This simply isn’t the same Broncos product that produced a 14-3 record last year.
Granted, 11 of those wins were one-possession games graced by the football gods, but Denver’s issues go far beyond not finding ways to win within striking distance.
The Broncos welcome the Seahawks to Mile High on Thursday with a languid attack through five weeks, ranking 26th in scoring with 19.4 points per game.
Bo Nix, who recovered in the offseason from a fractured ankle he endured in the playoffs, isn’t showing the same poise under pressure. He’s hesitant to take shots down the field, and that’s been especially detrimental for Jaylen Waddle, whom the Broncos traded a haul of draft capital for to give their passing attack a much-needed vertical threat.
Seahawks vs. Broncos prediction, best bet
Instead, Nix has regressed into a checkdown-dependent quarterback, distributing an NFL-low 6.0 air yards per attempt.
Sean Payton’s decision to reclaim play-calling duties against the Chargers last week didn’t prove much improvement until the fourth quarter, when Denver benefited from defensive takeaways anyway.
The ground game isn’t absolved, either: it ranks 25th overall and has forced a league-low 15 missed tackles on running plays. That’s bad news against the Seahawks, who have returned its all-world defense to miss fewer tackles than any unit in football thus far and pressure at the second-highest rate.
Seattle has its own offensive problems, and Sam Darnold has committed an ugly turnover or two. That still hasn’t changed Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s mission for another receiving title. The reigning Offensive Player of the Year has caught over 100 yards in four of five games with seven touchdowns.
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He’s the biggest difference-maker on the gridiron, and he’s primed to have his way against a battered Denver secondary that was missing both starting corners in Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss last week.
Mile High always offers the Broncos an edge, but it won’t solve their problems overnight against a formidable Seahawks team looking to avenge a bitter loss.
THE PLAY: Seahawks -2.5 (-104, FanDuel)
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Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to mitigate risk.
