Denver Broncos: Defense Sends a Resounding Message

With all due respect to Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris, it was pretty evident which club and quarterback his teammates were facing on Sunday night.

“People don’t realize that was Aaron Rodgers,” said Harris to Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post. “You know we are the real deal. We are the only secondary that could do that.”

As far as the second part of that statement, it’s becoming harder and harder to disagree.

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Think about what happened in Denver on Sunday night. The Broncos manhandled Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, 29-10. The Pack was limited to 140 total yards by a defensive unit that is seemingly getting better with each game. Green Bay ran 46 offensive plays and gained 3.0 yards per play. Rodgers completed 14-of-22 passes for 77 yards. Yes, it says 77 yards.

Nov 1, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware (94) sacks Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) in the fourth quarter at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos defeated the Packer 29-10. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The two-time NFL MVP was sacked three times and the Packers as a team fumbled three times. And when you consider that Mike McCarthy’s team did not commit a turnover in the game, it shows you just how dominant the Broncos’ defense was in the prime time showdown.

Yes, veteran quarterback Peyton Manning has thrown a very inconvenient seven touchdown passes to 11 interceptions. But on Sunday against Green Bay, he performed much better than in recent weeks despite not throwing a touchdown pass.

The prolific passer hit on 21 of his 29 throws for a season-high 340 yards. But he also maintained his streak of being intercepted at least once in each of his seven games in 2015.

A year ago, the Broncos finished third in the NFL in total defense and only the Detroit Lions were harder to run on. Denver also ranked ninth in pass defense in terms of yards allowed. But looks were somewhat deceiving as that unit was exposed on more than one occasion.

So far, denting Wade Phillips’ potent unit has been easier said than done, especially early in the game. While it took Manning and company seven games to score a first-quarter touchdown this season, the Broncos still haven’t given up a point in the first 15 minutes of a game this year.

The numbers are imposing. Gary Kubiak’s club is allowing a mere 261.1 total yards per game. The Broncos have already racked up 29 sacks and totaled 17 takeaways in seven contests. Denver’s defensive unit has allowed 10 offensive touchdowns and four of their seven opponents have been limited to 13 or fewer points.

Nov 1, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware (94) celebrates his sack and safety of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) (not pictured) with strong safety T.J. Ward (43) in the fourth quarter at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos defeated the Packer 29-10. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The pass rush has been anchored by outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware (5.5), Von Miller (4.0) and Shaquil Barrett (3.5), who have combined for 13 sacks. A dozen players, including defensive ends Malik Jackson (3.5) and Antonio Smith (2.5), nose tackle Sylvester Williams (2.0), outside linebacker Shane Ray (2.0) and strong safety T.J. Ward (2.0) have all gotten into the act of getting to the quarterback and as you can see (via the team’s depth chart courtesy of Ourlads), the pressure comes from all directions.

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Harris and fellow cornerback Aqib Talib have combined to return three of the team’s nine interceptions for touchdowns. The Denver defense has scored four touchdowns in seven games.

No matter where you look, the Broncos have playmakers on defense. They’ve been the main reason the team is off to a 7-0 start and it will be interesting to see where this club is headed once Manning and the offense gets it act together.

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Then again, perhaps this is the year that a team carries the prolific signal-caller on its back rather than the other way around. In any case, this is a Denver team that won’t be going away quietly.