:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/21082563/183457440.0.jpg)
| Jaguars | Advantage | Broncos | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Player | PFF Grade | Offense | PFF Grade | Player | Pos |
| WR | Cecil Shorts | 2.4 | Broncos | 8.1 | Demaryius Thomas | WR |
| QB | Blaine Gabbert | -11.1 | Broncos | 22 | Peyton Manning | QB |
| LT | Cameron Bradfield | -6.6 | Broncos | 6.3 | Chris Clark | LT |
| LG | Will Rackley | -14.7 | Broncos | -1.5 | Zane Beadles | LG |
| C | Brad Meester | -0.9 | Broncos | 7.3 | Manny Ramirez | C |
| RG | Uche Nwaneri | -0.3 | Broncos | 10.1 | Louis Vasquez | RG |
| RT | Austin Pasztor | 0.8 | Broncos | 7.8 | Orlando Franklin | RT |
| TE | Mercedes Lewis | 0 | Broncos | 4.7 | Julius Thomas | TE |
| WR | Justin Blackmon | -0.1 | Jaguars | -2.7 | Eric Decker | WR |
| RB | Maurice Jones-Drew | -0.4 | Broncos | 3.2 | Knowshon Moreno | RB |
| FB | Will Ta'ufo'ou | -1.7 | N/A | |||
| N/A | 4 | Wes Welker | WR | |||
| Defense | ||||||
| LDE | Tyson Alualu | -9.7 | Broncos | -7.8 | Derek Wolfe | LDE |
| DT | Roy Miller | -6.2 | Broncos | -5.3 | Kevin Vickerson | DT |
| DT | Sen'Derrick Marks | 4.3 | Jaguars | 2.6 | Terrance Knighton | DT |
| RDE | Jason Babin | -9.5 | Broncos | 4.7 | Shaun Phillips | RDE |
| OLB | Geno Hayes | -3 | Broncos | -0.3 | Nate Irving | OLB |
| MLB | Paul Posluszny | -6.1 | Broncos | 1.3 | Wesley Woodyard | MLB |
| OLB | Russell Allen | 4 | Jaguars | -0.4 | Danny Trevathan | OLB |
| LCB | Dwayne Gratz | -0.3 | Broncos | 4.8 | Chris Harris Jr.* | LCB |
| RCB | Alan Ball | 1 | Jaguars | -0.6 | Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie | RCB |
| SS | Johnathan Cyprien | -14.5 | Broncos | -2.9 | Duke Ihenacho | SS |
| FS | Josh Evans | -4.9 | Broncos | -1.1 | Rahim Moore | FS |
| Special Teams | ||||||
| P | Bryan Anger | 4.4 | Broncos | 8 | Britton Colquitt | P |
| K | Josh Scobee | 3.8 | Broncos | 26.2 | Matt Prater | K |
| PR | Ace Sanders | 1.5 | Broncos | 1.6 | Trindon Holliday | PR |
| KR | Jordan Todman | 1.1 | Broncos | 1.3 | Trindon Holliday | KR |
Let's take a look at the 4 (yes, that's it) players who out-graded the Broncos on the depth chart. Would you trade that Bronco for that Jaguar?
WR Justin Blackmon vs. Eric Decker
Decker's drop rate and ineffectiveness as a blocker have him graded pretty low, but he's still a playmaker. He has 427 yards and two touchdowns on the season to Blackmon's 136 and one TD. That's not even considering Wes welker, another starter with the Broncos, who is graded higher than both. I'll keep Decker.
DT San'derrick Marks vs. Terrance Knighton
Both 2009 draft picks grade well, but the second round Marks out-performs the third round Knighton on the stat sheet, with more tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. Here's one where Marks is better.
OLB Russell Allen vs. Danny Trevathan
Trevathan has made some big plays for the Broncos this sesaon, but Allen outranks him enough where I have to go with Allen.
CB Allen Ball vs. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
This difference is negligible, and DRC is coming off a bad game that hurt his grade. Both guys are experienced vets with a handful of years left, good height (both 6'2"), and I'd probably be happy either one. But DRC is a feast-or-famine corner, while Ball is a bit more steady game to game. I'll call this a draw.
So outside a small handful of defenders, the Broncos are better, man for man, than the JAguars, explaining why Denver are one of the heaviest favorites in NFL history.