DENVER — Daunting as the challenge is for the 0-2 Denver Broncos in their game Sunday against the 2-0 Miami Dolphins in Miami, the visitors can pull off an upset victory by adhering to these 9 keys:
1. Double-team Tyreek Hill
In 11 career games against the Broncos, all while playing for the winning side Kansas City Chiefs, Hill has 46 catches for 492 yards and 5 touchdowns, plus 10 carries for 131 yards and two more touchdowns rushing. He also had an 86-yard touchdown return off a free kick in his rookie season of 2016 against the Broncos in a game that was the line of demarcation in the divisional series.
What’s been especially impressive about Hill is he became a better player after he was traded by the Chiefs to the Dolphins in exchange for five draft picks – and receiving a $30 million a year contract. Most players see their production reduced after getting big money while playing in a new system, but Hill had 119 catches for 1,710 yards last year in his first season with the Dolphins and has 16 catches for 255 yards and 3 touchdowns through two games this year.
He’s a 5-foot-10, strong, extremely fast dynamo who cannot be stopped one-on-one.
2. Jewell, Singleton, Kareem fill the zone gaps
Miami coach Mike McDaniel is a disciple of the Kyle Shanahan zone running scheme. McDaniel is also a disciple of the Mike Shanahan zone running scheme from the mid-2000s. The flow of blockers and one-cut running of Raheem Mostert, who rushed for 121 yards on 6.7 yards per carry last week at New England, can be stopped if Broncos’ linebackers Josey Jewell and Alex Singleton and safety Kareem Jackson attack their gaps wisely.
3. More Marvin and the kids
Marvin Mims Jr., Drew Sanders, Riley Moss and Jaleel McLaughlin are the Broncos’ top rookies with seventh-round center Alex Forsyth coming on in practice. The vets got the playing time in the first two games, and the Broncos lost both. At home. Moving forward, the Broncos have to give more action to their rookies, especially Mims, who was key in two Broncos’ touchdowns last week and nearly set up a third. If they’re going to go down, go down while developing the future.
4. Run the ball
Can’t have a game where No. 2 running back Samaje Perine and No. 3 back McLaughlin each have just one carry like last week. Not against the high-powered Dolphins who are No. 1 in total offense and No. 3 in points scored.
Javonte Williams seems close to his old self as he nears the 1-year anniversary of his knee injury. But Perine and McLaughlin – and another dose of Wilson keepers in the read-option game – can give the Broncos a four-headed rushing attack against former Broncos edge defender Bradley Chubb and the Miami defense.
5. Hydrate
The Broncos lost backup safety Dellarin Turner-Yell for one series to cramping in the fourth quarter last week. It’s supposed to be 85 degrees and humid in Miami for the 1 p.m. local time kickoff.
6. Even if tough to break, take the bend
It won’t be easy going deep against the Vic Fangio-coordinated Miami defense as he usually plays a two-safety deep defense while mixing his man-to-man and zone coverages. He wasn’t much of a blitzer during his three seasons as Broncos’ head coach, but he’ll call for it as his gut speaks. Typically, offenses can move the ball between the 20s on Fangio’s defense but his red zone defense is as tough as it gets.
7. Fewer penalties
While the Broncos are tied for last with 19 penalties committed, their opponents through two games drew 18 penalties, or tied for 3rd-most. This indicates the crews for referees Bill Vinovich and Brad Rogers called their respective Broncos’ games tight. This week, the Broncos-Dolphins draw referee Clay Martin, whose 17 overall penalties are the fewest among crews who have worked two games.
It’s not necessarily how many, though, but when. The defensive penalties have been particularly ill-timed for the Denver D.
8. Relax!
Sure, the state of the team seems bleak after losing the first two games at home with a road game against the high-powered Dolphins up next. But that’s just it. The Broncos were supposed to win each of the first two games. Against both the Raiders and Commanders, Denver was better than a 3-point favorite. But the Dolphins are supposed to win this one, and by a fairly significant margin. The Broncos should play like they have nothing to lose.
9. Russ in the second half like Russ in the first half
The first- and second-half stat splits for Broncos’ quarterback Russell Wilson almost make the home-road splits for Colorado Rockies’ hitters look balanced. Wilson in the first half this season: 23 of 27, 279 yards, 4 touchdowns, 0 interceptions for a 149.3 passer rating, 3 sacks.
Wilson in his two, second halves: 22 of 39, 206 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 pick, 69.0 rating, 6 sacks.
It’s almost impossible to have four good quarters against a Fangio defense, but consistency is always the goal.
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