Peyton Manning needs C.J. Anderson to stand out this week
The Denver Broncos head into this week’s game against the rival Kansas City Chiefs in a tough spot, and it isn’t just because the Chiefs are on the right track again after winning back-to-back games before the bye. Peyton Manning might be less than 100% on gameday with a foot injury, and it seems like there’s a good chance Emmanuel Sanders, who was the team’s most important player in the Broncos narrow, come-from-behind win over K.C. in Week 2, could be ruled out with an injury he picked up last week against the Indianapolis Colts.
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Although the Broncos nearly came back to defeat Indy, Andrew Luck pulled out a gusty win to give Denver their first loss of the year, and there’s an awful lot of pressure on this team to avoid dropping two straight. They are obviously the favorites thanks to their elite defense, but the NFL’s top unit will be without superstars Aqib Talib and DeMarcus Ware, putting even more pressure on Manning.
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If Sanders isn’t available, then Manning will likely need someone else to help elevate him on offense. The Chiefs defense is starting to hit its stride, as they have some of the best players in the game in Justin Houston, Eric Berry, Tamba Hali, Sean Smith, Marcus Peters, Derrick Johnson, and the always under-appreciated Jaye Howard. This is a pass defense that has improved steadily throughout the season, with both Smith and Peters shutting down Calvin Johnson last week in their win over the Detroit Lions.
An absence from Sanders would put the pressure on Demaryius Thomas against those top-notch cornerbacks, and it might be hard to trust tight ends Owen Daniels and Vernon Davis against the third-best team in the league at covering TEs, per Football Outsiders.
While the Chiefs aren’t bad at defending the run (they have allowed just 4.0 yards per carry this season), Broncos running back C.J. Anderson has a huge opportunity to put himself back on the map this week. With an average of just 3.6 yards per carry, Anderson has been the most disappointing running back in the league this season, as he averaged a stout 4.7 YPC last season with eight rushing touchdowns. Anderson was one of the NFL’s best running backs in the second half of the 2014 season, so it’s been a shock to see that, instead of taking further steps forward, he’s regressed badly this season as the feature back.
However, the starting gig is Anderson‘s to seize once again, as Ronnie Hillman has struggled in back-to-back weeks after previously gaining momentum over the previous incumbent starter. There’s little doubt that Anderson is a well-rounded back with plenty of talent, and we saw him break plenty of tackles in 2014 en route to 849 rushing yards on 179 carries.
The Broncos need him to flash that form again, and it would be nice for him to make a statement game this week against a division rival that is lead by a head coach who is notoriously good after the bye week. With other key pieces on the Broncos offense ailing, Anderson seems to be back in good health after being plagued by a frustrating toe injury earlier this year. If that toe injury did indeed have a profound impact on his performances, then we can tentatively expect an in-season bounce-back from the 24-year-old Cal product.
Dec 7, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) hands off to running back C.J. Anderson (22) in the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos defeated the Bills 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Against the Green Bay Packers, Anderson had 101 yards on just 14 carries, and he followed that up with a solid 4.9 YPC average on just seven carries. If the Broncos didn’t have to abandon the running game in Week 9, then perhaps Anderson would have put up a second straight 100-yard game.
It’s too early to say that he’s back on track, but if Anderson can shine on Sunday, then we can feel all the more confident that the 2014 regular season- and postseason- star is indeed as legit as we thought he was last season.
I’m a believer, and, more importantly, I feel that his contributions in Week 10 will be vital to this team’s success with uncertainty surrounding Sanders’s status.
They’ll need Anderson to move the chains against K.C., including when they drop back to pass. Not only is Anderson a willing and able pass blocker, but he also looked like an elite receiving back down the stretch of the 2014 season.
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Outside of a big game by Le’Veon Bell in Week 7, the Chiefs run defense has been exceptional in their last four outings, so it won’t be easy for Anderson to have big day.
But for Anderson to assure Broncos fans that he’s truly back and ready to be the workhorse again, he’ll need to prove that he can step up his game against tougher competition in a critical game (just as he did time-after-time late in the 2014 season when Manning was at his worst).