Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Split personality dogs Broncos defense

Denver stopping pass, but ground game is troubling

Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News

Published October 4, 2007 at midnight

Text size  

More Denver Broncos

More stories »

ENGLEWOOD - Jim Bates continues to have a syncing feeling.

His pass defense sits atop the NFL. But the assistant head coach/defense of the Broncos needs more help from defenders stopping the run to establish the necessary equilibrium moving forward.

The situation has earmarks of, though it isn't completely similar to, his previous two defenses with other teams.

In Miami four seasons ago, the Dolphins lost starting defensive tackles Tim Bowens and Larry Chester for the final 14 games and finished 31st against the run while still owning the league's No. 2 pass defense.

A Green Bay defense in 2005 replete with young players new to his scheme was 23rd against the rush but was the league's top- ranked unit against the pass.

Both teams finished in the top 10 overall, where this year's Broncos rank after their 2-2 start despite their lopsided rush-pass split.

The biggest difference these days for Bates' group is how badly the run defense is getting gashed.

No Bates-led defense has finished within 37 yards of the Broncos' current 181-yard per-game yield on the ground since 2000.

"We just haven't progressed to the point that we were hoping to and we've just got to grind, work hard on the practice field and make adjustments," he said.

Those changes in the short term don't figure to include personnel changes.

"You have to have patience and look over the full 16-game schedule," Bates said. "I mean, you see a lot of teams who change fortunes from one part of the season to the next. You saw it last year in Indianapolis. They really came together and played well at the end of the year and through the playoffs and won a Super Bowl."

The Broncos benched starting tackles Amon Gordon and Sam Adams for a switch-up against the Colts on Sunday, but that was more a function of strategy and scheme.

The Broncos used young ends Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder as pseudo-linebackers along the line of scrimmage, attempting to take advantage of their speed against Indianapolis' interior linemen.

The usual 4-3 alignment is expected back Sunday, with the team continuing its liberal front- four rotation.

One potential switch is Kenny Peterson is coming off a four- game suspension and could be activated for the first time.

As for the linebacking corps, Jamie Winborn has caught the coaches' attention and can play either outside spot. He's been getting some practice snaps with the starters to get acclimated to the scheme, but he joined the team last month and still has some catching up to do.

He could be a possible addition down the line, but probably not in the short term, if tackling issues and gap-control problems continue, for Ian Gold or Nate Webster.

D.D. Lewis also has logged substantial starts as a pro and has the versatility to play multiple spots.

"Right now, I don't think we're to the point where we think we need to make a change," linebackers coach Joe Baker said, echoing Bates. "We're going to evaluate everybody, but the thing about it at the linebacker position is we do have guys who have experience."

Baker was a member of the Packers staff with Bates in 2005. That Packers team was inexperienced in the system but "grew and got better and more confident as the year went on," perhaps helped by a soft early schedule.

But the biggest similarity he sees is that in both situations, opponents were patient with the running game and careful with the pass because they could afford to be.

With the Broncos this season, it has been a no-brainer to avoid ball-hawking cornerbacks Champ Bailey and Dré Bly if it's possible to run at a 5-yard-per- carry clip.

"People so far have busted too many big ones on us," said Baker, alluding to five runs of 20-plus yards, along with a middling 43 percent stop rate on third downs. "We've got to get to the point where we stop (the run) and they go away from it, and then once the offense becomes one dimensional, I think you'll really see the strength of this defense."

Bates and Baker said subtle improvements already have been made against the run, though each admitted statistically, those gains are hard to see from the outside.

The biggest obstacle, aside from the obvious gap and tackling issues, is comfort level within the scheme - knowing when to be aggressive and when to rein it in to prevent a big play.

The front four must also play with more power and control blockers to allow a free flow to the ball carrier without getting turned out of the running lane.

"When I look at it, I look at who's getting the yards and why they're getting the yards," Adams said. "And to be honest with you, how they're getting most of their yards I'm not concerned with. You need to be concerned about getting your butt whipped. That's not the case. You've got to make plays."

The Chargers offensively are experiencing a downturn similar to the Broncos' troubles with the run. San Diego (1-3) is tied for 24th in rushing and is 26th overall on offense, with LaDainian Tomlinson slumping coming off his Most Valuable Player season without many openings to run through.

"I know Jim and I know how feels about stopping the run. I know that it is something he takes a great deal of pride in," Chargers coach Norv Turner said. "Sometimes when you're with a new group starting out, sometimes it takes longer than you'd like."

Off the charts

Jim Bates' past seven defenses, with NFL rankings in parentheses:

Year Team Points Rushing yards Rushing TD 20+ runs 40+ runs 3rd-down pct. Passing yards Total defense

2000 Dolphins 14.1 (3rd) 108.5 (14th) 9 (*6th) 7 1 33 (4th) 181.2 (5th) 289.7 (6th)

2001 Dolphins 18.1 (11th) 111.2 (17th) 9 (*7th) 10 1 35 (8th) 176.8 (1st) 288.0 (5th)

2002 Dolphins 18.8 (4th) 97.1 (*5th) 9 (4th) 7 0 34 (*3rd) 193.9 (8th) 291.0 (3rd)

2003 Dolphins 16.3 (3rd) 90.8 (5th) 11 (*10th) 5 0 36 (*10th) 208.4 (19th) 299.2 (10th)

2004 Dolphins 22.1 (*20th) 143.9 (31st) 12 (*13th) 16 2 32 (*4th) 162.0 (2nd) 305.9 (8th)

2005 Packers 19.8 (15th) 125.6 (23rd) 10 (*7) 10 2 36 (*8th) 167.5 (1st) 293.1 (7th)

2007 Broncos-x 23.8 (*21st) 181.0 (31st) 4 (*5th) 5 0 43 (*21st) 114.5 (1st) 295.5 (6th)* Tie; X-Through Four Games