Three numbers to know for Broncos-Panthers
Nov 26, 2022, 3:19 PM
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Denver is the Queen City of the Plains — yes, that’s one of the nicknames for our fair city. So, perhaps a trip to the Queen City will feel familiar enough to make the Broncos feel at home?
After all, while the Broncos aren’t exactly tearing the world up in Denver, their road form has been downright dreadful. The quest to change that is where this week’s pregame numbers piece begins.
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7
That is the length of the Broncos’ current losing streak in true road games. (This isn’t counting the Week 87 game in London, which was officially a Jaguars home game but is, at most, a neutral site.)
The unfortunate part is, it’s only the Broncos’ longest road losing streak in the last four years. They had an 8-game skid that began with a Dec. 11, 2016 loss at Tennessee and mercifully ended with a 25-13 Thursday Night Football win at Indianapolis one year and three days later.
With a win Sunday, the Broncos can avoid traipsing into historically awful territory. But with a loss, the Broncos will need an upset of Baltimore next week to avoid the franchise’s longest road losing streak since a 12-game skid that began in 1963 and finally ended on Sep. 24, 1965 at Boston.
But on the flip side …
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9
That is the number of the touchdowns scored by the Broncos away from Denver this season, including the 3 scored at London. The Broncos average more than twice as many touchdowns on the road this season (1.8) as at home (0.8). What’s more, Russell Wilson’s touchdown-to-interception ratio is 6-to-2 on the road, compared with 1-to-3 in four home games. His passer rating is 18.4 points higher on the road this season.
Maybe getting away is a good thing?
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318
That is the total points scored by both the Broncos and their opponents in Denver’s games so far this season. It’s the lowest for any NFL team since the 2011 Jaguars.
Certainly, 31.8 total points between the teams in Denver’s games is underwhelming. But the often-dominant defense is equally responsible in this; only the San Francisco 49ers have allowed fewer points this season than the Broncos, who have surrendered 17.1 points per game.
Undoubtedly, Carolina doesn’t want to see Ejiro Evero’s defense, just seven days after mustering just 3 points in a 13-3 loss at Baltimore.
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