The Denver Broncos earned their third-straight win last Sunday defeating the New York Jets in London. This weekend, the have the luxury of playing in front of a hometown crowd back in Denver hosting the New York Giants. Here are three players I believe need to play at a high level in order for the Broncos to come away with a victory at home against the Giants.
Alex Palczewski — Offensive Lineman
This week, the Broncos face another formidable defensive front. The Giants have a trio of quality edge rushers with Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Abdul Carter. Their starting defensive rotation is formidable as well, headlined by Dexter Lawrence, who might be one of the most impactful interior offense linemen in the National Football League.
Matt Peart was first in line to replace veteran left guard Ben Powers after his biceps injury suffered in Week 5. Things didn’t go that well for the veteran lineman who struggled against the Jets and has since been placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. Stepping up to the plate this week will be versatile backup Alex Palczewski.
Getting most of his work on the right side of the line in camp and the preseason, Palczewski has often been utilized as the team’s sixth offensive lineman in jumbo packages. This week, he will have to be at his best at left guard to stave off the Giants pass rush. Not only that but also be fundamentally sound and avoid racking up penalty calls. It’s a big test for him and I’m intrigued to see whether or not he can be a solution at the position moving forward.
Justin Strnad — Linebacker
Earlier this week, the Broncos designated inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw to return from injured reserve. That began the 21-day process they have to elevate him to the active 53-man roster. It’s unknown whether or not Greenlaw will make is regular season debut this weekend, but with a strong rushing attack heading to Mile High, the Broncos are going to need Justin Strnad to perform well.
Through six games, the veteran linebacker has totaled 25 tackles, 5 quarterback hits, and 3.5 sacks. He is playing roughly 75-percent of the team’s defensive snaps, the highest mark of his career since being drafted in 2020. Over the past two years, he has played admirably as a starter due to other injuries.
The Giants offense is propelled by rookie running back Cam Skattebo. He has been a productive rusher and receiver early on in his career. This is a game Denver can’t afford to let Skattebo wear down their defense and churn out first downs. Virtually one of every three touches Skattebo makes generates a new set of downs. Hopefully Strnad can play at a high level and slow #44 down.
Bo Nix — Quarterback
This will be the third time Nix has been listed as a player to watch by me. Last week against the Jets, I felt Nix performed just fine through the first fifteen minutes of play. After that, Head Coach Sean Payton opted to embark on a pass game vanishing act, giving Nix less than a half dozen opportunities to throw the ball in the second half.
I’m still baffled by that decision, but yet I’m still hoping to see more growth from the second-year signal caller. Nix’s success rate as a drop back passer has been fleeting at best. Currently, he ranks in the bottom half or third of starting quarterbacks league-wide in key and advanced metrics. While his top-tier ability to throw on the run and make plays out of the pocket is nice, Denver’s ability to be a top-tier team will hinge on Nix’s ability to make progress in the drop back game.
The Giants have a secondary that has given up a lot of yards and first downs through the air. They are also battling some injuries, so I’m really hoping to see a gameplan executed that focuses on making plays down the field. Whether it’s Courtland Sutton rebounding, Evan Engram getting more involved, or another receiver stepping up to the plate, the Broncos will need their quarterback to perform well to earn that coveted fifth win of the year.