PRESSURE COOKER
Broncos' pass-rush machine could be Sam's worst nightmare
THE ENTIRETY of the question wasn’t complete before it was politely interrupted with an answer. “I know you won’t actually face him on the field, but … ’’
“Von Miller?’’ Jets defensive tackle Steve McLendon said Thursday. “You don’t really need my words. His résumé speaks well enough for itself. He has a great résumé. He’s a great football player and that’s enough said.’’
Miller is the one player on the Broncos who can wreck Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium for the 1-3 Jets if he’s not dealt with properly — however that may be done.
The Broncos’ relentless pass rusher has four sacks and two forced fumbles in four games this season. He has 87.5 sacks and 24 forced fumbles in his seven-plus years in the NFL. The only year in the seven he’s played when he didn’t record double-digit sacks was 2013, when he had five in only nine games played because of injury.
In three career games against the Jets, including a 23-0 Broncos win last season in Denver, Miller has 4.5 sacks, including one in last season’s game.
The guy is good. Miller is armed with otherworldly skills and, more important, tireless desire, and is dangerous to the Jets and their rookie quarterback Sam Darnold.
The Jets’ only chance to win on Sunday and end their three-game losing streak is to make sure Miller doesn’t blow up their offense, which is struggling as it is, having produced 12, 17 and 12 points in the past three games after scoring 48 in their season opener.
“You’ve got to know where he is, because he can mess up the game,’’ said Jets veteran backup quarterback Josh McCown, who’s faced Miller multiple times in his career.
Part of McCown’s message to Darnold in their preparation this week has been to not be freaked out at the prospect of Miller lurking.
“He’s a special player,’’ McCown said. “But at the same time, it’s about trusting your teammates. You’ve got to know where he is, but you’ve got guys up-front to take care of him. You’ve got to lock in and go through your reads and play the position. [Miller] can’t be something you’re so concerned with, because there’s so many other things going on that you have to be focused on. He’s a good player, but we trust the guys in front of us, too.’’
Darnold’s protectors on the offensive line, while dishing out the appropriate respect to Miller, sounded confident in their ability to handle him.
“Yeah, he’s a good player, but we know what we’re doing,’’ guard Brian Winters said rather matter-of-factly. “He’s an explosive player, he’s always has been smart and knows where to be. But I’m excited for us. We’ll be good.’’
Jets right tackle Brandon Shell said going up against Miller is “a challenge, but you’ve got to come out and play, and that’s what we’re going to do.’’ “I like a challenge,’’ Shell said. “It makes me better. You’ve got no choice but to elevate your game.’’
Shell believes having faced Miller last season might help him Sunday. Will that be the case?
“I’ll tell you at 4 o’clock on Sunday,’’ Jets coach Todd Bowles said.
“He’s a great athlete,’’ Shell said. “He’s very shifty, very smooth with what he does. He knows how to read things and is good feeling pressure. Whenever he feels pressure, he’ll make a move to counter what you’re about to do.’’
Left tackle Kelvin Beachum said that with the way the Broncos move Miller around, everyone on the Jets’ offensive line is going to see him at some point Sunday.
“They do a great job of putting him in different positions, whether it’s stunting or blitzing, to get him one-on-one,’’ Beachum said. “At some point you know you’ll see him on the right or on the left side.’’ The one person the Jets must make sure
doesn’t see Miller is Darnold. Miller this week threw praise at the Jets’ rookie quarterback, calling him “the best offensive player in the draft last year’’ and adding, “In my opinion, just watching everything from a pass-rusher’s point of view, I felt like he was the No. 1 pick in the draft. He wasn’t the No. 1 pick, but he’s definitely playing like it.’’
Darnold called Miller’s words “high praise from a really talented player, probably one of the best players in the league.’’
“He is a great player and [I’m] looking forward to going against him,’’ Darnold said.
Be careful what you wish for, kid.