Denver rush defense needs to be on point
The Broncos’ rush defense didn’t wake up until Week 5 last year when the team was already in an 0-4 hole.
They can’t afford a monthlong snooze this year.
A week from Monday, Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry — nicknamed by yours truly as “The Yulee Bulldozer” when he was a high school star in northeast Florida — will visit Mile High.
Henry led the NFL in regularseason yards (1,540), carries (303) and rushing touchdowns (16) last year and added 446 yards in three postseason games.
“Once he gets those wheels trucking, there’s no stopping this guy,” said Broncos defensive end Jurrell Casey, who played the last nine years in Tennessee. “The biggest thing is going to be up front building a wall. Don’t let him have any holes to be able to just go downhill. As long as we can keep him running sideline to sideline, we’ll be in great shape.”
Last year’s Broncos rush defense can be divided into two seasons: Lousy shape and great shape.
Season 1 (Games 1-4): The Broncos allowed 149.3 yards per game (30th), 5.1 yards per carry (30th), five touchdowns (tied for third-most) and 11 explosive rushes (at least 12 yards).
Season 2 (Games 5-16): The Broncos allowed 98.8 yards per game (seventh), 3.9 yards per carry (tied for fifth), four touchdowns (tied for fewest) and gave up 19 explosive rushes.
Before the Week 5 Chargers game, coach Vic Fangio moved nose tackle Shelby Harris to defensive end, named Mike Purcell the new nose tackle and gave Alexander Johnson a shot at inside linebacker.
It was the right solution. Those three players will be joined by Casey, acquired in a trade from the Titans.
In just the first four weeks of this year, the Broncos face Henry, James Conner (Pittsburgh), Leonard Fournette/Ronald Jones/LeSean McCoy (Tampa Bay) and Le’Veon Bell/Frank Gore (New York Jets). should admit is Jacksonville’s mess — chiefly trading disgruntled standouts Jalen Ramsey and Yannick Ngakoue — falls entirely on former football chief Tom Coughlin.
Before Coughlin was hired in January 2017, you didn’t read (and I didn’t write) stories about how players were desperate to escape the organization. Just the opposite, in fact.
The Jaguars are rebuilding. No GM would have turned down two first-round picks for Ramsey, let Ngakoue sit at home without getting anything in return (to Minnesota for two picks, including a second-rounder), kept underperforming safety Ronnie Harrison (to Cleveland for a fifth-round pick) and kept the high salaries of A.J. Bouye and Calais Campbell when a reset was in the offing.