Against the Kansas City Chiefs last week, the Denver Broncos put on a tale of two halves. While their defense flipped a switch and had a great game, the offense struggled.
Although the passing game was tough in Week 6, there was a silver lining for the Broncos' offense in Kansas City - their ground game.
Denver's running backs, Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin, showcased their skills by rushing a combined 17 times for 82 yards against the Chiefs. That's an average of just under five yards per carry. The credit for this success goes to the offensive line, which opened up running lanes for Williams and McLaughlin.
"I thought the offensive line - it starts with those guys up front - I thought they did a really good job being physical," praised Denver quarterback Russell Wilson. "It's a really good defense and a really good defensive front, their linebackers do a good job and I thought our offensive line did a really good job battling with those guys, play after play. I thought that we ran it well when we needed to and did some really good things there."
Wilson himself also contributed to the ground attack, scrambling four times for 31 yards in Week 6. Overall, the Broncos rushed the ball 23 times for 115 yards, averaging exactly five yards per carry. It's worth noting that if Denver hadn't fallen behind and been forced to pass, they could have had even more carries for their running backs.
Looking ahead, the Broncos can rely on the dynamic duo of Williams and McLaughlin to establish a productive rushing attack. However, for the game plan to allow a run-heavy offense, Denver will need to keep the score close. When their numbers are called, Williams and McLaughlin have proven to be formidable weapons that Denver can rely on for yardage.
