Overcoming injuries: DBs are “improving every week.”
Six games into the season, the Broncos’ secondary has already been put through the ringer, with injury after injury. But if Sunday’s lockdown performance is any indication, the unit is already coming out the other side.
Denver’s defensive backs flexed their muscle in a 16-0 home win over the Tennessee Titans, recording three interceptions while holding quarterbacks Marcus Mariota and Ryan Tannehill to a combined 39.7 passer rating.
“We had a lot of injuries this year, a lot of new guys coming in, a lot of parts moving around,” cornerback Chris Harris said. “But right now, we’re top five in the league yardage-wise. And now we have those turnovers coming up, too, so we’re improving every week. The number one thing is we’re not giving up those huge plays like we did last year on a weekly basis.”
Harris recorded his 20th career interception to tie him for 10th all-time in Broncos history, while safeties Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson added picks in the second half. The Denver defense is allowing 196 passing yards per game, fourth-best in the NFL. Not bad for a unit missing Bryce Callahan (foot), who was expected to start opposite Harris at corner as well as other backups.
Granted, Sunday’s showing was aided by Mariota’s atrocious performance. He finished 7-of-18 for 63 yards, two interceptions and a 9.5 rating before being benched in the third quarter. But that didn’t matter much to Denver, especially considering how second-year corner Davontae Harris held up under fire in his first NFL start.
“All week, the other guys and the coaches were telling me to get my confidence up and fly around,” Davontae Harris said. “They coached me up, and all the vets in the room crowded around me and gave me the follow through on that confidence today. It was a committee of guys getting me ready mentally.”
Davontae Harris was pegged for a pass interference call and allowed a few Titans receptions. He also recorded two tackles as he earned the approval of the Broncos’ AllPro cornerback opposite him.
“(Young corners) have to know they’re going to get a lot of action, and you have to try to do whatever you can to make a lot of plays,” Chris Harris said. “I think he did that today, and forced them to throw my way a little bit. That’s a tribute to Davontae — he played solid.”
A steady, physical pass rush aided the secondary as well, with the Broncos recording a season-high seven sacks and pressuring Tennessee’s quarterbacks nonstop.
“I thought we played great in the back end, but I thought we played even better up front,” Simmons said. “Being able to stuff the run the way they did, we didn’t have to tackle as much in the back end. We got that pressure on the quarterback, so we were able to match routes tighter and that helped us make plays on the ball.”
A greater litmus test looms Thursday against reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
“(Our cornerbacks) held up pretty good today,” coach Vic Fangio said. “As you’re all very well aware, we have a different test coming up in a few days.”