ENGLEWOOD, Colo. --For the Broncos, it's on to Cincinnati, but without tight end Virgil Green, offensive lineman Donald Stephenson and outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware.
How the Broncos will adapt to the absence of two offensive starters is where Friday's wrap begins:
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- THE PLAN AT TIGHT END WITHOUT VIRGIL GREEN**
Veteran John Phillips is expected to start while Green recovers from a calf injury, but Jeff Heuerman should see extensive work as he makes his regular-season debut.
"I think he's going to be physical; he's going to play hard," Green said. "Obviously he catches the ball well, runs nice routes. But I think what most people wouldn't think about Jeff is that he's a very strong guy and he's not afraid to get physical."
Added Phillips: "We're not one-dimensional. I think everybody here can run-block and pass-catch, [are] big targets in the red zone and stuff like that. I think all three of us can do a little bit of everything."
Green, meanwhile, will watch the game in his basement, aching to play.
"These guys are preparing mentally for the game; I'm preparing myself mentally not to get too frustrated while I'm watching," he said.
Green was in the locker room after practice, wearing a compression sock on his left leg to aid in healing.
"I think it's healing at a faster pace than some of the other calf injuries that I've dealt with," he said. "Every time I wear the [compression sock], the next day I feel much better."
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- ROTATION STILL THE PLAN WITHOUT STEPHENSON**
Kubiak reiterated that no decision had been made on how the starting lineup on the right flank of the offensive line would look with Donald Stephenson out because of a groin injury.
"We're still talking about that, because we feel like we're going to have to play seven guys, and we've been operating that way all week," Head Coach Gary Kubiak said.
Ty Sambrailo is expected to be in the mix for the first time after missing the entire month of August and the first two regular-season games following a July 31 elbow injury. But Kubiak said that putting Sambrailo on a play count would be "kind of hard to do" because only seven linemen would be active.
"We can rotate and obviously get him a series or something out of the game, but it's going to be really hard," Kubiak said.
But Kubiak noted that Sambrailo was ready to go last week if he had been needed. The Broncos opted to not suit him up for the Colts game.
"I think he's been working toward game condition for a while. It's not like it happened this week," Kubiak said.
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- BRINGING THE NOISE FOR SIEMIAN**
You could be up to a mile away from the UCHealth Training Center and still hear the music being blasted during practice this week to give Trevor Siemian a chance to simulate work under the kind of deafening conditions that will greet the Broncos at Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday.
"We made it really, really hard on him, so practice has not been easy," Kubiak said. "But that's O.K., because the game's not easy either. We worked him hard to get him ready for what he's fixing to face."
Friday's practice also brought another complicating element: steady winds of 17 to 21 miles per hour with 30-miles-per-hour gusts.
"I think today's practice really helped us prepare for this game, because [with] the noise and the wind, it was really hard to concentrate today," Kubiak said.
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- FIRST-DOWN SUCCESS LEADS TO AVOIDING THREE-AND-OUTS**
One key reason why the Broncos offense has gone three-and-out on just three of 18 possessions so far this season is the unit's success on first down.
Last year, the Broncos averaged 5.58 yards per first-down play. So far this season, they're picking up more than a half-yard more on first down, averaging 6.19 yards per snap.
On first-down runs, the Broncos have improved from 4.04 yards per carry to 4.64. On first-down pass plays, they're up by 1.10 yards, from 7.05 to 8.15 yards.
The difference is even more pronounced when compared with the first two games of 2015, when the Broncos averaged just 3.14 yards per first-down run -- which was the sixth-worst average in the NFL at that point -- and a league-low 3.37 yards per first-down pass play, giving the Broncos a 3.27-yard average that was 1.18 yards worse than anybody else.
"Clearly we've been running the ball better at the first of the year than we did last year," Offensive Coordinator Rick Dennison said. "I think our success on first down really helps us. If you don't have success on first down, the chances of going three-and-out increases tremendously."
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- BEING MINDFUL OF TYLER BOYD**
The free-agent departures of Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones left voids in the Bengals' wide receiver corps beyond perennial Pro Bowler A.J. Green, but second-round pick Tyler Boyd has wasted little time becoming a reliable target who can take advantage of the attention paid to Green.
Boyd has 102 yards on eight receptions during the first two games, punctuated by a six-catch, 78-yard performance in the regular-season opener against the New York Jets.
"We really liked this kid coming out of the draft," Kubiak said. "He's a really good player. I know he was really well-coached in college."
Boyd's position coach at Pitt in 2014 was Greg Lewis, who played eight seasons with the Eagles and Vikings from 2003-10. In 2015, Boyd was coached by Kevin Sherman, who worked as a coaching intern on the Broncos' staff during the summer of 2004.
What makes Boyd stand out is his frame. Most slot receivers are below 6 feet of height; Boyd is 6-foot-2 and 197 pounds.
"He's actually bigger than some of the usual guys that play the slot," Kubiak said.
A look at five of the most important matchups that will help decide the game when the Broncos travel to take on the Bengals on Sunday. (Photos by AP)
A.J. Green has picked up right where he left off as one of the most dynamic, game-changing players in the league. His 218 yards through two games rank third in the NFL, and he's added a pair of touchdowns. Cornerback Aqib Talib will be one of the Broncos charged with slowing Green down. He typically matches up with the opponent's larger, more-physical receiver, and Sunday will likely be no different. If Talib can frustrate Green, and perhaps even turn in another dazzling interception return for a touchdown, the Broncos' chances of winning at Paul Brown Stadium will dramatically increase.
Bengals defensive lineman Geno Atkins could cause fits for Denver's interior offensive line no matter where he lines up. As a 3-technique, Atkins would likely be across from either Max Garcia or whoever starts at right guard. If he shifts down into a 1-technique, center Matt Paradis could draw the assignment. The Bengals' defense thrives on getting pressure and stopping the run with its front four, and Denver's chances to win could hinge on the offensive line's ability to neutralize that threat. Accomplishing that feat begins and ends with slowing down Geno Atkins. On Cincinnati's star-studded defensive front, he may pose the biggest challenge of all.
Inside linebackers Todd Davis and Brandon Marshall will be largely responsible for helping shut down the Bengals' dynamic running back tandem of Hill and Bernard. Cincinnati began coupling the two backs in 2014 to much success, totaling 2,368 yards from scrimmage (1,804 combined rushing yards) with 16 total touchdowns. They followed up with another solid season in 2015, combining for 2,075 yards from scrimmage (1,524 rushing yards) and 14 total touchdowns. The Bengals lean on Hill more in the rushing attack, and Bernard is a more dynamic player in the passing game, as evidenced by his receiving touchdown against Pittsburgh in Week 2, as well as his 9.1 yards per reception for his career. In the first two games, Cincinnati has only mustered 2.78 yards per rushing attempt, and they will assuredly look to improve that mark Sunday.
Behind a powerful offensive line, Anderson has been the rock of the Broncos' offense through the first two games. Anderson totaled 232 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns in the first two games. It's not just his vision as a ballcarrier or quickness out of the backfield that Dansby will need to account for. Anderson's hands and elusiveness have also made him a dangerous receiving threat. Dansby, a 13-year veteran, is a formidable opponent across the line of scrimmage with a 2013 second-team All-Pro selection to his name.
Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton has rocketed out to a fast start this year and leads the NFL with 732 passing yards through two games. The Bengals have averaged 42 pass plays per game as they've established a dynamic aerial attack behind Dalton's 94.9 QB rating. While the Bengals may look to get back to the running game, there's no doubt Dalton gives them the ability to stretch the field. But Dalton also is tied for the league lead in a less glamourous category: sacks. Dalton and Chicago's Jay Culter have each been sacked eight times through two games, as the Jets took Dalton down seven times in Week 1. As the Broncos look to limit the passing game and put Dalton on his back, safety Darian Stewart has room to make an impact. He'll patrol the back end on defense and has shown his ability through the first two games to come up and deliver hits on quarterbacks. Keeping Dalton off balance could help put the Broncos on a fast track to success.
