2024 Week 7: Broncos 33, Saints 10
I absolutely nailed this game, I predicted not just a Broncos blowout victory BUT a defensive score too, which they should have had two but a defensive offsides penalty called the first one back.
Denver (4-3) was in control from the start of their game, had Bo Nix settled in quicker this could have been closer to a 40+ point victory. Nix missed a bunch of wide-open receivers in the first quarter.
The Saints (2-5) have lost five straight. This team was killed by injury and could be heading to a fire sale very shortly. With Derek Carr, Rashid Shaheed, Paulson Adebo, and almost the entire O-line being injured, the Saints are going nowhere fast.
==========================================
QB Report:
- Bo Nix (16/26 for 164 yards; 10 rushes for 75 yards) played a really solid 2.5-3 quarters on Thursday. For most of the first half, Nix couldn’t hit a single wide receiver and there were a lot of them on almost every play. I’d compare it to when an NBA player has a wide-open three-point shot and they air ball… something they’ve done a million times but in-game you expect your shot to be contested/receivers to be covered.
Nix eventually settled in in the second half and played much better, when Nix is running with purpose he’s one of the better QBs in the league.
- Another rookie QB played and started that night, Spencer Rattler (25/35 for 172 yards; 5 rushes for 34 yards). A guy that everyone thought was the steal of the draft and the heir apparent to Derek Carr. Rattler is the most erratic and probably the worst QB to start a game this year.
RB Report:
- Alvin Kamara (7-10-0, 6 catches for 14 yards) started out the year so hot and slowed down once Carr was hurt… Teams aren’t afraid of Rattler and Olave isn’t going to take the top off like Shaheed can so teams will just stack the box like they always do against offenses with a good RB but a bad QB.
Kendre Miller (6-36-0, 2 catches for 1 yard) debuted for the Saints in this game and he is just as good as Kamara, he always does this… comes in for a few snaps, plays great, gets sidelined for a few games, and then starts the cycle all over again.
- Javonte Williams (14-88-2, 3 catches for 23 yards) had a great night, he’s been due for a score and came away with two. I’ve really liked what this offense has been doing for Javonte this season and he’s finally healthy after two years. Javonte would have been in for an even better performance if this was ever a game, but New Orleans died out so fast that Javonte wasn’t getting targeted. Audric Estime (5-29-0) was supposed to steal snaps from Javonte and start to work this backfield into a split, or so I had heard everywhere… except he didn’t. Estime is just a big slow RB and that narrative was more than likely pushed for clicks than anything else.
WR/TE Report:
- There’s not much to say about the Saints passing game, Rattler isn’t great and the Denver defense is so good that they squashed everything that wasn’t garbage time.
- Yes, Courtland Sutton (0-0-0/0) did actually play in this game. 53 out of 59 snaps to be exact. I’ve been saying for weeks that Sutton isn’t good… there just haven’t been any better options than Sutton. As Nix and the other young receivers have developed, Nix doesn’t need to rely on the veteran anymore and is now going to his college teammate Troy Franklin (5-50-0/6), and Devaughn Vele (1-20-0/3). Vele should have had 3 catches and 60 yards but had 2 receptions called back by penalties.
- The Broncos offense is still in its infancy so they’re trying out some new things, getting the ball to different players… favoring one receiver one game, then a different one the next game. This week everyone was working but I am picking up on one receiving threat that seems to be rising… Lucas Krull (3-41-0/4). Just like every other fantasy player, my tight ends are killing me (except for where I have Brock Bowers). Krull might emerge soon, he and Bo are starting to connect more and it’s not like there’s a really great WR here that’s stealing 8/9/10 targets a game… it’s something worth considering in deeper leagues or for a flier on a Bowers-Kittle BYE week like we have coming up.
Krull was a former Saints player that Denver brought in when Sean Payton came over, just like AT Perry, and don’t get me started on AT Perry.
D/ST Report:
The Denver defense has been spectacular all year and they put on a show this week. The secondary has been coming along and even without Pat Surtain they handled business… if there was any week for PS2 to miss, this was the one.
Denver has two Linebackers that have been emerging this year, Justin Strnad (9 tackles, 1 sack, 1 QB Hit) has been getting better week-in and week-out, and Cody Barton (8 tackles, 1 sack, 1 PD, 1 FR, 1 TD) just played his best game of his career. Barton would have had two TDs if not for a defensive offsides penalty.
The best player on the Denver defense right now is Zach Allen (3 tackles, 0.5 sack, 3 QB hits). He should be one of the favorites for DPOY but he doesn’t enough volume in any category. He has 4 sacks, 4 TFLs, and 16 QB hits on the year.
