broncos didn’t have for much of last season, just seven games and all of the playoffs. With a league-leading nine sacks, he’s back to being the terror he was as a sophomore. DeMarcus Ware is doing what was expected from him as a rejuvenated pass rusher and run stopper, and that’s helping to draw edge attention from Miller. Derek Wolfe, who missed five games in ‘13, is a load at the other defensive end spit. His production helps allow the Broncos to move Miller freely again and present a pick-your-poison option to blockers.
Chris Harris Jr., superstar corner. Harris is the Broncos’ best cornerback, not new addition Aqib Talib. Harris was a supreme ball hawk against San Diego QB Philip Rivers, and he has been shutting down most of his assignments. Talib has become a luxury as the No. 2 corner. Harris showed flashes during an inconsistent second season before he tore an ACL in the playoff meeting with the Chargers; this year he is putting it all together as he has become an elite cover man.
Safeties not last or least. The group has had some costly breakdowns the past two seasons (see Rahim Moore), but on Thursday it showed just how much it has improved (see Rahim Moore). Hard-hitting, hard-tackling strong safety T.J. Ward hasn’t been what he was in Cleveland, but he still is a steadier, more intimidating presence than what Denver used to have. Moore, in turn, has a more defined, comfortable role in coverage.
If you thought that wily old record shatterer Manning had everything lining up for him for that second ring last season, you would be wrong. These Broncos are really what the 2013 Seahawks were to the rest of the league: the team without an apparent weakness.
Every other contender has one. Before exploiting those of the Chargers and 49ers, the Broncos also found the chinks in the Colts and Cardinals at Mile High. Even their sole loss, a 26-20 overtime setback at Seattle, was a sign of major improvement from the 43-8 Super Bowl debacle.
They got worrying about going undefeated out of the way in Week 3, and since getting a Week 4 bye to recover, the league has seen their full wrath. They’ve cruised to wins the past five games by an average margin of almost 15 points.
Just in time for Halloween, just in time for the Patriots, the Broncos couldn’t be any scarier.
