What a difference eight weeks makes.
Earlier in the 2015 season, week 5 to be exact, a much different looking Broncos squad defeated the Oakland Raiders 16-10 and failed to score an offensive touchdown for the second time in that point of the season. Denver, lead by 18-year veteran Peyton Manning, had a 9-7 lead until the magic that is Chris Harris Jr. took an interception 74-yards to the house, to seal a Denver victory.
“We want to play better offensively,” Manning said. “We want to do our job. Somehow, some way it’s about getting the Denver Broncos a win. There’s no question offensively we want to play better. … Everybody wants to do a better job and that starts with me.”
The Mile High crew at that time was struggling in all offensive categories and looking for a clear identity on the offensive side of the ball. Bronco’s running back C.J. Anderson was the leading rusher that day with a whopping 22 yards.
After a few more weeks, a few loses, and an actual injury to the sheriff, Denver knew something had to be done; that something was done indeed.
Fast forward to week 14 with the new and improved Broncos offense, flying high on the tall shoulders of fourth year QB Brock Osweiler and the running tandem of C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman. Denver ranks 17th in the NFL with a 104.8 rushing yards per game average; much improved from the 84 yards per game average in week five.
“It’s the team I grew up on and the team that I liked and you have an opportunity to play them,” C.J. Anderson said Wednesday. “They have a lot of history, it’s good and it will be fun to play them this weekend.”
Anderson also had his best game of the season last year when the Raiders came to town with 107 total yards and three touchdowns. “I think I played them well at home last year, too. I’m just going to keep pushing it. You try to have a team that’s your favorite to play and this is one of them.”
It is not just Oakland Anderson plays well against; his play has improved drastically in the recent weeks. “You get better with more reps. They’re calling more runs, we’re making more cuts in the backfield and they’re creating lanes up front to get us going.”
The running game struggled in week five and these players know this; Ronnie Hillman is using it as motivation. “We’ve just got to get on guys a lot faster and continue to play. It’s just stay on our guys throughout the whole play.” Hillman also added, “It’s not a different offense. It’s the same offense. Like I said, obviously the plan is to win the game and go out there and play.”
“We’ve got to just pay attention to what’s in front of us,” Hillman said about potentially clinching the division title. “This game is in front of us. If that’s the outcome of this game, if we win or when we win, then that’s what it is. Right now, we’ve got to focus on beating those guys.”
With a win and a Kansas City loss, Denver will be AFC West champs for the fifth straight year; this team will be playing with a little extra motivation come Sunday.
