How was pass rush so good with Miller gone?
Q: Arizona jettisoned Josh Rosen and then found Kyler Murray. The Broncos jettisoned Paxton Lynch and then passed
Q: No Von Miller. No Bradley Chubb. No Malik Reed. Yet we still had a strong pass rush that seemed to flummox Dak Prescott. Is this just a case of a bunch of young guys taking advantage of their opportunities? Jonathon Cooper looks like the real deal. Miles, Parker
Ryan: In two games minus Miller — he was inactive against Washington and then traded — the Broncos have eight sacks. Reed (hip) missed the Cowboys game, but the Broncos are getting contributions from Cooper (two sacks on Sunday) and Stephen Weatherly (one sack against Washington).
I will also give credit where it’s due and that’s the defensive line. Shelby Harris and Dre’mont Jones have created more pressure on the quarterbacks the last two games, which forces them out of the pocket and into risky throws or simple throwaways.
Cooper may end up being one of this year’s draft steals. on Josh Allen. And they took KJ Hamler and passed on Trevon Diggs. Of course, one could go on forever. Question is, how many more years until we’re out from under the long, dark shadow of John Elway? Scott Newell, Denver
Ryan: Interesting topic: What kind of situation did George Paton inherit and how long will it take for him to fix it? This isn’t a one-year fix, that’s for sure, but it shouldn’t be a four-year ordeal, either.
Reviewing your examples, you hit on the Cardinals — they gave up on Rosen after one year and drafted Murray first overall. The Broncos had already given up on Lynch when they passed on Allen in 2018. And the Hamler pick will always be interesting because it came after Denver drafted Jerry Jeudy.
Circling back to your timeline. Paton faces big decisions on draft picks he didn’t select, chiefly WR Courtland Sutton, LG Dalton Risner and OLB Bradley Chubb. He has already picked up Chubb’s 2022 option.
Q: Where was this offense the last few weeks? It’s like the passing game miraculously opened up because we committed to a running game. Do you see a stronger commitment to the run game moving forward? With our receivers starting to get healthy, can we expect an offense that consistently score 25-plus points for the rest of the season? David, Highlands Ranch
Ryan: Let’s narrow down to the offense that appeared on Sunday against Dallas. They scored a season-high 30 points and gained 407 yards (third-most this year). The key factors in the win and why fans might have the right to be encouraged moving forward.
Running game commitment. Part of running the football is having plays that gain no yards, but you need stick with it. The Broncos stuck with it and it obviously helped to have such a big lead. They didn’t attempt a pass in the final 11 minutes.
Jerry Jeudy’s return. Jeudy missed six games with a high ankle sprain. He looked good against Washington and better against Dallas. His presence opens things up for Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick.
Play-calling. I’ll imagine this conversation last week between coach Vic Fangio and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur: “Pat, I want you to try a few of these things because they stress any defensive I’ve coached.” Maybe that is the reason why Shurmur introduced quick passes to Jeudy.