The Lead
The Broncos will enter their Week 18 finale against the Las Vegas Raiders with plenty on the line, including the opportunity to seal a winning record. In addition to challenging for a pivotal ninth win, several Denver players have impressive single-season statistical milestones that they could reach with strong performances in Allegiant Stadium on Sunday. Here are five players to watch and the stat to track.
OLB Jonathon Cooper: 10 sacks
Against the Chargers, outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper became the first Denver player since 2018 to record at least 8.5 sacks, and while he's already reached his preseason goal of 8-10 sacks, he's just 1.5 sacks away from a 10-sack season. The third-year outside linebacker has registered a sack each of the past three games and has already almost doubled his combined sack production from his first two seasons (4.5).
ILB Alex Singleton: 13 double-digit tackle games
With his 12th double-digit tackle game in Week 17, inside linebacker Alex Singleton tied Foyesade Oluokun and Hall of Famer Zach Thomas for most double-digit tackle games in a single-season since at least 1999. Singleton could separate himself with another strong performance against the Raiders. A double-digit tackle performance would also give Singleton the most total tackles by a Broncos player since 1991. The veteran linebacker enters Week 18 just six total tackles behind the NFL leader, Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin, and he could secure a top spot on the metric's single-season leaderboard.
K Wil Lutz: 32 made field goals
Kicker Wil Lutz has had a successful first year in Denver, and he'll have the chance to make it a historic one in the Broncos' finale. The AFC Special Teams Player of the Month from November has made 30 field goals so far in the 2023 season, ranking behind only Jason Elam's 31-make seasons in 1995 and 2001. Two more field goals would boost Lutz's total to 32 and give him the single-season franchise record. Leaguewide, Lutz currently ranks in the top ten in made field goals.
DT D.J. Jones: four forced fumbles
Defensive tackle D.J. Jones became the first Broncos defensive tackle since at least 1994 with three forced fumbles with his strip of Chargers running back Austin Ekeler, and he could set the bar even higher in Week 18. A forced fumble would move Jones into a tie for fourth in forced fumbles by a Broncos defender since 1994 and could also help boost the Broncos' lead in fumble recoveries; Denver's 15 fumble recoveries rank first in the NFL and are three more than the next-closest teams.
RB Jaleel McLaughlin: 624 scrimmage yards
Rookie running back Jaleel McLaughlin has become an integral part of the Broncos' offense in the past two weeks, exceeding 85 total scrimmage yards each of the past two weeks. With 60 total scrimmage yards against the Raiders, McLaughlin would record the fourth-most total scrimmage yards in a single-season by a Broncos undrafted rookie in team history.
