Broncos D is key to Victory Over the Chiefs

McCoy's Offensive is Vanilla 101.

So it’s down to one game, win you’re in lose you’re out. The Broncos Fans should rejoice at the opportunity to even be in a position to earn a playoff spot. No one predicted they’d get this far and certainly no one including me thought after they started with a 1-4  record that they would be in this position. Therefore this season is a total bonus and a gift far too many fans don't seemed to really appreciate. Win or lose this Broncos team has been one of the biggest group of overachievers in franchise history.

The Broncos Defense has been one of the worst in the NFL since 2005 and at the start of season the only significant change to the D was going to be that Elvis Dumervil would be coming back from injury and Von Miller would be starting at LB. So John Fox took a group that was basically the same team as last year and turned them into a better overall unit. During the winning streak the Broncos were hustling, tackling, covering, creating turnovers and pass rushing as well as any D in the league. In the last 2 games that’s not been the case and that’ll have to change even if they’re playing a terrible Chiefs offensive team.

There’s no question that the Broncos got creamed by the Bills last week in all 3 phases of the game, O, D and Special Teams. But the collapse of the D was the most glaring. I just kept waiting for the Broncos to get out of the 3 man fronts and put pressure on Ryan Fitzpatrick but it never happened. It was a mirror of the Patriots game the week before where Fox did the same and went into a zone D playing way to deep and allowing big passing plays to start short or down the middle of the field. Granted the Broncos had an injury to Brian Dawkins, 2 Rookies were forced into service in the backfield and Miller was playing with only one hand but they gave way to much respect to the Patriots and Bills Receivers.

Fox seemed to forget what helped win games and that was playing an aggressive D by blitzing and putting pressure on QB’s. It didn’t matter if they lined up in 3 or 4 man fronts they were not getting any QB pressure whatsoever. The other noticeable and ugly part of the game that’s eluded the Broncos D the last 2 games is good tackling by the front 7. Mays and Woodyard hustled and tackled very well during the win streak but in the last 2 weeks they’ve all but disappeared. They and the rest of the team let the Bills run wild with a back up RB playing against them. Since the Broncos DL is really the biggest weakness of the D all season the LB’s and DB’s must tackle at the point of attack again if they hope to stop the Chiefs. I just pray that Fox pulls out all the stops this week and gambles on D because this team can’t win if he doesn’t. 

You could say the same about the Broncos O in the last 2 weeks as well. The conservative approach by Mike McCoy via Fox on O has been an utter disaster the last 2 games. Fox is playing the kind of small ball that only Dan Reeves could be proud of. The only problem is Tebow doesn’t have the experience or skills yet to bring a team from behind like Elway could in the passing game.

At some point he has to let Tebow have some chances to throw on first down early in the game. The run on 1st, run on 2nd and pass on 3rd and long then punt it away on 4th didn’t work against the Pats or the Bills and it won’t against the Chiefs either. There has to be some balance in their strategy because the Broncos are not really fooling anyone and if the running game gets stopped early the Broncos should attempt to air it out.

No one can deny that Tebow had a horrible game last week but the truth is he was put in 3rd and long way to many times and since he as an average to a below average set of Receivers who can’t consistently get separation and have often dropped balls he isn’t going to succeed if he isn’t allowed to have more passing attempts.

That’s the key here… Everyone says Tebow can’t be a passing QB in the NFL but he hasn’t had many attempts to do so and when he has the opposing D’s know it and brought the heat on him. Waiting until the team is down by 2 or 3 TD’s then letting him air it out isn’t going to win many games with this group of WR’s so McCoy must let him throw on 1st and 2nd down in this do or die game.

I know the media has focus on the Kyle Orton angle this week but I think it’s irrelevant to how the game will be played out. Orton isn’t going to be the deciding factor in this one, it’ll be the Broncos D controlling the game, the Broncos O playing with same balance and minimizing turnovers and playing the game to win it not to lose it by Fox that’ll be the difference.

This is a one the Broncos can and should win and I believe they will but if they don’t they have no business being in the playoffs. No matter what the outcome it’s been an amazing season and as a Fan the games on Sunday were fun and exciting to watch again. Next year looks to be much better too. 

Turnaround on Defense Starts With Good Tackling

I can’t remember in awhile maybe since the 2005 season a better group of tacklers than this current Broncos team, at least in the last 4 games. I hope it continues because since that season the Broncos have been one of the worst tackling teams in the NFL. Recently the Ravens, Steelers and the Eagles D’s (maybe not this year, but in the not too distant past) to name a few have had great players that could tackle. Good D no matter what the scheme always starts with good tackling.

On the 2005 team for the Broncos Al Wilson and DJ Williams were both great tackling LB’s. As I remember Keith Burns was still on the team and although he wasn’t a starting LB on special teams he made his presence felt. Champ Bailey was 6 years younger then, was a fierce tackler and even though John Lynch was in the twilight of his career he could still bring the wood. The DL a long and terrible deficiency for the Broncos even on the 05 team doesn’t have any real standouts. Some might say Trevor Pryce could be but wasn’t nearly as effective as he was early in his career.

If you go back in time Randy Gradishar was arguably the best tackler of all-time. I’ve said since his retirement he should have gone in on the first ballot and been the 1st Broncos player in the Hall of Fame but that’s another rant.

Karl Mecklenberg is another guy while in his prime didn’t miss many. Say what you will about him but Bill Romanoski was one of the greatest overachievers of all time and was a hell of tackler for the Broncos. John Moberly had some good years too. Steve Atwater and Dennis Smith may have been the biggest hitters of all-time in the backfield for the Broncos along with Champ.

Getting back to today and I know I’m not telling you something you don’t already know. Von Miller is the most exciting player we’ve had on D in years. This guy knows how to tackle and doesn’t miss if he’s in range and when he gets there he brings speed, power and thump.

I’m also sure you’d all agree in large part he has to be considered the reason for the turnaround on D. What he lacks in coverage skills and sometimes not staying home in the running game (which he’ll get better at) he more than makes up for with his tackling, pass rushing ability and fierce determination. It’s amazing how one guy with his intensity level help’s inspire the other players on D with lesser talent to play at a higher level than they might not normally attain.

In the Chargers game last week the tackling and the pass rush was suburb by the whole team. A few running plays got away from them but almost every time a Charger players either run or caught a ball the first guy usually made the tackle and Rivers of course got knocked around too. It’s amazing how Miller gets a lot of attention right now but I didn’t know until I looked at the box score that DJ lead the team with 10 tackles. DJ finally realizes he’s got some good backup in Miller and has stepped up his game. Even MLB Mays has been tackling well and had some big stops. I almost forgot to mention Wesley Woodyard he leads the team in tackles.

It just refreshing to see a Broncos box score were 3 LB’s lead the team in tackles. It means that most of the running plays and the short passing game plays are being effectively stopped. It’s certainly better than seeing Champ or Brian Dawkins lead the stat sheet.  

Dumervil’s recovery can’t go unmentioned too he’s come back strong. Even Carter and Goodman tackled in the Chargers game. Bunkley has contributed too. Dawkins although long in the tooth can bring it too once in a while.

How many games have we watched over the last 5 years where on one play the Broncos would have 2 or sometimes 3 whiffs before a tackle was finally made?

Von Miller doesn’t miss, he knows how to make a text book tackle and thankfully it’s spread to the rest of the team. It’ll be interesting to see if Adrian Peterson starts for the Vikings this week; if he does it’ll be a good test to see if our D can shut down the best RB in the game. One thing is certain, offensive wins games but defense wins championships. Is this team capable of it? I don’t know but the Broncos are going to be a fun team to watch the last 1/3 of the season.