With the first-round playoff bye now officially in the rearview mirror and the team nearing full-strength, it’s officially time for the Denver Broncos to put their focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers and a Divisional Round matchup this Sunday.
Partly through some luck, but mostly through perseverance, the Broncos carry the AFC’s No. 1 seed and need just two wins to secure a berth in their second Super Bowl in three years. The regular season by no means came as easily as it did in 2013 when the team last held a top seed. Denver relied heavily on defense this year, securing nine of their 12 victories by seven points or less with several games hinging on defensive scoring plays.
But this is the playoffs and Denver cannot afford to be one-dimensional. Still alive in pursuit of football’s ultimate goal are other smothering defenses, as well as high-powered offenses. Denver’s first test comes against the Steelers who ranked fourth in scoring during the regular season, with either New England (third) or Kansas City (ninth) to follow. The 19th-ranked Denver offense is going to have to find ways to put points on the board to win it all.
It’s perhaps hyperbole to say that “every guy needs to show up,” in order for the Broncos to win. At this point in the season, it’s most important for the right guys to show up.
In this week’s “Studs & Duds” we examine which players on offense need to deliver big performances throughout the playoffs, and those who can afford to falter, if Denver hopes to be hosting a Super Bowl parade come February.
