Colts Present Two Big Threats to Broncos in Week 2

Taylor will never let that happen again, and if he had held onto the ball, the Broncos may have lost that week, as he was dominant up until that point and the turnover swung momentum in the home team's favor. He had 22 carries for 107 in that game and is looking to exact his revenge and remind the NFL world that he’s still a star in this league.

Taylor had 1,431 yards and 11 touchdowns in only 14 games last year and will be heavily leaned on in 2025 to take pressure off whoever the Colts trot out at quarterback. Denver has struggled to stop the run at times, whether competing against a premier or pedestrian ground attack. 

Solution: New Defensive Additions

While dominant, Denver’s defensive line still struggled to contain opposing ground games, primarily because the linebackers playing behind them were atrocious. In steps former San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who flies around the field with the intent of blowing up anything and everything in his way. 

Greenlaw will help clog up lanes where the defensive line stumbles and cover Taylor if he dares cross him in the passing game. Denver’s other Niners signee, Talanoa Hufanga, will also play a significant role in stopping Taylor due to his ability to play in the box, coming downhill from the safety spot, and laying the lumber like work part-time at a sawmill.

Both of the Broncos’ defensive additions will greatly impact their ability to slow down and even shut down Taylor.

Defensive Threat: DeForest Buckner | DL

Buckner has been a disruptive force at the middle for nearly a decade and continues to produce. He was the 8th-ranked interior defensive lineman according to Pro Football Focus, with seven sacks and eight tackles for a loss in 12 games during the 2024 season.

Buckner will be fresh with the Broncos’ matchup coming in Week 2, and his side of the ball will be called upon to carry the team through uncertain times on offense. Getting up into a young quarterback’s face is the best way to throw them off their game, and Buckner is a savant at making signal callers uncomfortable.

Solution: Run the Ball

It may sound counterintuitive to run the ball against a beast like Buckner, but it may be the best path to victory. He is 31 years old and can be pushed to exhaustion by pounding the rock with Denver’s top-tier offensive line.

All-Pro right guard Quinn Meinerz will have to lead the Broncos' charge as the best run-blocking offensive lineman on the team with a nasty bully mentality. Running backs J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey are much better at using blocking to their advantage, unlike Javonte Williams, whose mission was seemingly to smash into his own line.

Pushing the run game to the max to tire out Buckner will not only slow him down but also open up the pass game for Bo Nix. 

The Takeaway

The Broncos’ first two games look like layups on paper, but to be a championship-caliber team, they must treat every opponent as an equal. The Colts may have a level of dysfunction that could derail their season, but they still have a pair of talented players in Taylor and Buckner who could turn an easy win into a trap game.

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