The Denver Broncos should look to make some key changes after a sloppy victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 1.
The Broncos beat the Titans, and a win is a win, but it was one of the uglier wins we have seen from this team in quite some time, but in the NFL, that happens sometimes, and Denver being able to win an ugly game like that does bode well for their chances, if you think about it.
No NFL team will ever escape having to win ugly - it's part of the fabric of this league with how much parity exists. Denver will now turn their attention to Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts, so let's get into a few key changes this team should look to make.
The Broncos have to make some key changes
Establish the run a lot earlier with JK Dobbins and RJ Harvey
Bo Nix threw the ball over 20 times in the first half, and the run game was simply nowhere to be found. Naturally, the run game got going in the second half, but why can't the Broncos establish the run a lot earlier in the game?
Both JK Dobbins and RJ Harvey had key runs in the second half and are capable of fielding a strong rushing attack, so it's simply up to Sean Payton to call more run plays and look to establish that much earlier.
Make Tyler Badie inactive, elevate Jaleel McLaughlin
Tyler Badie did not have a good outing against the Tennessee Titans. He dropped a screen pass that could have gone for a ton of yards, and while Jaleel McLaughlin's ceiling is clear, he's got a high ceiling if he's in more of an RB3 role. He has over 500 scrimmage yards in both of his seasons in the NFL and does have experience catching passes out of of the backfield.
Jaleel McLaughlin in the RB rotation is a logical decision going forward for the Denver Broncos. They should not overthink this.
More designed QB runs with Bo Nix, please!
How about adding another wrinkle in the offense? We saw Bo Nix's legs on full display at times in 2024, but it would be neat to see it more consistently in 2025. It's a part of his game and a huge reason why he can be a very good QB, so going forward, more designed quarterback runs would be another part of the team's offense that opposing defenses need to take care of.