There are numerous issues with the Denver Broncos defense from top to bottom, and it can make any opposing offensive player a threat. The Broncos defense allowed Justin Fields to spark a season turn-around and Zach Wilson to have a solid game in Week 6.
This unit has allowed struggling offenses to look great, except in its last game against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, when breaking down Week 7 again, it was clear the Chiefs didn't respect the Broncos defense and tried things they don't usually do, including the 'tush push' coming from what was initially a field goal formation.
Denver's defense did well, but the Chiefs offense, which has struggled all season, didn't play the Broncos as they normally would.
Now the Broncos are back at home and must take on a struggling Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers. It's easy to watch Jordan Love and see his struggles, but the Broncos defense has allowed struggling quarterbacks to play well.
If the Broncos want to win their first home game, they need to make sure Love struggles throughout the game, which means eliminating his favorite receiver as a viable target consistently.
Romeo Doubs has become a quality receiver in the NFL and is the favorite target of the quarterback. Doubs has been targeted 10 times more than the next player on the Packers offense and leads in catches, yards, and touchdowns.
The Packers like to move Doubs around the formation, playing 113 snaps as the left boundary receiver and 86 as the right boundary receiver. He doesn't line up in the slot often, with only 34 snaps this season.
The Packers' passing offense hasn't been great, so Doubs doesn't stand in a good spot compared to the rest of the NFL. Among receivers with at least 30 targets, Doubs ranks 43rd in receiving yards out of 49 qualifying receivers. He has as many targets this year as Denver's Courtland Sutton.
So, the passing offense for the Packers can't be allowed to get into a rhythm. When they do, the Packers can move the ball decently well and use that to open up their running game.
The key to getting Green Bay's passing offense going is Doubs. So the pressure will be on Patrick Surtain II, Damarri Mathis, and Ja'Quan McMillian to keep Love from using Doubs to get the offense going.
It's easy to say to mirror Doubs with Surtain, but his season has not quite been the level the Broncos expected. He has had a solid season, but there were back-to-back weeks where he struggled.
Then there is Mathis, who has struggled all season long. He has been one of the worst corners in the NFL through the first six weeks.
Over the six weeks, Mathis has been targeted 36 times, allowing 27 catches for 361 yards and four touchdowns. If he were making the big plays to balance it out, that would be one thing, but that hasn't been the case.
McMillan has only started a few weeks at this point, but he has been solid playing as the nickel corner for the Broncos. In their game against the Chiefs, McMillian made multiple big plays against the run and did well in the passing game for the most part.
The Broncos are searching for their first home win against the Packers after blowing halftime leads in their first three chances. To walk out with the win in this one, the Broncos must make Love play to his struggles, which means taking Doubs out of the picture.
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