The Broncos no-fly zone is where explosive offenses go to die.

Sunday’s game against Atlanta might provide the defense with its most difficult challenge of the season. The Falcons come to town with the NFL’s leading passer, Matt Ryan, and the NFL’s leading receiver, Julio Jones, eager to accomplish what many offenses before could not.

Ryan is fresh off the 19th 500-yard passing game in NFL history in a 48-33 victory over Carolina on Sunday. Jones achieved the sixth 300-yard receiving game ever. Can this offensive unit crack the Broncos’ code? The Broncos say no, but they’re well aware of the challenges they will face Sunday.

“It fires us up to go compete against the best,” Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib said. “Julio and Matt Ryan are the best right now in the league.”

That sets up Sunday’s game as a battle between the NFL’s top-ranked offense and the best defense in the NFL the past two seasons.

The key matchup to watch will be Jones vs. Talib and whatever help the Broncos give him – most likely a safety. Jones, at 6-foot-3, routinely outmuscles smaller defensive backs, leaving the 6-1 Talib the likely primary defender, but cornerbacks Chris Harris (5-10) and Bradley Roby (5-11) also will probably get some looks.

Denver probably will defend Jones the same way it defended Bengals’ receiver A.J. Green with a cornerback, typically Talib, playing man-to-man coverage on short and intermediate routes with safeties Darian Stewart or T.J. Ward protecting against the deep route.

The biggest mistake a once-feared Panthers defense made against the Falcons was leaving their cornerbacks, an overmatched Bene Benwikere and two rookies, in too many one-on-one situations, allowing Jones to run free deep as Ryan hit him for big play after big play. Sometimes they sent linebacker help to shade Jones underneath, but that was no aid when he turned the burners on against Benwikere for several deep catches.

Ryan and Jones became the first quarterback-receiver duo to reach at least 500 passing yards and at least 300 receiving yards in an NFL game.

“You’re talking about two Pro Bowl players. It’s hard to stop them,” Broncos nose tackle Sylvester Williams said. “It’s not surprising at all.”

Denver embraces playing against pass-heavy offenses. The Broncos lead the NFL in sacks with 17. Outside linebacker Von Miller (5.5) and defensive end Derek Wolfe (four) have more sacks combined than 21 NFL teams. They also rank in the top five in total defense, passing defense and points allowed per game.

Meanwhile, Atlanta boasts the NFL’s top scoring offense, averaging 38 points a game. Ryan completed 14-of-16 passes for 415 yards and three touchdowns on passes longer than 10 yards downfield against Carolina, according to ESPN Stats and Info. And Jones gained 120 of his 300 yards after the catch. Denver Broncos More Broncos news

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Despite the gaudy numbers, previous success is no indicator of future success against Denver’s defense.

Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers learned that last season when the Broncos held him and his then-undefeated Packers to 77 passing yards. Tom Brady was battered, bruised and hit at least 17 times in the AFC championship game that Denver won in January. Cam Newton felt the pressure, getting sacked nine times in back-to-back losses to the Broncos in Super Bowl 50 and this season’s opener. Andrew Luck of the Colts felt it too, as did the Bengals’ Andy Dalton and the Bucs’ Jameis Winston. None has crossed the 200-yard passing threshold against the Broncos defense this season.

“They were just better than us. We just couldn’t do anything against them,” Bucs receiver Mike Evans said about Denver after Sunday’s game. “They’re a simple defense, and we were getting the looks we thought we were going to get, we just couldn’t beat them.”

A lot of teams have left a game against the Broncos feeling that way.

Atlanta presents more problems. If a team overcompensates to stop Ryan, Jones and its passing attack, the Falcons can beat you with a running back duo of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. To go along with Atlanta’s top-ranked passing attack, Atlanta has the No. 6 rushing attack.

“We’re looking forward to the challenge, man,” Williams said. “I’ll take our secondary any day of the week.”

300 club

Sunday, Falcons receiver Julio Jones became the sixth player to gain 300 or more receiving yards in an NFL game:

Rank. Player | Yards | Team v. Opponent, Date

1. Flipper Anderson | 336 | Los Angeles Rams vs. New Orleans Saints, Nov. 26, 1989

2. Calvin Johnson | 329 | Detroit Lions vs. Dallas Cowboys, Oct. 27, 2013

3. Stephone Paige | 309 | Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Diego Chargers, Dec. 22, 1985

4. Jim Benton | 303 | Cleveland Rams vs. Detroit Lions, Nov. 22, 1945

5. Cloyce Box | 302 | Detroit Lions vs. Baltimore Colts, Dec. 3, 1950

6. Julio Jones | 300 | Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers, Oct. 2, 2016

Cameron Wolfe, The Denver Post