There’s going to be a lot of talk in the coming week about Peyton Manning, Von Miller, Demaryius Thomas and the other big names on Denver’s roster, and that’s understandable, but it’s only part of the story.
The Denver Broncos are not built around any one player, and one player certainly isn’t going to win the Denver Broncos any playoff games. This is a team that relies on everybody, and that means that one poor performance could cause the Broncos’ playoff chances to come crumbling down like a Jenga tower.
As we head into Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, we know what kind of team we have: Despite 12 wins and the No. 1 seed, the Denver Broncos are a heavily flawed team, buoyed by an elite defense and an opportunistic offense; too many holes in that flotation device, though, and everybody’s going down.
That’s why we need these guys to step up and keep the Broncos riding (Mile) high. Here are five under-the-radar players the Broncos need to play their best this postseason:
5. Brandon McManus
All you need to do is watch the final minute of Sunday’s Seahawks-Vikings game to understand just how important a kicker is, and it goes double for this Denver Broncos team.
It’s one thing if you’re the 2012 Broncos and you’re winning every game by nearly two touchdowns, but when your a team that has had 12 of their games decided by one score or less, you need every single point. That’s where Brandon McManus comes in.
Whether it’s an extra point or a 50-yard field goal, McManus needs to be money. If not, we could watch the Denver Broncos go the way of the Minnesota Vikings.
Luckily, McManus has been locked in all year, making all field goals within 40 yards and going 10 for 15 on all attempts over 40. You’d like to see that second number be a little higher, but McManus did make some clutch long-distance shots, especially earlier in the year.
At the same time, he was also responsible for this:
https://twitter.com/TrumpForCommish/status/681921956791365633
Until Blair Walsh’s shank on Sunday, this might have been the worst kick of the season, if not the last half century. The Broncos can’t afford another.
4. Omar Bolden
Omar Bolden isn’t exactly a nationally-known player, but his health and availability could prove integral to the AFC playoff picture.
With David Bruton already on the shelf for the rest of the season and Darian Stewart and T.J. Ward fighting to get healthy, the Broncos are desperate for help at the safety position; they need Bolden back out on the field.
Now, Bolden isn’t a great player, but he’s a body, and the Broncos need bodies; they’re giving heavy minutes to Shilo Keo, a guy who was signed to the squad after begging Wade Phillips for a job on Twitter. If Stewart can’t go, having Bolden, who’s spent parts of his career as a cornerback, will be crucial in coverage.
Plus, Bolden is far and away the Broncos best return man. There may very well come a time this postseason where the Broncos need a spark on special teams, and Bolden is the guy to do it.
Amazing punt return TD By Omar Bolden #31/SS @Os_Island #Broncos pic.twitter.com/bMpdkff1B9
— Ryuya Urayama(竜弥) (@RYUYA06) November 9, 2015
More importantly, having Bolden back returning punts means that Emmanuel Sanders no longer has to. And while Sanders is as explosive as anyone on the team, I’d much rather see Bolden back there returning kicks than have to worry about somebody handing Sanders a concussion.
3. Bradley Roby
Chris Harris Jr. and Aqib Talib may be the faces of the “No Fly Zone,” but if it weren’t for Bradley Roby, there would be a whole lot more flying going on.
What makes the Broncos secondary so special isn’t that they have two great cornerbacks; it’s that they have three. In fact, based off of Pro Football Focus’ grading system, Roby (5.4) has outperformed Talib (4.1) this season.
Remember, Roby is a first round draft pick; if he was on just about any other team, he’d be a starting cornerback. That much is clear when he flashes this kind of talent and athleticism:
https://twitter.com/Edge11W/status/678698883439046656
And what makes Roby’s play so impressive is that he gets targeted a lot; quarterbacks would much rather go after the second-year player than the two Pro-Bowlers lined up next to him.
Just take Week 17’s game against the Chargers for example: Roby played over 30 less snaps than either Talib or Harris, and yet he was targeted more than both; he still came out of the game with the highest coverage grade, according to PFF.
If a quarterback is going to take advantage of the Broncos secondary, it’s going to have come through Bradley Roby.
2. Owen Daniels
When the Denver Broncos offense has been at their best, it’s been because they’ve methodically driven down the field with a short-to-intermediate passing game, complemented by a consistent rushing attack. And when the Broncos have succeeded in that kind of offense, it’s been because Owen Daniels has been a major factor in the gameplan.
Now, Daniels isn’t an elite tight end by any means, but over the last half of the season, when the Denver Broncos have needed a play, Daniels has often been involved. He, as all tight ends should be, has been the offense’s security blanket.
And unlike some guys on this team (*cough Vernon Davis cough*), he’s been willing to sacrifice himself for the team.
.@owendaniels one of the better IPhone videos I've ever captured: pic.twitter.com/WWYaCFS3RO
— Mark Haas (@markhaastv) December 29, 2015
Whether it’s Peyton Manning or Brock Osweiler behind center, the tight end, specifically Owen Daniels, needs to be able to make a play when things break down. I don’t expect Daniels to put up Rob Gronkowski-like numbers, but when the pressure breaks through Denver’s line and Manning is inches away from taking a sack on third down, I expect him to be open at the first down marker.
This piece brought to you in part by …
[adrotate banner=”16″]1. Tyler Polumbus/Michael Schofield
I don’t know why I’m still having to say Michael Schofield’s name, but apparently, he’s still contributing something to this team.
Kubiak won't name starter at RT. Says he still has confidence in Michael Schofield.
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) January 7, 2016
https://twitter.com/dmac1043/status/686601203203981312
I’m not sure what tape Gary Kubiak has been watching, but from what I can tell, I might be better at anchoring down the right side of that line, and I can barely crack 140 pounds. If Polumbus isn’t starting come kickoff on Sunday, Schofield better have taken some of Russell Wilson’s “miracle water.”
Either way, all that matters is that whoever is at right tackle is doing their job to a competent degree. I’m not asking for brilliance; I’m just asking for him not to be the worst offensive lineman in the NFL, which is exactly what Schofield has been.
The sad truth is that the Broncos offensive line hasn’t been as miserable as they’ve been made out to be this season; Schofield has just been so bad that he’s dragged the rest of the unit down with him, especially Louis Vasquez. If that position can just be okay, then maybe the Broncos line can start playing a little more like they did during the second half of the at Chargers game when, oh yeah, Polumbus was put in the game.
But if that right side of the line continues to be a revolving door for pass rushers, it doesn’t matter who’s at quarterback, this offense is going nowhere.