Next up for the Denver Broncos is a game versus the Green Bay Packers. Denver is 1-5, Green Bay is 2-3. Both teams are desperate for wins. But the Broncos needn’t win anymore. Their season is over. And it has been for weeks. So what’s left to play for? Pride, maybe. Job security, perhaps. But fans are already looking ahead to next year’s NFL Draft. However, if Denver wants to win this game, there’s one key player they need to remember. This player needs the ball if the Broncos stand a chance against the Packers. And it’s not a shocking revelation. It simply isn’t something the team has done much so far. And that needs to change.
When The Broncos Play The Packers This Player Needs The Ball
Javonte Williams!
Head coach Sean Payton is pleased with running back Javonte Williams’ progress. But he simply isn’t using him enough. Of course, injuries have been a concern. Williams was lost last season to an injury. And it looked like he would start the 2023 season injured as well. But a remarkable recovery set Williams ahead of schedule. And he was able to take the field Week 1. However, missing one game with a quad injury set him back. But he was able to make that only a one game absence. So why isn’t he being used more? This player needs the ball, and he needs it a lot.
Javonte Williams hasn’t had more than thirteen rush attempts in a game so far this season. Also, he hasn’t had more than four receptions in a game. These numbers must improve. Williams averages four yards per carry. And he averages almost five yards per catch. So why isn’t he being used more often? Why does he only get around a dozen touches per game? His injury concerns are definitely a factor. But games in which he plays need to be games in which he makes a difference. Rookie running back Jaleel McLaughlin is tremendous and helpful. But the real workhorse needs to be Williams.
Caleb Williams?
Another Williams might be on Denver’s mind. And it might be USC quarterback Caleb Williams. Many mock that the Broncos will select Caleb Williams in the 2024 NFL Draft. But what about Javonte Williams? If this player needs the ball and they aren’t giving it to him, is that a sign that the team is already ready to tank for a high draft pick? Many in Broncos Country have already decided that losing the rest of the season would be a good thing. And the reason is Caleb Williams – he may indeed be the second coming of Patrick Mahomes, and that’s nothing to scoff at.
But, if the Broncos want to keep winning, why not return to their running roots? And what better player to lean on than Javonte Williams, the tackle-breaking machine from North Carolina? It may very well be that a fire sale is imminent in Denver as soon as this year’s trade deadline. The writing may very well already be on the wall. But, if there’s any hope, that hope rests with Javonte Williams. His skill and his tenacity need to be seen on the field more often. Simply put, he needs the rock. He needs to be a star. Denver’s path to winning runs through their running backs. Anything else is a white flag.
This Player Needs The Ball. Period.
At the beginning of the season, Denver’s not-so-secret weapons seemed to be their talented runners. Williams, McLaughlin, even quarterback Russell Wilson – this team seemed primed to run. That they haven’t committed to that mentality is concerning. And now, with a record of 1-5, much blame should go to the coaching staff for not calling the games correctly. Wilson has been mostly serviceable, but Denver’s running game is pivotal. And leaving it along the wayside is a crime against this team. Perhaps winning is no longer a concern. And in that case, fans should just pack up and head home.
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