It’s never wise to ponder what-ifs. But when you have three straight brutal weeks at work the way Javonte Williams did, it’s hard to avoid diving deep into those intrusive thoughts.
Williams, who thought a strong training camp would translate into an encouraging start to the regular season, was frustrated after he totaled five carries for 12 yards and a fumble in Week 3’s victory at Tampa Bay. His underwhelming performance capped a three-game stretch that saw him held below 20 yards rushing twice while averaging 17.3 per contest.
At that point, there were questions about whether to keep pushing with Williams or find other means to get the run game going. Even Williams couldn’t escape it.
“I know it’s a competitive business, and the best players are gonna play,” Williams said. “If you’re not out there doing what you are supposed to do, that thought will always run in the back of your mind.”
Williams, however, never lost his confidence. His coaches trusted that he would find his groove, and so did he. Over the last four weeks, that faith has been rewarded.
The North Carolina product has rushed for 249 yards on 49 carries since the Week 4 win at the New York Jets. And he is now fresh off his best performance since his rookie year, recording 88 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries in last week’s victory over the Saints.
“He’s been productive,” offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said. “Obviously the first couple of games, we didn’t get the numbers that we wanted. But we could tell that it was coming.”
Williams believes the overall execution of the offense has translated to his recent success, especially the offensive line. The guys up front have done a solid job creating open lanes for Williams to take advantage of despite the unit battling their fair share of injuries.
Williams has had a little more pep in his step compared to the start of the year. He has showcased his burst, but more importantly, he has been effective at generating yards after contact. Through seven weeks, 224 of his 301 rushing yards have come after contact, according to Next Gen Stats. He averaged 4.7 yards after contact against the Saints.
“You just (have) to believe in yourself and keep fighting,” Williams said. “(The coaches) kept saying ‘We know the player that you are (and) the player that you used to be. We want you to get back there.’”
So is Williams really back? Even though his production has been a big part in Denver moving a game above .500, it’s also worth noting that his best performances have come against weak run defenses. Against Carolina on Sunday, he has a chance to put up big numbers again versus a Panthers defense that’s allowed the most rushing yards and touchdowns in the league.
Perhaps a true testament to how far Williams has progressed will come in the two weeks that follow against the Ravens and Chiefs on the road. Baltimore has allowed the fewest rushing yards in the league (68.4 per game) while the Chiefs are ranked fourth in that statistic.
The Broncos, however, believe in Williams. If they want to have any shot at competing for a playoff spot, it will take him playing at the level he has been in the past three weeks.
“(Williams) gets tough yards,” Lombardi said. “We hope to keep that going.”
Malcolm Roach, defensive back?
The highlight of Denver’s fourth victory of the season came from Malcolm Roach, who went from playing defensive tackle to giving his best safety impression.
In the third quarter, Roach dropped into coverage and broke up quarterback Spencer Rattler’s first-down pass attempt over the middle to tight end Juwan Johnson.
Roach told The Post it was a defensive play where two defensive backs blitzed while a pair of interior defenders dropped into coverage. He said he noticed Johnson running the over route and knew the ball would be thrown somewhere in his vicinity.
Roach noticed Rattler stop his feet. And when the ball was released, Roach dove after the ball.
“I really wanted to catch the interception, but I got the (pass breakup),” Roach said.
Roach’s pass breakup and his seat belt celebration earned praise from the defensive backs in the locker room.
“(Cornerback) Levi (Wallace) came and told me, ‘That was a real play right there,’” Roach added. “(When) we saw it on film, I was almost 12 yards down the field, 15 yards down the field, covering the over route.”
Roach previously joked with the team that he could play defensive back. Cornerback Pat Surtain II didn’t believe his teammate until he watched the play on television.
“He should get some snaps at (defensive back),” Surtain joked.
However, don’t ask Surtain to jump in the trenches and defend the A-Gap.
“Oh no, I don’t (have) the right body type for that,” Surtain said.
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