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Denver Broncos: Melvin Gordon out-snapping Phillip Lindsay by large margin

By Graham Tiedtke

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 15: Phillip Lindsay #30 of the Denver Broncos kneels in the end zone before the start of a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on November 15, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders defeated the Broncos 37-12. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 15: Phillip Lindsay #30 of the Denver Broncos kneels in the end zone before the start of a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on November 15, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders defeated the Broncos 37-12. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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The Denver Broncos are not using their running backs how they should be.

Anybody who has watched the Denver Broncos this year should come away with the conclusion that the offense has been quite an inconsistent unit. Not only at the quarterback position, where they have struggled to a great extent, but the youth of the team is also a factor.

What is not a youth issue, however, is this team’s decisions as to who to use in certain situations in the backfield.

The Broncos signed running back Phillip Lindsay as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado back in 2018. After two awesome first seasons in the league, Denver decided to pair Lindsay with former Chargers running back Melvin Gordon.

This decision has not exactly worked out.

While Gordon does have 439 yards on 107 carries (4.1 yard average), their situational use between the two has not been ideal. Lindsay is a more explosive runner who has proven that he does not necessarily need a guy to replace him during a game. It appears as if Pat Shurmur just wants to keep Lindsay fresh and out of harms way after he got injured with a concussion.

To Gordon’s 107 carries, Lindsay has 57 for 312 yards and one touchdown. Yes, Lindsay has missed more games this year than Gordon, but take this into consideration:

In the team’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, the Broncos ran the ball 19 times for 66 yards. Out of the 19 carries, Gordon had 11 of them, while Lindsay got a grand total of four.

FOUR.

The other four were between third-stringer Royce Freeman and quarterback Drew Lock.

This should not be a difficult thing to figure out. It is obvious that Lindsay is the better player. Just because you sign an overrated player too much money in free agency does not mean you need to work him into the game plan way more than the better player.

ESPECIALLY by that large margin.

There is absolutely no excuse for this. While the Broncos were still able to win this game, the fact that they went away from utilizing Lindsay is inexcusable.

In the offseason, Sayre Bedinger wrote about Lindsay working on his skills as a receiver. So, has he just not been that good of a pass catcher that they are not confident in him? He has two receptions on eight targets for 14 yards and a first down this year. Gordon has 20 receptions for 87 yards, a touchdown and three first downs on 29 targets this year.

Next. Does it actually make sense for the Denver Broncos to sit Drew Lock?. dark

While those stats do show an improvement with Gordon, they really need to get Lindsay going in multiple phases.

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