Denver Broncos: Is Sylvester Williams Ready To Dominate?

By Khaled Abdallah | May 7, 2015

After firing head coach John Fox at the end of last season and losing Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio to the Oakland Raiders, the Denver Broncos have undergone a major shift in philosophy on defense. They brought in head coach Gary Kubiak from the Baltimore Ravens and brought in Wade Phillips as the defensive coordinator.

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The Broncos ran a 4-3 defense last year but as we all know Wade Phillips employs a 3-4 system and has done so with great success. In his four seasons as the Houston Texans DC and interim head coach, the Texans never fielded a defense that was outside of the top 10. This move to a 3-4 will free up players like Von Miller, Shane Ray, and DeMarcus Ware to rush the quarterback but it also places more than onus on the nose tackle position.

The team had an excellent nose tackle-type player last season but after losing their best interior lineman Terrence “Pot Roast” Knighton to free agency, the focus is now on third year man Sylvester Williams. Williams spoke to Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post and discussed the changes at the position.

The former North Carolina Tar Heel believes that the difference is not that significant and said, “You just get different blocks. At nose you might get more double-teams than you do single blocks, where as three-technique, you got a little more freedom.”

Nose Tackles are a different beast altogether then your average defensive tackles. In a 4-3 system defensive tackles are usually asked to be responsible for two gaps and to rush the quarterback by collapsing the pocket. Speed and agility at the position are just as important as brute strength because they must read and react in addition to occupying space.

Jan 11, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos defensive tackle Sylvester Williams (92) reacts against the Indianapolis Colts in the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Colts defeated the Broncos 24-13. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

In a 3-4 these behemoths are responsible more for occupying blockers and clearing up space for the linebackers to swarm and make plays. Williams has good size for a nose tackle at 6’3″ and 313lbs but he will have to adjust his playing style from trying to get upfield to simply holding onto blocks. He may also have to bulk up a bit and add more muscle to his frame to better handle the double teams that are sure to come.

Behind him the Broncos also have Marvin Austin and recently drafted from the University of Maryland Darius Kilgo. The competition should light a fire under Sylvester Williams and he will have to fill the considerable void left by Terence night.

All the pass rushers in the world would be irrelevant and the greatest linebackers in the league would be ineffective without Williams playing at a high-level in Wade Phillips’s system. The Broncos had the 2nd best rush defense in the league last season and much of that had to do with two factors. The first being the presence of Knighton as well as teams having to pass more just to keep up with the high powered Broncos offense.

If the team decides to shift its focus offensively to more of a running attack then the responsibility will fall squarely on the shoulders of Williams and the rest of the Broncos D-line. Even if that offensive shift does not take place then Williams still has some large Pot Roast-sized shoes to fill.

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