Denver Broncos @ Indianapolis Colts
Final Score: Colts 29, Broncos 28
Writer: Kevan Downs (kdsportsnet on Instagram)
Both teams came out firing, marching down the field with authority on their first drives resulting in a field goal and touchdown for the Colts and Broncos, respectively. Despite trailing most of the day, the Colts always kept it close, and a clutch interception in the fourth quarter by Cam Bynum, allowed the Colts to have a chance at the end. On the final drive, they wanted to try to move down the field while killing the clock with Jonathan Taylor. Expecting runs, the Broncos’ defense was able to limit them to field-goal range, forcing a 60-yard attempt for the win. Spencer Shrader missed the initial try, but was given a second chance after a penalty, which he was able to put through the uprights for the win.
Three Up
- Daniel Jones — This is Jones’ offense. He has played another week looking completely in control of the offense, has great pass-catching weapons around him, and can still use his legs when he needs to. They will need to be more efficient at converting touchdowns in the red zone moving forward (2/5 today).
- JK Dobbins — RJ Harvey is no threat to his touches at this point in time. He outcarried Harvey 14-5 and was far more efficient.
- Troy Franklin — WR2 in Denver? He was locked in with Bo Nix and was the first read on a handful of play calls.
Two Down
- RJ Harvey — Harvey is not passing the eye test so far and has been far less efficient than Dobbins. I wouldn’t be expecting him to out-touch Dobbins any time soon.
- Evan Engram — Engram seemed invisible. For anyone hoping to reclaim some of that magic he had in Jacksonville, he has been wildly disappointing. Adam Troutman was more involved in the offense than Engram in this game.
Denver Broncos
Quarterback
Bo Nix: 22/30, 206 Yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT | 3 Carries, 20 Yards
The broncos came out strong, scoring 3 touchdowns in their first four drives. Following another touchdown on the first drive out of the half, the offense slowed to a stall. Nix struggled to connect with any receiver consistently today aside from Troy Franklin, and untimely penalties and third down incompletions ultimately doomed the Broncos offense. The Colts’ pass rush finally started to get to Nix in the second half and resulted in a poor throw making for an easy interception for Cam Bynum.
Notes
- Nix played better than his low-volume box score might suggest, although, he offense flowed through JK Dobbins and the run game for much of the game. He played well within their system, finding Franklin and Troutman for easy touchdowns. Despite facing pressure from an underrated Colts defense, Nix took zero sacks in the game.
Missed Opportunities
- The Colts’ pass rush got to Nix in the 4th quarter. They forced an awkward throw out of Nix which he floated over Courtland Sutton for a Cam Bynum interception. This occurred on the cusp of the red zone, at a time in the game where another touchdown could have possibly put the game away. Nix struggled to connect with Sutton, floating another over him earlier in the game when facing A gap pressure.
Running Back
JK Dobbins: 14 Carries, 76 Yards, 1 Touchdown | 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 9 Yards
This is JK Dobbins‘ backfield until further notice. The Broncos started the game with a handful of Dobbins run in a row. He looked explosive, starting the day with an 18 yard burst, and finished the day with 5.4 yards per carry.
Notes
- RJ Harvey drafters won’t be thrilled seeing the splits between him and Dobbins after two games. Dobbins carried the ball 14 times compared to Harvey’s five. The biggest thing that stalled drives for the Broncos was starting with poor runs, which forced passing situations. The offense was saved several times via defensive penalties allowed for sustained drives, but the are going to need their run game to stay efficient, which for right now, is all Dobbins.
Missed Opportunities
- Dobbins was given the carry on first-and-goal at the 2 and was stuffed for a loss. Troy Franklin would eventually get the touchdown to finish the drive.
RJ Harvey: 5 carries, 8 yards | 1 Reception, 16 Yards
RJ Harvey is firmly in the RB2 role for the Broncos. His most notable plays happen on special teams if he is given an opportunity for a return.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Troy Franklin: 10 Targets, 7 Receptions, 67 Yards, 2 TDs
Troy Franklin was the only receiver Nix could consistently connect with today. Screens, slants, jet sweep, they found ways to get him involved and get him the ball. With no one else receiving a high volume of targets in the first two weeks, Franklin looks like he could be a firm flex play alongside Courtland Sutton.
Notes
- Franklin started the day in a big way. A broken play that left Nix scrambling left, Franklin set himself up perfectly in the scramble drill to receive a deep ball down the sideline from Nix for a first down. After that play, he caught two more passes on that drive, one setting up first and goal, and the other resulting in a touchdown. He was the first read a handful of time down the stretch as the game went on.
Courtland Sutton: 4 Targets, 1 Reception, 6 Yards
Courtland Sutton didn’t often seem to be a first read in the progression and he was not heavily targeted in the contest. With nine targets in Week 1, I wouldn’t expect this to be a trend for Sutton.
Missed Opportunities
- Sutton was the recipient of several overthrows by Nix. He also drew a couple defensive pass interference calls, allowing the drive to be extended, one of which was in the end zone.
Adam Troutman: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 10 Yards, 1 TD
Potential new TE1 in Denver? Evan Engram received only one less target in the game, but Troutman seemed far more involved and hauled in a touchdown. Depending on their usage moving forward, Troutman could be a TD-dependent TE flier.
Indianapolis Colts
Quarterback
Daniel Jones: 23/34, 316 Yards, 1 TD | 6 Carries, 2 Yards, 1 TD
Daniel Jones just might be an elite fantasy option this year. Given his history, and Week 1 being against a poor Dolphins defense, people surely were skeptical. Now that he’s done it against a staunch Broncos defense, it might be time to believe in Indiana Jones. He wasn’t afraid to go at Pat Surtain. His name was heard a lot, being on the receiving end of giving up receptions. Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, Adonai Mitchell, and Tyler Warren all caught passes in front of Surtain. The Colts showed their willingness to use Jones in short-yardage situations, including at the goal line, with multiple quarterback sneak attempts resulting in a rushing touchdown for Jones.
Notes
- Jones completed passes at every level, stood tall against pressure, and wasn’t afraid to target the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Surtain. He spreads the ball around to all the weapons he has at his disposal, with any of Downs, Pittman, Pierce, or Warren able to pop off on any given week.
Missed Opportunities
- Jones overthrew Josh Downs on the first drive of the game for what would have been a touchdown. Downs beat his defender with a double move and Jones sailed it just a little too far. There were several plays early broken up by the defense where the receiver was looking for the pass interference call. On a fourth-and-2, Jones was looking for Taylor on a rail shot out of the backfield, but that was recognized and covered very well by the defense resulting in a hurried throw and uncompletion to Warren.
Running Back
Jonathan Taylor: 25 Carries, 165 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 50 Yards, 1 TD
Jonathan Taylor will be the most consistent piece of this Colts’ offense. With Jones’ ascension being much of the story so far this season, it may be easy to overlook Taylor, whose performance has been nothing but business as usual. He continues to look explosive in the offense, finishing the day with 6.6 yards per carry. He was also looked for as the first read on a couple passing downs out of the backfield, one of which resulted in his touchdown reception.
Notes
- Taylor is still the best player on this offense. Jones being as good of a passer as he has, helps open things up for Taylor, and there is zero threat of a backup taking touches away. With averaging 24 touches per game through two games, Taylor will have elite volume throughout the season.
Missed Opportunities
- No rushing touchdown today for Taylor, as the Colts opted to continue to try for the quarterback sneak with Jones on the goal line. With Jones now having rushing touchdowns in both games to start the season, he could end up being frustrating for Taylor’s touchdown upside.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Josh Downs: 8 Targets, 6 Receptions, 51 Yards
He may not end many games having with big totals, but he might just end up the most consistent receiving option on this offense. They made efforts to get Downs more involved in this game, putting him in pre-snap motion, generating more advantages for his already shifty route running.
Notes
- Downs always seems open. He looks like the best route runner on the team and is the recipient of easy completions as the first read on speed outs, curls, and crossers. These are types of easy receptions that teams need, especially early in drives to make manageable second and third downs and that should keep him with a consistent target volume over the course of the season.
Missed Opportunities
- Jones overthrew Downs early in the game for what would have been a touchdown. He beat his defender on a double move up the seam.
Tyler Warren: 7 Targets, 4 Receptions, 79 Yards | 1 Carry, 0 Yards
Tyler Warren continues to impress as a rookie and will be a consistent feature in the Colts’ offense.
Notes
- Through two games, Warren is the most-targeted receiver on the Colts offense. He continues to find ways to get open, even beating Surtain for a catch in this game. The Colts show confidence in his playmaking abilities, even giving him a carry on a fourth-and-2 situation, which was ultimately stuffed, but it’s encouraging that they are willing to trust him in big moments like that.
Michael Pittman: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 40 Yards
Michael Pittman doesn’t often seem to be the first read on many plays. With their route running, I expect Downs and Warren to out-target Pittman over the course of the season.
Notes
- Pittman is still a talented receiver. He was one of the handful to get the best of Surtain this game. After a quiet first half, Pittman was far more involved in the second. Like Downs and Warren, Pittman should still have the target opportunities to be productive on any given week, although at a lower ceiling.