As the Broncos have continued on their winless streak over the last few months, their offense has become increasingly reliant on unexpected pieces. No team sprints out to a 12-2 record without some unexpected contributions. The Broncos were going to need more unexpected contributions this week to beat the Packers.
This was given before Denver found out they would be without one of their most reliable offensive weapons this week. Rookie receiver Pat Bryant popped up on the injury report and subsequently missed their matchup this week. Bryant has become one of Bo Nix’s favorite targets since roughly the midyear mark.
Bryant was quickly becoming an unexpected offensive contributor and a favorite target of the Broncos quarterback. Ultimately, this week was one of the worst weeks for the Broncos to not have Bryant available. But right when the Broncos needed it the most, they got one more unexpected offensive contribution from a player who seemed to be on the downslide in recent weeks.
Troy Franklin stepped up in a major way for the Broncos against the Packers
Second-year man Troy Franklin is one of the more polarizing names in Broncos Country, but he is turning in an increasingly solid sophomore season. He has flashed signs of being a legitimate piece in an NFL offense, while also showing flashes of what plagued him last year. His plate has tailed off of late, largely due to the breakout of Bryant.
When the Broncos most needed Franklin to come through, he did in a major way. When it was all said and done, Franklin hauled in six passes from his college teammate at Oregon. He totaled 85 receiving yards and scored his sixth touchdown of the year. In a year full of ups and downs, he turned in a major “up” in Denver’s toughest matchup of the year, and what might have been the game that pushes them over the top in the AFC.
There is no question that Franklin has been better this year than last, but there are still plenty of concerns regarding his overall game. His drop issues over the past month or so have led to fewer and fewer chances and important spots. Even if by default, Franklin got a new set of chances this week and made sure to make the most of them. He didn't turn in the same numbers that Courtland Sutton did, but he made sure his mark was felt on Denver's win.