After struggling through the first three weeks of the season, Javonte Williams and the Denver Broncos‘ ground game finally got back on track against the New York Jets in Week 4.
Williams rushed 16 times for 77 yards against the Jets, averaging 4.8 yards per carry. Jaleel McLaughlin added nine carries for 46 yards (5.1 YPC). That’s the kind of production Denver hoped to see from its backfield this fall.
Bronco coach Sean Payton credited the offensive line following a 10-9 win over the Jets.
“Well, I thought the key started up front,” Payton said Sunday. “We got to some six holes, seven-hole wide zones, we got to some duo schemes, we brought them. We knew analytically this was a team that’s better in coverage and you had a little bit more susceptible, if you will, in the run game. Know we hit a couple traps, I could tell the lineman felt like at halftime that, ‘Hey, just keep [running ]’ – well that’s easy too when it was as wet as it was. Ultimately though when it dried up, we were going to have to make a play or two in the passing game. But those guys up front, I think were the key.”
Garett Bolles, Denver’s left tackle, is always eager to open up running lanes.
“He’s a special back,” Bolles said of Williams. “He has the ability to be one of the best in the league, but we need to open up holes and show his talent and that’s what we did today. I’m just grateful for Ben (Powers), Luke (Wattenberg), Quinn (Meinerz), ‘Palco’ (Alex Palczewski), everybody that we had up front we just grinded it out and our backs found the running lanes and hit the holes, and we knew what we needed to do today.”
The Broncos finished the day with 126 rushing yards, their second-best total of the season. Sunday was a step forward, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement.
“I thought Javonte and Jaleel played well yesterday,” Payton said Monday. “Meinerz got a game ball. I thought we were physical. It was a messy first half. It was difficult with the conditions, and yet that’s just the way that game unfolded. That’s still a work in progress, and I want it to rest on their shoulders too. Especially late in the game.
“We [had] a chance late in the game really with the final play on third down. Before we attempt the field goal, we can ice it there with a quarterback kind of crack sweep and we just didn’t get the blocks we needed. We’re building on that, and I think it’s going to be important for us going forward.”
Up next for Denver is a home game against the Las Vegas Raiders, who have allowed 137.5 rushing yards per game this season. Williams and Co. will look to keep the momentum going in Week 5.
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