Subscribe
Follow Us
The Denver Broncos have gotten off to an unenviable 0-3 start this season, and on Sunday, they will take on the suddenly revitalized Jacksonville Jaguars at home.
To be fair to the Broncos, their schedule has not done them any favors early on, as they have played the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers in back-to-back weeks, but they have looked lifeless offensively and have not been great defensively.
If Denver wants to have any chance of making things interesting for the remainder of the year, it absolutely has to win this weekend. No questions asked.
So, here are three burning questions for the Broncos going into Week 4.
3. Can the Offensive Line Do a Better Job?
The Broncos are known for having terrific offensive line units, but that was not the case in 2018, and it certainly has not been the case thus far this season.
Denver has allowed 11 sacks through three games, with six of them coming this past Sunday against the Packers.
Vic Fangio has placed some of that blame on Joe Flacco, saying the veteran quarterback needs to get the ball out quicker, but whether it's penalties or poor protection, the offensive line has not been doing its job.
Going up against a Jaguars defense that is tied for the NFL lead in sacks, the Broncos' offensive line is going to have its hands full this week, and it better be ready for the challenge, or else Flacco is going to spend much of the game on the turf.
Luckily, Denver has a couple of talented running backs in Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman to at least make the ground game passable.
2. When Will the Sacks Start Coming?
The Broncos have two of the league's best pass rushers in Von Miller and Bradley Chubb, and yet, they have not logged a single sack this season. Not one.
How is that even possible through three games?
I'm not sure what is going on with Denver's defensive front, but until it starts applying some pressure on opposing quarterbacks, the Broncos are not going to win games.
They'll get a good opportunity on Sunday, as Jacksonville doesn't exactly have the best offensive line in the league, so perhaps Miller and Co. will finally break out this weekend.
If they don't get going now, I'm not sure they ever will at any point this season.
1. How Much Time Does Joe Flacco Have Left Under Center?
It's no secret that Flacco is not the Broncos' quarterback of the future. He is merely a stopgap until Drew Lock is ready.
Lock is eligible to return in Week 8 after beginning the season on injured reserve due to a thumb injury, so Flacco will likely at least be under center up until that point, but if Flacco struggles between now and then, will Lock replace him?
Fangio didn't really rave about Lock in training camp, saying that the young signal-caller still has a long way to go, but I find it hard to believe that the Broncos won't give him reps at some point this season.
Let's say Flacco has a rough outing against the Jags and doesn't show any improvement over the next several weeks. Is he then working on borrowed time?
