The Broncos are hoping Riley Moss can fix recent secondary issues

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Of the lessons the Denver Broncos have learned on their way to making the playoffs for the first time since 2015, one has recently become abundantly clear: how well second-year cornerback Riley Moss has done this season was.

“He hasn’t played in a few weeks, but he’s had a heck of a year,” Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said.

Moss’ value has been evident in the last three games he missed due to a sprained MCL in his knee. The Broncos struggled to replace him as their secondary was littered with broken coverages and open spaces that opponents took advantage of.

Moss suffered his injury on November 24 against the Las Vegas Raiders. In the three games since, the Broncos are last in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (299.7) and have given up two of their three highest total yards of the season. The Cleveland Browns gained 552 yards (475 through the air) on December 2nd, while the Los Angeles Chargers came from behind to gain 380 yards in their win over Denver on December 19th. The Broncos gave up more than 30 points in each of those games, a number they allowed only once in their first 12 games. Since Moss’ injury, the Broncos have allowed an average of eight completions of 15 yards per game, the most in the NFL. In Weeks 1-12, they allowed an average of 4.3 per game, fifth lowest.

Moss continues to target a return for Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals (4:30 p.m. ET, Paycor Stadium, NFL Network). He participated fully in training last week, as he took part in all team drills on Tuesday for the first time since his injury.

The Broncos (9-6) need just one win in their final two games to clinch a postseason berth. According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, they have a 76.6% chance of making the playoffs. To win on Saturday, Denver will have to slow down the NFL’s best passing offense. The 7-8 Bengals, who have a 6.9% chance of reaching the postseason, are No. 1 in passing yards per game (267.3). Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow entered the week leading the league in touchdown passes (39) and passing yards (4,229).

The Bengals also have star receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who would win the NFL’s Triple Crown if the season ended now. Chase leads the NFL in receptions (108), receiving yards (1,510) and touchdowns (16). He also leads the league with 722 yards after catch, accounting for 47.8% of his total.

“He’s talented,” Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II said. “A lot of his yards come after the catch. … The main thing is what happens in the second act.”

The upcoming Chase challenge and Cincinnati’s passing attack shed light on the Broncos’ recent coverage woes. The Broncos have sorely missed Moss’ reliability – his effectiveness in executing tasks, his consistency and his willingness to fight at the catch point – over Surtain. This is especially true since the Broncos have the third-highest man-to-man coverage in the NFL at 54.7%, well above the league average of 42.2%.

The Broncos were unable to replicate Moss’ effectiveness. In their win over the Browns, Denver gave up 235 yards to Cleveland’s Jerry Jeudy, more than any opposing receiver in franchise history. Veteran cornerback Levi Wallace, who trailed Jeudy on many of those receptions, was on the bench during that game. He was inactive for one game day in the following two weeks before being released on Tuesday.

Rookie Kris Abrams-Draine, a fifth-round pick, and Damarri Mathis have played separate times against Surtain in the last two games, depending on the personnel lineup. Mathis has played more when the Broncos have played in their base 3-4 formation, while Abrams-Draine has played more in Denver’s nickel packages. Abrams-Draine had his first career interception in Week 16 against the Chargers.

However, this loss was another example of the Broncos’ secondary problems. Chargers receiver Ladd McConkey repeatedly ran free when not covered by Surtain. He finished the game with six receptions for 87 yards, with three of his catches resulting in first downs.

“We need to take a hard look at why these things happen,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “But we had free runners five times, and one of their top receivers cannot be left out.”

Even if the Broncos decide to target Surtain more often against Chase than against Jeudy or McConkey on Saturday, there’s still the question of how the Broncos will fare if the Bengals move Chase away from Surtain. And Cincinnati’s other receivers, Tee Higgins and Andrei Iosivas, could be trouble spots if Moss is unavailable or limited.

Higgins has seven touchdown receptions – 12th in the league in Week 17 – and Iosivas has six. For comparison, Iosivas has as many points as Courtland Sutton, Denver’s all-time leader in receiving touchdowns.

“We have to do the right things right,” Surtain said. “Get into the details…really do it right. I said that mistakes don’t happen on offense, mistakes are us. Offensive players make plays sometimes, this is the NFL, you know? But mistakes cost us, we’ve seen it.