The Denver Broncos face off against the Houston Texans on Sunday in an AFC Conference matchup. Who are three players that Broncos Country should keep an eye on for Sunday’s game?
Kris Abrams-Draine to step into the spotlight without PS2?
You can’t replace Patrick Surtain II, but you can hope that your depth can step up to the plate. The Broncos and Sean Payton have believed in the team’s draft and develop approach, and Kris Abrams-Draine is someone who has done well in his ongoing development.
After he stepped into the lineup last year when Riley Moss went down, Abrams-Draine showcased his ball skills, coverage ability, and willingness to come up and tackle.
The magnitude this week is a bit different, with Denver sitting at 6-2 and looking to improve to 7-2, with much at stake inside the AFC conference and the AFC West with the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs lurking behind them.
With Nico Collins and Christian Kirk returning to the lineup this week for the Houston Texans, CJ Stroud may air things out even more on Sunday, and Abrams-Draine may see more targets than Riley Moss.
Bold Prediction: Abrams-Draine causes an interception off a deflection on Sunday.
Nik Bonitto could be in line for a big game
Nik Bonitto is in a position on Sunday to wreak havoc against CJ Stround and the Texans offense. Stroud has been sacked 15 times this season, and the Texans have allowed pressure on 33% of Stroud’s dropbacks this season, per Tru Media.
Bonitto has faced consistent attention over the last two weeks with tight end chips and double teams, but this feels like a week where we’ll see him get back to making big plays for Denver’s defense.
He’s a star. With Surtain out, he has a chance to come out and further showcase why he’s a DPOY candidate.
Bold Prediction: Bonitto has 2.5 sacks on Sunday.
Bo Nix has a chance to move his own goalposts
Bo Nix is our third player to watch on Sunday as the Broncos offense faces off against the NFL’s best defense in yards allowed and points allowed per game. The Texans are top five against the run and the pass, and the Broncos will have to bring their A-game.
It seems like every week, the analytics nerds and acronym bros on Twitter dissect every little stat surrounding Nix, his EPA, his ADOT, or PFF percentage to try to discredit how he plays. There’s a large disconnect between some of those stats out there that lack plenty of context and what’s actually on tape.
Has Nix played the best football of his career this season? No, but he’s continuing to grow and improve on a weekly basis, and we’re seeing that. Nix finds ways to win — he makes the smart play nine times out of ten, and when he’s on, he’s deadly.
Nix had a terrific game last week against the Dallas Cowboys, throwing for four touchdowns. If he can have a strong performance on Sunday against the Texans, he can move his own goal posts this week.
The Texans are the 31st-ranked red zone defense in the NFL heading into Week 9, and Denver must capitalize when down there.
Bold Prediction: Bo Nix throws for two touchdowns, rushes for one
Kickoff is at 11:00 a.m. MT on FOX.
