Pro Football Focus’s Mike Renner joined Orange and Blue 760 today and touched on multiple topics. One topic he touched on was the Broncos defensive line is getting back to “Super Bowl levels” again which is obviously great news.
“That defensive line is starting to get back to Super Bowl-levels at this point.” — @PFF_Mike, breaking down the performance of the Broncos’ D-line after Week 1.
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) September 12, 2018
This unit may not be as good as the Broncos 2015 defensive line/front seven, but they’re certainly close.
Obviously, linebacker/pass rusher/game wrecker Von Miller is the focal point, but players like Shelby Harris and rookie Bradley Chubb were consistent terrors as well. Harris earned the highest grade of any Broncos defender per Renner while Chubb had himself a great even though it really doesn’t show up in the stat line.
In Pro Football Focus’s refocused piece, they talk about how Miller didn’t even play his best game and that Chubb held his own against a good veteran offensive tackle.
Von Miller got the sacks, but it was almost as impressive what Bradley Chubbwas able to get done along the edge. Matched up often with Duane Brown, he got more than his fair share of victories.
The scary thing about Miller’s performance is we’ve seen him play better. His clean pass-rush wins were lower than you’d normally see, yet his ability to finish plays looks as good as ever.
This unit only should get better. Miller had three sacks but didn’t play his best game apparently, Bradley Chubb was playing in his first game, and they had former second-round pick DeMarcus Walker inactive. He has shown he can provide solid interior pressure and should factor into things at some point this season. Like Renner says, this unit is once again nearing Super Bowl levels.
If Case Keenum can cut down on his turnovers which his career track record says he will and the Broncos run game continues to be good, this team will be back in the playoffs in 2018. It should be a fun season and a nice whooping of Jon Gruden and the Raiders this weekend should only raise my/our confidence even more.