The first half of the Denver Broncos season has come and gone, with the team enjoying their bye week this week. Our MHS staff reflected on several keynote topics as we all looked back on the first 13 weeks of the season.

Denver Broncos Roundtable: Biggest disappointment from the first half

There weren’t a lot of things to be disappointed about in the first half of the Broncos season, considering they have a winning record and are in a position to make the postseason, but there are some elements of the first half of the year that fell short of expectations.

Cody Roark’s take:

To be honest, I’d say the lack of an effective run game for the Broncos has been the most disappointing revelation of the first half of the season. If the Broncos are going to sustain success offensively with Bo Nix over time and even this year if they make it to the playoffs, the run game has to get going, or else it will be tough sledding.

The Broncos have had 30 straight games without a running back amassing over 100 yards rushing, and that’s problematic. More recently, if you take away a few of Jaleel McLaughlin’s incredible effort plays from Monday Night Football, Denver’s run game was unsuccessful, and they couldn’t convert on 2nd and short or 3rd and short a handful of times. So much for that ‘good’ running game the national media folks want to tell you about.

Doug Ottewill’s take:

The running game has been bordering on atrocious this season. As much as the Broncos invested in their offensive line, their inability to run the football is disappointing; my gut tells me the blame falls more on the backs than it does the line. I’d also say that the play calling with regard to the run-pass ratio has been erratic. Here’s hoping Sean Payton discovered something in Jaleel McLaughlin against the Browns.

Rich Kurtzman’s take:

Javonte Williams. He’s averaging 3.6 yards per carry, fumbled twice, and is on pace for his worst season.

Shawn Drotar’s take:

Denver’s inability to mount a consistent running attack. The running game is a quarterback’s best friend – especially a rookie one like Bo Nix – but head coach Sean Payton hasn’t been able to find an identity for his ground game despite the presence of veteran Javonte Williams, diminutive speedster Jaleel McLaughlin, and burly rookie Audric Estimé. While Williams has shown flashes and remains the Broncos’ best pass-blocker of the trio, he’s been wildly inconsistent. McLaughlin, who starred against the Browns last week, is best used for a change-of-pace back due to his size, and Estimé’s season started slowly due to injury and carelessness with the football. Payton has gone with the “hot hand” approach, even though Williams is headed for free agency at the end of the season, and Estimé was a touchdown machine while at Notre Dame. If the Broncos plan on making any noise during chilly January road playoff games, Payton and Co. will have to cobble together a more consistent identity on the ground – and the sooner, the better.

What say you, Broncos Country?