The Denver Broncos have a few issues to fix before their major Week 18 game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Let's dive into them here. Now having lost two games in a row, the Broncos' playoff chances are slowly dwindling but are still in a decent spot.
The Broncos have to beat the KC Chiefs if they want to clinch the playoffs in their own hands. A tie with the Chiefs also gets them in. Heck, they could even lose in Week 18 and still clinch a spot. With the Chiefs likely resting major starters, the Broncos may have to beat the team's backups.
Even though this game could be 'easier' than a typical game, it's still not going to be a cakewalk. The Broncos have a few problems to fix before this game:
3 problems the Broncos must fix before their must-win Week 18 game
Broncos must fix their secondary issues
The Denver Broncos' secondary has not been good over the last month. Ever since Riley Moss left the lineup, the team has just gotten exposed, and in Week 17, they had no answer for the Bengals, short, outside routes. It was painful to watch. Here in Week 18, the Broncos have to fix this issue. Perhaps that means the CBs will play more press-man.
Or maybe Moss was a bit rusty getting back into the lineup, and the secondary returns to their previous form. If you ask me, the Chiefs will not play offensive guys like Travis Kelce, Xavier Worthy, DeAndre Hopkins, or Hollywood Brown, so the secondary could have a get-right type of game in front of them.
Broncos must fix their weird RB workload trend
It just does not seem like the Denver Broncos have a consistent play of attack with their RB room and the workload. I mean, how many times have we seen one of the RBs run for a solid gain only to be subbed out the very next play? Why has it been hard to see the Broncos consistently ride with the hot hand?
It does feel like we are talking about a weird scenario with the RB room after each game. Perhaps that's Sean Payton being stubborn and wanting to work all three of the main RBs into the lineup, but perhaps it's an issue that Payton is needing to fix. If you ask me, rookie RB Audric Estime needs to get the bulk of the carries. Javonte Williams should get a handful of short yardage carries here and there, and Jaleel McLaughlin should be sprinkled in here and there before the team gets into the red zone.
Can the Broncos just stick with a plan for thew RB room?
Broncos must fix their broken passing attack
I have seen a lot of people smarter than I say that the Denver Broncos do not have an adequate short-game passing attack. Many of their pass plays are those quick throws to Marvin Mims Jr and Troy Franklin, and they also can have success with some downfield shots with Courtland Sutton and Devaughn Vele, but there isn't a lot of short-game with this offense.
And perhaps that stems from the Broncos not being able to consistently establish the run. The team needs to figure out how to get guys like Vele and Franklin involved in some quick-developing routes like slants across the middle of the field.
This issue can also stem from the Broncos also not having a consistent man-coverage beater. Their WR room lacks top-end talent, so this is probably a run game and personnel issue. However, I struggle to accept that Sean Payton doesn't have a solution for this issue. With the Chiefs likely playing their backups in Week 18, this could be the time to figure something out here.