The Lead
As Phillip Lindsay prepares to make his return from a toe injury that has sidelined him since Week 1, reuniting with Melvin Gordon III will also return the Broncos' running back corps to full health.
That duo will be a scary sight for opponents, as ESPN's Mike Clay describes in his new ranking of the NFL's top running back tandems, in which he ranked the Broncos fifth.
"The Broncos' pairing is one of two in the NFL in which both running backs have at least 17 scrimmage touchdowns since the start of 2018 (Chubb and Hunt)," Clay wrote.
In their lone game together before Lindsay got hurt, the two combined for 102 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. After that, Gordon has been the lead running back and rushed for 203 yards and two touchdowns on 50 carries with eight catches for 37 yards and a touchdown.
"Lindsay has missed time with a toe injury this season, but Gordon has held down the fort (326 yards, four touchdowns), and these two are in their prime and under team control through at least 2021."
With any luck, we'll be able to see Gordon and Lindsay at their finest on Sunday for the Broncos' Week 5 game in New England. But no matter what, if Lindsay is back, the Broncos will be a different team with him and Gordon ready for action.
"Obviously, the game plan changes a little bit I'm assuming," Gordon said Tuesday. "I'm assuming they're going to try to get us both on the field and use us as weapons to keep teams uneasy. We both bring different things to the table and I think we just need to be prepared to attack."
Below the Fold
October is the month the NFL highlights "A Crucial Catch," its campaign to fight cancer and emphasize the importance of early detection. Former Broncos punter Bucky Dilts is doing his part to raise awareness by advocating for the importance of catching prostate cancer early as a survivor.
What has made Tim Patrick so valuable to the Broncos isn't just his ability to make tough catches. It's also his blocking ability, as former Bronco Nate Jackson writes in The Denver Post. "At 6-foot-4, 212 pounds, Patrick plays with physicality and is willing to mix it up," Jackson writes. "When the run comes to his side, he can spring his teammate for big yardage."
