The Denver Broncos have two winnable games in front of them to clinch a spot in Super Bowl LX. The Buffalo Bills are the best overall team the Broncos could face in the AFC, so if Denver could get past them this coming weekend, the AFC Championship feels very winnable.
Denver can expose Buffalo, and while this team might seem intimidating with Josh Allen under center, they are more than just Allen and aren't a great team in many respects. The roster talent, overall, just isn't that special, and the defense does struggle a bit.
They are one of the best units in the NFL at stopping the pass, but they're also among the worst in stopping the run. Fortunately, the Broncos really have no choice but to get the run game going, so this could be a massive point of emphasis as Sean Payton is calling plays. The way to get the run game going is to call those run plays and establish that identity. Well, this obvious Broncos player could have a breakout game thanks to the weaker Bills run defense.
RJ Harvey could get a huge chance to breakout against the Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills gave up 2,315 rushing yards in the regular season, which was the fifth-most in the NFL. The four teams that gave up more all had double-digit losses. Buffalo also allowed 5.1 yards per carry, which was the third-worst mark in the NFL, again only trailing two double-digit loss teams.
The unit allowed 24 rushing scores, tied for the most in the NFL, and allowed 13 carries of 20 yards or more, which was the fifth-worst mark in the NFL. The run defense simply isn't good, but the Bills do make up for it with one of the stingiest passing defenses in the NFL.
RJ Harvey and Jaleel McLaughlin are both going to get some action in the Broncos' backfield, but it's the rookie Harvey who may end up with more work. Harvey had a fine rookie season but was not a consistent down-to-down runner. In fact, he had just five games averaging four yards per carry or more.
But Harvey is also the type of running back who seems to run hot and cold, and he is someone who possesses great contact balance and explosion. He's got the skillset to rip-off big runs with ease. The speed, agility, and explosion are all there. Perhaps Harvey has simply been adjusting to the NFL during his rookie season, and that's the primary reason why we haven't seen a ton of consistency, but playing at home against a below-average run defense does give the exciting rookie a great shot at breaking out.