ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos believe when they spice up their running game a bit, they do everything better. As in they pass the ball better, create more big plays and perhaps, most important of all, protect quarterback Teddy Bridgewater much better.
They did that in their three wins, but the past four games? Not so much.
"That's part of the things that we met upon in these last few days, trying to figure out a way to get it going," said tight end Eric Saubert. "Part of getting it going, too, is to throw it a little better on the early downs. We have to have a good mix."
Nobody is endorsing turn-back-the-clock playcalling. But the Broncos have pulled the chute on the running game too early and put Bridgewater in harm's way during their four-game losing streak. They've done so even when the scoreboard wasn't really all that tilted against them.
In the loss to the Ravens, they ran the ball four times in the second half of a game they trailed 17-7 into the fourth quarter. In the loss to the Steelers, they ran the ball eight times in the first half of a game they trailed just 10-3 deep into the second quarter.
And in last Thursday's loss to the Browns they ran the ball six times in the first half, 14 times overall, in a game they trailed 10-0 at halftime and that was 10-7 after their first possession of the second half.
"We have to figure out a way to be able to run the ball, because when we run the ball effectively, we open up everything," said Broncos running back Melvin Gordon III. "Me and Javonte [Williams], we are pretty good runners. We can make it go. We can make it happen."
The Broncos spent much of Tuesday's practice -- an extra practice given they played last Thursday and Tuesday would normally be an off day for the players -- digging down on first and second down work on both sides of the ball.
"That's where a lot of our problems have originated from," said Broncos coach Vic Fangio. "We've had too many third-and-longs, as you guys well know. ... We have to do a better job on the early downs."
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy's return could help. Jeudy has been on injured reserve since the regular-season opener with an ankle injury but returned to practice this week. Defenses have played the Broncos' offense differently since Jeudy, KJ Hamler and Albert Okwuegbunam -- three of the team's fastest players -- have been on injured reserve.
Opponents have attacked the line of scrimmage because they don't always fear getting beat downfield. Fangio said in recent weeks defenses were "selling out" to stop the Broncos' running game down after down.
"I still see that," Fangio said this week. "That's part of the things that we met upon in these last few days, trying to figure out a way to get it going. Part of getting it going, too, is to throw it a little better on the early downs. We have to have a good mix, and hopefully get some better looks to run against."
Jeudy should force the issue downfield and Okwuegbunam, who has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury, has also returned to practice and could play in the coming weeks.
"Anytime you can put another good receiver on the field, it helps everybody," Saubert said. "It just does. He's a good route runner, good receiver, catches it well, and runs well after the catch. Everything has a domino effect in this game."