A strong defense and a bit of good luck are helping Denver make a comeback, and the Broncos hope this will lead them back to being relevant, something they haven’t had since they beat Carolina in Super Bowl 50 over eight years ago.
The Broncos (4-3) are hosting the Panthers (1-6) on Sunday, coming off a winning streak. They’ve won four out of five games against teams that were missing important players.
The Buccaneers played without Antoine Winfield Jr. and Vita Vea, the Raiders were without Davante Adams before his trade, and the Saints had a long list of injured stars, including Derek Carr, Taysom Hill, and Chris Olave.
The Broncos won against all three teams by an average of 19.3 points.
The Panthers are bringing back Bryce Young, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft, at quarterback after Andy Dalton was hurt in a car accident and has a sprained thumb.
“I’m excited for him to have another chance and to just go out there and play,” said Panthers coach Dave Canales about Young, who was benched after starting 0-2 and has a record of 2-16 in the NFL.
So, the Broncos could be getting another big advantage this Sunday. But maybe not.
“He’s very smart, and he gets the ball out quickly,” said Denver defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. “He’s a first overall pick for a reason. That’s a league assessment, not just one team’s opinion. He has talent, and that’s not an issue for him.”
The challenge for Young, like it is for Denver rookie QB Bo Nix, is a lack of experience at the professional level.
Joseph described Young as “a young player who hasn’t had much playing time. He’s still figuring out who he is, and so are we.”
Even though Dalton, who is an older, traditional pocket passer, and Young, who is a mobile, dual-threat quarterback, have very different playing styles, the Panthers’ offense isn’t that different, according to Joseph.
“What they do with each quarterback is a bit different because of their physical abilities, but the system hasn’t changed much,” he said. “When facing a player like Bryce who can move around, we need a different plan for our rush. So, that’s always something we consider.
“But every week we prepare for both quarterbacks. They have a starter and a backup, so we pay attention to what the backup can do. Nothing has changed. When we were game-planning on Monday and Tuesday, he was included in our plans. So now he’s in the game.”
Dalton might play as well. Canales mentioned that Dalton could be the backup in Denver. Young is taking his second chance positively.
“I’m not really focused on the big picture or trying to send a message,” Young said. “I want to do everything I can to be my best in meetings and practice. And then, of course, give my all on Sunday. How things are viewed inside the team and outside in the world is beyond my control. I just want to do everything I can to help the team, and that’s where my focus is.”
