Last year, the Denver Broncos offense was nothing short of a juggernaut.
According to our Game Play Finder.
| Situation Splits | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Â | 2014 | Â | Â | Â | 2013 | Â |
| Passes | Rushes | Ratio | Â | Passes | Rushes | Ratio |
| 234 | 89 | 2.63 | Trailing | 224 | 85 | 2.64 |
| 61 | 46 | 1.33 | Tied | 102 | 55 | 1.85 |
| 220 | 217 | 1.01 | Leading | 370 | 321 | 1.15 |
| 244 | 176 | 1.39 | 7-Pt Game | 398 | 229 | 1.74 |
| 146 | 87 | 1.68 | 3-Pt Game | 203 | 113 | 1.80 |
They throw just as much when they're trailing than they did last year and have actually ran more plays while trailing this year than they did in the full 2013 season. But other than that, they have been more dedicated to the run when the game is close -- either tied or within seven points.
More important yet, the Broncos aren't abandoning the run early and rushing only with a lead.
Quarter Splits
Denver is willing to run the ball more in three of four quarters, but their quarter splits indicate that they aren't afraid to open up the pass when it's required.
| Quarter Splits | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Â | 2014 | Â | Â | Â | 2013 | Â |
| Passes | Rushes | Ratio | Â | Passes | Rushes | Ratio |
| 121 | 83 | 1.46 | 1st | 157 | 95 | 1.65 |
| 154 | 83 | 1.86 | 2nd | 200 | 95 | 2.11 |
| 121 | 86 | 1.41 | 3rd | 186 | 125 | 1.49 |
| 119 | 100 | 1.19 | 4th | 148 | 136 | 1.09 |
In the first quarter in 2014, the team passes 1.46 times per every rush, the same as their season-long mark. In 2013, they called 1.65 passes per every rush, up from their 1.51 average on the year. So, the team begins each game more dedicated to the run than they did last year.
The second quarter still sees the highest passes, which is understandable because of the attempt to put points on the board before the half.
Their fourth-quarter numbers, though, are healthier compared to they were last year. The drop is less drastic than in 2013.
The dedication to the run hasn't affected the passing offense negatively. Sure, there's a small drop, but it is, after all, still the second-best unit in all of football. Whether the rushing attack is more efficient because it's less of a grind-the-clock method and more of a legitimate part of the offense or whether running it early is making it more efficient isn't the point.
What's important is that the Broncos are running it earlier, more often, and more efficiently than they did last season, which has allowed them to reduce the number of their plays run and control games in a different way than the record-setting unit of 2013 controlled them.
Whether this helps them take home a Super Bowl ring or not remains to be seen, of course, but this Broncos team isn't the same as it was last year.
And that might make all the difference.