The Broncos’ trip back home sets up with a familiar kind of edge: two teams that can make life miserable in different ways, and two individual battles that may decide which sideline walks out happiest on Sunday night.
Denver comes in riding the momentum of a big win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, while the Los Angeles Rams arrive with the kind of pass-rush and protection issues that make this matchup feel like it could swing on a handful of snaps. The Broncos and Rams both started ugly, both had lackluster Week 1 showings, and both still look like contenders. That’s what makes this one so interesting.
The first matchup to watch is Bradley Chubb Young against Mike McGlinchey.
Young is the kind of edge rusher who can tilt a game if he’s left alone. He’s an underrated No. 2 option, but the Rams clearly thought enough of him to go get Myles Garrett, who is now on injured reserve.
Even without Garrett, Young has the juice to cause problems. He posted 74 pressures last season, added double-digit sacks as the top guy, and already had five pressures in Week 2.
McGlinchey, meanwhile, has been one of Denver’s shaky spots through two games. The veteran right tackle has surrendered seven pressures and has had issues as a run blocker, too.
That’s a bad combination against a defender like Young, whose quickness is the exact kind of thing McGlinchey has struggled to handle. Young has lined up almost entirely over the right tackle, with 70 snaps there compared to 17 over the left side, 14 of them coming in Week 1.
If McGlinchey can’t slow Young down, Bo Nix is going to feel it.
There’s also a run-game angle here. Young isn’t strong at setting a firm edge or finishing tackles against the run, which increases the pressure on McGlinchey to hold up on the ground as well. If Denver wins that battle, it could do a lot for the offense overall.
The second matchup may matter even more: Nik Bonitto against Alaric Jackson.
Bonitto has become one of the league’s quickest, most explosive pass rushers, and his first step is a problem for any tackle. He has lined up almost exclusively over the left tackle, with 65 snaps there and only 12 elsewhere.
The stat sheet only shows five pressures so far, but that doesn’t capture the full picture. His strip-sack on Trevor Lawrence last week was erased by a Riley Moss penalty.
Jackson has been solid through two games, allowing just four pressures while also giving the Rams quality work in the run game. He has the athleticism to deal with more explosive rushers, which makes him a tough assignment for Bonitto.
Still, the quarterback in this matchup changes the math. Matthew Stafford is, understandably, worse when he’s dealing with blindside pressure.
That’s why Bonitto’s side of the matchup looms so large. If he can win consistently, it can speed Stafford up, force mistakes, and create chances for Denver’s defense.
Stafford is willing to gamble with the ball, and even a little pressure can get him moving toward an interception.
If Jackson keeps Bonitto in check, though, Stafford is better at climbing and moving in the pocket when he can see the rush coming, and he won’t be forced into hurried throws as often. Bonitto has yet to record a sack through two games, so a breakout feels close.
These two edge-vs.-tackle battles are where this game can tilt. If Denver controls them, the Broncos have a clear path to making Sunday night go their way.
In Other News...
Sean Payton Just Put A Broncos Assistant In The Spotlight
After Denvers Week 1 offense sputtered, Sean Payton made a point of putting offensive coordinator Davis Webb in the spotlight for the way he responded and adjusted. For a Broncos staff still shaping the early-season identity around a new seasons opening growing pains, that kind of public credit matters, especially when the head coach is signaling that the fixes are being handled internally and with purpose.
The broader AFC West picture only adds to the pressure around Denvers work. Jim Harbaugh is trying to steady the Chargers after an 0-2 start, with Derwin James talking about the need for honesty and improvement, while Andy Reid is already managing workload issues and a larger role for rookie Emmett Johnson in Kansas City. In a division where every week seems to bring a fresh adjustment, Paytons praise for Webb suggests the Broncos are treating their own early issues as something to solve quickly, not something to explain away. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Get Their Biggest Early Test Yet In Prime Time
Bo Nix and the Broncos are getting an early chance to measure themselves under the brightest lights, with a Week 3 Sunday Night Football matchup at home against Matthew Stafford and the Rams. It is the kind of September test that can tell you a lot without telling you everything, especially with both teams still sorting out their identities after an uneven start. Denver and Los Angeles each dropped their opener before bouncing back in Week 2, and now the Broncos get to see where they stand against a veteran quarterback and a team widely expected to have the edge.
The Rams come in favored, which only raises the stakes for Denver as it tries to build on the positives from its second game and protect itself from the kind of mistakes that can tilt a prime-time showcase quickly. Injury status, individual performance and the betting line all add to the anticipation, but the bigger question is simple: can the Broncos turn an early-season home spotlight into a statement, or will this be the first clear reminder of how far they still have to go? [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Backfield Suddenly Has A New Concern Before Rams Game
The Broncos backfield has picked up some extra attention heading into their matchup with the Rams, with rookie running back Jonah Coleman dealing with a sprained ankle suffered in the Week 2 game against Jacksonville. Sean Payton said Coleman played well even while working through the injury, a small reminder of how quickly the depth chart can get tested in a physical early-season stretch.
RJ Harvey is also still being managed as he works his way back, while J.K. Dobbins is expected to practice this week. For Denver, the issue now is less about one injury than the accumulation of them, and how much flexibility the offense will have if the group is still sorting itself out by game day. [Read more 🡒]