Defensive line resurgence simplifies Broncos path to victory
Both traditional and advanced statistics viewed the 2016 Denver Broncos’’ pass defense in a historic light.
The unit lapped the field when measuring air yards allowed,
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and that marginalized three of the NFL’s best players. The Broncos employed the game’s premier edge rusher and became the first team to place two cornerbacks on the All-Pro first team,
Authentic Antonio Gates Jersey,These capabilities didn’t matter. Good teams avoided challenging the Broncos where they were strongest,
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What’s happened this season has changed the equation.
The updated Denver run defense has made one of the strongest statements of any NFL unit and has done so in a year when nearly every contending team has struggled to establish consistency.
The Broncos stonewalled three first-team All-Pros (Ezekiel Elliott,
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This formula elevates the Broncos’ hopes this season.
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Armed with a ground deterrence ability, this defense is closer to the historically dominant 2015 unit than last season’s one-dimensional corps.,
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No team is close to the Broncos’ run-defense figure (50.8 per game). Second-place Minnesota (70.8 ypg) is closer to 11th than to Denver’s quarter-pole mark. Denver’s pass defense so far? Tenth. Pretty weird stuff.,
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Suddenly, in 2015 when said decline manifested itself fully, a Bronco team that has operated with minimal margin for error for nearly three years – be it in mid-2014 when Peyton Manning began to decline, and last season when other aspects of the Broncos’ offense caved in to somehow make it worse – has more avenues to victory than it has since Manning 2.0 was in high gear.
While Denver rightfully invested in a first-round pick and two high-end free-agent contracts to aid its floundering offensive front,
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They’ve done this with some of Derek Wolfe’s most identifiable sidekicks making little to no impact — not yet,
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After Jared Crick’s injury,
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Domata Peko, Malik Jackson and Vance Walker once did,
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gaining 21 yards. If Denver’s run defense lost the first 30 seconds of its figurative first round,
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The 2015 defense delivered decisive setbacks in elite talents’ careers. Those Broncos held Aaron Rodgers to 77 passing yards and effectively ended Cam Newton’s run as a top-tier quarterback.
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This defense muzzled the Dak Prescott-era Dallas Cowboys to that degree,
womens Spencer Pulley Jersey, 12 yards) isn’t on Elliott’s level anymore, holding Elliott to what could be a career-low – when the superstar back’s career is over – eight yards on nine carries. It marked the first legitimate doubts in Dallas’ setup since it spawned last year. Lynch (nine carries, but he’s running behind nearly as good an offensive front in Oakland. Denver’s front seven at least infused some doubt as to whether Lynch’s unretirement will work.
Some of the men at the forefront of these efforts were not expected to be associated with anything particularly great this season.
Gotsis may be stopping John Elway’s streak of unsuccessful second-round picks – the Montee Ball/Cody Latimer/Ty Sambrailo chain that weakened the franchise’s depth. A healthier version of the interior defender has been a surprise. An injury-prone afterthought coming into the season – with the franchise’s offseason decisions seeming to reflect concern as well – is now entrenched as a contributor. This relegates Kerr – whom the Indianapolis Colts opted to non-tender as a restricted free agent, which should be slightly illuminating – to a depth role. That will be more in line with his talents.
