Denver Broncos: 5 players that need to step up big vs. the Jets

Denver Broncos: 5 players that need to step up vs. the Jets

1. Melvin Gordon, RB

I’m not one to do this, because saying this kind of thing is just lame.

If you take away Melvin Gordon’s 70-yard run against the New York Giants…

Well, guess what? You can’t take it away. It happened, and it was a huge part of that particular game and the Denver Broncos’ eventual victory.

With that being said, on Gordon’s other 23 carries this season, he’s averaging just 2.7 yards per carry (23 carries, 62 yards).

For Mr. RB1, that is simply unacceptable, although you have to consider what Vic Fangio noted at one of his press conferences early this week.

The first two teams that have played the Denver Broncos have taken “extreme measures” to stop the Broncos’ running game offensively.

Javonte Williams has had some success, especially after contact. Gordon had great success on the 70-yard run and has contributed five first downs for the offense, four as a runner and one as a receiver (5 receptions for 55 yards this season).

Still, in the flow of the game, Gordon needs to be more impactful for the Denver Broncos’ offense.

It would be great to see him eclipse the 100-yard mark, though obviously, that’s not any sort of necessity given the fact that he and Javonte Williams have truly been splitting the timeshare in the backfield in terms of snap counts.

Gordon is certainly being paid like an RB1, so he’s got to play like it.

Games like he had against the Jaguars — 13 carries for 31 yards — don’t cut it.