Denver Broncos’ Rush Defense Impresses vs. 49ers
By Andy Tallon
One of the biggest weaknesses in the Denver Broncos defense was the run defense. It appears as if they have improved in stopping the run.
The Broncos’ second preseason game in San Francisco shone a light once again on their defensive prowess. While the “No Fly Zone” is a remarkably consistent unit, the run defense was disappointing last season.
Improvement is evident, however, as the 49ers failed to reach 50 yards rushing on Saturday. These statistic are encouraging after Denver gave up over 100 rushing yards the week before in Chicago.
San Francisco running backs had trouble penetrating the first line of defense throughout the game, leading to optimism that the Broncos are capable of smothering offenses at the line of scrimmage as well as the back end.
The biggest takeaway from Saturday was the performance of Denver’s free agent additions on the defensive line. Standing out along the line where former Bengal Domata Peko and ex-Colt Zach Kerr. These two big men reinforced the gaps and put on an excellent display of creating negative yardage.
If these signings can capitalize on their opportunities, look for continuing improvement against opponent’s rushing assaults. Another fixture for the defensive line this season will be Adam Gotsis, who had some bright moment’s in this weekend’s contest. Along with undrafted free agent, Tyrique Jarrett, this promising group of run stuffing specialists could be special.
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With the multitude of injuries on the defense thus far, Denver will rely on its younger options to step up to the plate.
After forcing five turnovers on Saturday, it appears that this group is up for the task. If coverage remains sticky in the secondary and the trenches are stout, there is nothing this team can’t accomplish. As question marks loom on offense, the Broncos will still rely on their defense to win games in the same fashion they did in the Bay Area.