Broncos Week 4 Talking Points: In last two years, starting 4-0 has meant qualifying for playoffs

Beat writer Ryan O’Halloran offers up 3 storylines up of the Broncos’ crippled against the Baltimore Ravens astatine Empower Field connected Sunday.

Chasing 4-0

The Broncos are a constrictive location favourite (two points) implicit Baltimore and person a accidental to commencement 4-0 for the sixth clip since 1999. Only 3 of the erstwhile 5 teams made the postseason aft their speedy starts — wild-card nonaccomplishment successful 2003, Super Bowl nonaccomplishment successful ’13 and Super Bowl triumph successful ’15. In the past 2 seasons, each squad that started 4-0 made the playoffs — Kansas City and New England successful ’19 and Buffalo, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Seattle and Green Bay past year. The Broncos person wins of 14, 10 and 26 points implicit the Giants, Jaguars and Jets, respectively. They are dealing with wounded adversity, but the Ravens (2-1) volition beryllium the archetypal squad to trial the Broncos’ in-game resolve.

Jackson, the passer

The Broncos look Baltimore backmost Lamar Jackson for the archetypal time. During the teams’ past meeting, Week 3 of 2018, helium was backing up aged person Joe Flacco. Jackson, the 2019 NFL MVP, ranks 5th successful the league with 251 rushing yards and his 7.17 mean is tops among the apical 40 players. But the Broncos volition besides request to beryllium connected alert for his passing. Jackson is averaging 12.3 yards per attempt, good up of second-ranked Josh Allen of Buffalo (9.7), and besides leads successful yards per completion (14.4). The Ravens person 14 completions of astatine slightest 20 yards. The Broncos person allowed 11 explosive walk plays (at slightest 16 yards), including 7 of 20-or-more yards (tied for seventh-fewest).

Baltimore’s third-down trouble

The Broncos are 24th connected 3rd down, converting 35.5% of their chances, but they’re lighting it up compared to the Ravens. Baltimore is 30th astatine 30.3% and its crutch has been excessively galore third-and-longs. The Ravens are 1 of 16 erstwhile needing 7 oregon much yards connected 3rd down. Overall, they went 3 of 12 astatine Las Vegas, 6 of 11 vs. Kansas City and 1 of 10 astatine Detroit. If the Broncos tin get the Ravens into third-and-long, it volition semi-limit Jackson’s willingness to permission the pouch and scramble for the archetypal down. Through 3 games, Broncos opponents are 6 of 14 erstwhile needing 4-7 yards, but 2 of 13 erstwhile needing 8 oregon much yards.