Run-pass balance among questions with Broncos offensive output

Aside from a one-play drive for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in which the offense was set up at the opponent’s 11-yard line off an Aqib Talib interception, the Denver Broncos best first offensive drive of the season may have been Sunday.

Against the San Diego Chargers at home, Denver drove 65-yards down the field after receiving the opening kick and ending up with a field goal and a three-point lead.

It was the longest opening drive for the Broncos offense this season, tying the eight-play drive the unit put together in Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers before turning the ball over.

It happened to be the most pass-happy opening drive of the season also, which featured seven attempts.

When asked about the run-pass balance in Sunday’s game, specifically starting out the game going through the air more than on the ground, head coach Gary Kubiak said the team wanted to start out “aggressively.”

“We’re going to continue to attack, but the key to being balanced in football is staying on the field, getting first downs and staying on the football field,” Kubiak said.

Denver’s next three drives ended in 3-and-outs, and the offense finished with just two first quarter rushing attempts.

And former Broncos tackle and 104.3 The Fan’s Tyler Polumbus, joining “C.J. and Stokley” Monday, said from an offensive lineman’s perspective, it’s difficult to set the tone for the game with so many passing plays to start out.

“It would be nice to give me a couple of gimmes to start the game out. Let me run the ball a few times. Get this thing rolling,” Polumbus said. “But hey haven’t done that. And every single week it’s pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, and then they try to run it. Why not run, run, then pass?”

Polumbus also said he wished the Broncos coaching staff would give the line a little bit longer of a leash when they do go to the ground game, letting the big men up front work out the kinks before giving up on the rushing attack.

“I wish that I could see these guys just get a little bit more committed than they are because either the coaches have zero believe that the offensive line can turn it around in the running game or they just get spooked out of it too easily,” Polumbus said.

Denver ranked 11th in the NFL in rushing attempts per game — tied with two teams at 26.9 — and 21st in yards per play — tied with three teams at 3.9.

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.