Denver Broncos: 5 major changes that need to be made after Steelers loss
5. Someone order some YAC, please
The Denver Broncos’ inability to generate tons of yardage after the catch is, at this point, infuriating.
This is a team that has no shortage of weapons to get the ball to who can make plays after the catch, not just at wide receiver, but at tight end and out of the backfield.
That’s simply not happening.
This ties in with point number four, that Pat Shurmur’s play-calling is simply not conducive to YAC opportunities. He prefers to push the ball deeper downfield with lower percentage passing plays but plays that, if you hit them, are guaranteed to gain you big chunks.
Shurmur has effectively made it a deliberation of air yards for the QB vs. YAC for the receivers. There needs to be a healthy complement of both.
That’s simply not happening.
Notably, tight end Noah Fant is not getting opportunities to show what he can do in the YAC department, arguably his greatest trait.
As a matter of fact, Fant inexcusably had zero targets until the fourth quarter of the team’s loss to the Steelers. That is disgusting.
When Teddy Bridgewater was with the Carolina Panthers, their receivers and backs feasted after the catch. I guess offensive coordinator Joe Brady got a few things right last year in that regard.
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Bridgewater can still push the ball downfield at times, but Pat Shurmur needs to figure out ways to set his pass-catchers up to make plays after they catch the ball.