Can Denver's inconsistent offense step up when their dominant defense faces an off day against Josh Allen and the Bills?
All season long, the Denver Broncos defense has been the center focus of this team.
Now, the Broncos will face the No. 6 seed Buffalo Bills on Saturday in the Divisional Round.
A year ago, the Broncos saw their postseason end with a loss to the Bills and Josh Allen, so it might not be the matchup they were hoping for.
Entering the Divisional Round, Jeffri Chadiha of NFL.com posed one question for each team. For the Broncos, here is the question.
"Is the Broncos' offense ready to do its part?"
Here's what Chadiha wrote in regard to that question.
"Denver has been the best team in the AFC largely because its defense has made life difficult for most opponents. No team was better at stifling opponents in the red zone, and the Broncos also set a franchise record with 68 sacks. Of all the teams that qualified for the postseason, Denver was one of the four with a defense that could carry it to a championship (along with Seattle, Philadelphia and Houston). The Broncos' offense unfortunately does not inspire the same confidence, with the questions starting with second-year quarterback Bo Nix. He’s developed a reputation for being wildly inconsistent, as he can look awful for two or three quarters before producing clutch play after clutch play when the outcome hangs in the balance. In fact, one of the crazier statistics of this year is that Nix led the league with 612 passing attempts despite ranking 26th in the league with an 87.8 passer rating."
So, yes, the offense has had its fair share of concerns and worries this season, and the season-ending injury to JK Dobbins has left the running back room more thin then they hope for.
"This all leads toward a question that is worth posing: What happens if Denver’s defense has an off day in the Divisional Round against the Buffalo Bills and Nix is leading a one-dimensional offense?" Chadiha asked. The Broncos have shown they can handle adverse situations, as they’re 11-2 in one-score games this season. They also thrive in third-down situations (ranking 11th in the league in conversions), and head coach Sean Payton has a knack for dialing up the right plays at critical moments for receivers like Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin and tight end Evan Engram."
Some might remember the recent 34-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The defense wasn't able to do much, and the offense also wasn't able to do its part.
If that happens against the Bills, it is another early exit for Sean Payton's team, and if it happens at home while being the No. 1 seed in the AFC, it would certainly leave a sour taste in their mouths all offseason long.