Denver Broncos: Three keys to beating the New York Giants
By Sonny Cohen
It’s finally week one. Here are the three keys for the Denver Broncos to beat the New York Giants to get their season off to the best start.
It is finally game week! It has been a long off-season and preseason for Broncos Country. There has been plenty to get excited about, and now it is time to find out what kind of team the Denver Broncos will be. Many expect a win against the New York Giants but what are the keys to a week one win?
Denver Broncos three keys to victory
1. Stopping Saquon Barkley
Both the Denver Broncos and the Giants will see the return of star players come Sunday. Von Miller will return to the Denver defense after missing the entirety of the 2020 season with an ankle injury. Likewise, the Giants will welcome back running back Saquon Barkley after a torn ACL in week two against the Chicago Bears ended his 2020 season.
The 2018 Rookie of the Year has been a major part of the Giants’ offense whenever he is on the field. Amassing 497 carries for 2,344 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns per Pro Football Reference.
While it remains to be seen just how he performs returning from knee surgery, it is a safe bet that Barkley will still have a feature role in the Giants backfield. But for all Barkley’s quality, the Giants’ offensive line has been a point of real weakness.
They were joint third in sacks allowed, with 50 and average 110 rushing yards per game according to Stat Muse.
The Broncos defense has been lauded as one of the top units going into the 2021 campaign and showed why against the Seahawks. Defensive coordinator Ed Donatell boasts a daunting secondary with the likes of Justin Simmons, Ronald Darby, Kyle Fuller, and rookie Patrick Surtain.
Stopping Barkley will force a one-dimensional offense upon Daniel Jones and the Giants offense, playing right into the hands of a dangerous secondary that can create takeaways.
This leads directly into the second key to victory for the Broncos.
2. Winning the turnover battle
When Vic Fangio decided to go with Teddy Bridgewater as the starting quarterback, it had the feeling of a safe decision. Bridgewater is a veteran leader and has shown to have a great head on his shoulders. One thing that has been preached is ball security from the offense.
The Denver Broncos ranked dead last in turnover differential at -16. They had a modest 16 takeaways, but a disastrous 32 giveaways, including 23 interceptions and nine lost fumbles.
Setting the tone in week one by not giving the ball away will be crucial not only for the game but for the rest of the season.
With the return of Von Miller, and a much more aggressive – if not healthier – secondary, it is fair to expect Fangio and Donatell to take full advantage of this to create situations where takeaways are more common.
But it is both sides of the ball that will need to see a serious change for the Denver Broncos to come out on top of the Giants who actually finished last season with a turnover differential of just 0.
3. Establishing the running game
Naming Teddy Bridgewater as the starting quarterback may have been met with mixed reviews. But there is a lot to be excited about with this Broncos offense, the return of Courtland Sutton to bolster a wide receiver corps that contains exciting talents like Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler.
To help get the best out of a passing attack that has players who can blow the top off of any defense, they will need to establish a dominant ground game.
Mike Munchak has helped improve an offensive line that had struggled over recent years. Not only in pass protection but also in the ground game and much like with Drew Lock, Teddy Bridgewater will thrive if they are able to get into play action effectively.
That starts with Melvin Gordon and George Paton’s third-round draft pick Javonte Williams. Both have looked impressive in the preseason, with some picking Williams as the most impressive rookie performer at training camp.
But now the real work starts and both backs will be vital for the Broncos, especially as they seek to stamp their game plan on opposing defenses. If they can do run the ball well, teams will struggle to contend with the speed the Broncos possess not only on the outside but also in the slot.
Expect a heavy dose of running the football early on, with both Williams and Gordon running the football.