The Denver Broncos Week 14 win against the Detroit Lions was a huge boost for the team as they vie to stay in contention for the playoffs. The team showed out in honor of the late Demaryius Thomas, in what was an emotional afternoon in the Mile High City. The 38-10 win was exactly the performance the doctor ordered for Vic Fangio and Co., who were in cruise control throughout en route to their seventh win of the season.
The ground game was absolutely stellar for Denver, with the tandem of Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon serving as constant threats out of the backfield. Meanwhile, Teddy Bridgewater displayed pinpoint accuracy as he picked apart Detroit's secondary. The defense was locked in, too, holding the Lions to 10 points and coming up with some key stops.
The win saw the Broncos improve to 7-6, just two games behind the Chiefs in the AFC West. They'll look to make it back-to-back wins with a victory against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 15. For now, here are a few Denver Broncos Week 14 takeaways from the team's impressive rout of the Lions.
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Denver Broncos Week 14 Takeaways
3. Melvin Gordon is putting it all on the line
Melvin Gordon has shown grit throughout the 2021 season, as he's been fighting through injuries to stay on the field. Having missed Week 13, Gordon returned against the Lions, but was immediately banged up with a hand injury in the first quarter. Despite another injury, Gordon came back into the game and was ultra-productive for the Broncos, racking up over 100 rushing yards and scoring a pair of touchdowns. While the emergence of Javonte Williams has been a pleasant sight for Broncos fans, Gordon is proving that he still has a role to play on this team, regardless of how many ailments are slowing him down. The veteran had arguably his best game of the season in Week 14, and if he can keep this level of play up, the Broncos' backfield will be lethal.
2. Denver has a top-tier defense
While much of the talk around the league's defensive stars has been focused on Micah Parsons, Patrick Surtain II, whom the Broncos selected ahead of Parsons in the draft, has quietly been enjoying a tremendous year in his own right. He, Kareem Jackson, Justin Simmons, and Ronald Darby have been dominant in the secondary in 2021, with the Broncos surrendering the 10th-fewest passing yards per game in the league. They've averaged 0.9 interceptions per game this year, which ranks in the top half of the league, and opposing quarterbacks have a dismal 58.4% completion percentage throwing against the Broncos this year.
The Broncos' run defense also ranks 10th in the league in terms of rushing yards allowed, showing just how difficult it's been for opponents to get ahead of this team. The defense playing at such a high level allows Bridgewater and the rest of the offense to operate more fluidly, and it showed in Week 14.
1. Javonte Williams is ready to take over the backfield
Javonte Williams has been extremely impressive over the past few weeks, as the rookie running back has truly come into his own. The only issue is that he's stuck splitting time with Melvin Gordon, who has been equally impressive of late. Well, with Gordon headed for free agency at the end of the season, Broncos fans can feel confident in knowing that Williams can handle the bulk of the workload.
Williams was out-carried by Gordon in Week 14, but still managed to pick up 73 yards and a touchdown. It was his second touchdown in three weeks and he's now up to three scores on the season. When Gordon hits the open market, it seems unlikely he'll return to Denver, who will probably want to commit to Williams as their workhorse running back. His play over the last three weeks was certainly enough to ease any doubts as to whether or not he was ready for the challenge. Gordon will still play a key role in 2021, and there's a chance he does end up coming back next season, but Williams is more than capable of being an RB1.
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