Broncos' quartet must be in harmony

Front four needs to work as a unit to slow opponents

By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published July 27, 2008 at 9:24 p.m.

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Defensive line coach Jacob Burney goes over a play with Jarvis Moss, left, and John Engelberger, who are both coming off injuries.

Photo by Brian Lehmann © The Rocky

Defensive tackle Nic Clemons, center, tries to get past Tom Nalen, left, as guard Chris Kuper goes about his business Sunday at Broncos training camp.

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In the pursuit of opposing quarterbacks, when digging in against opposing running backs, four of a kind is not, and won't ever be, a winning hand for the Broncos defense.

"No, you can't have four guys up front doing the same thing, they can't be the same guy, doing the same thing, looking for one thing," Broncos defensive end/ tackle Ebenezer Ekuban said. "It takes four - four - guys doing their jobs to get one of us a sack, to get one of us a tackle. Ask any defensive linemen, if they don't say 'yes,' then they just don't know yet."

"One guy can be negated pretty easy," Broncos defensive coordinator Bob Slowik said. "Now four, that's another story."

And as the Broncos begin to wind their way through training camp, few positions on the field get a raised eyebrow or two from the teams they are preparing to play more than their defensive line.

The Broncos defense, caught in a scheme shift that didn't work, finished 30th against the run in 2007, tied for 16th in sacks and 19th overall in yards allowed per game. The team changed defensive signal-callers, with Slowik replacing Jim Bates, and the group has spent the early portion of camp with head coach Mike Shanahan staring hard into its workouts more than the offense's.

Yet the defense certainly did not exit '07 and enter '08 on a wave of change. In fact, of the 13 defensive linemen currently practicing in camp, 11 finished last season with the team, including Jarvis Moss, who was on injured reserve last year.

Defensive tackles Nic Clemons (free agent) and Dewayne Robertson (trade) are the only new additions in that group. Rookie defensive tackle Carlton Powell, a fifth- round pick in April, would have been a third, but he already is on injured reserve after tearing an Achilles' tendon.

"But we have the talent, we have what we need," said defensive end Elvis Dumervil, who was one of only three players in the league's top 10 in sacks in '07 not invited to the Pro Bowl. "Maybe people don't believe that, but we've got talent, we've got youth, we've got some older guys with experience. Now, it's just about guys doing the job."

The Broncos figure to try and do the job in waves this season, substituting liberally up front, but the starting front four thus far in camp has its share of questions to answer.

Top of the line

There is Dumervil, who desperately wants to be an every-down end though, at 5-foot-11, still is considered undersized for the job by many personnel executives in the league, to go with John Engelberger, who is coming off shoulder surgery, at the two end spots.

Inside at the two starting tackle spots at the moment are Robertson, who failed the Broncos physical because of chronic knee troubles, and Kenny Peterson, who the Broncos released in October before he was re-signed in November.

"Really, the depth chart doesn't mean anything right now, doesn't matter if I'm one, two or three," Peterson said. "I just show up to work every day. But no matter who is in there, we've got to play as one unit; when guys are out there playing as individuals, that kind of messes things up a little bit.

"You've got to have guys willing to play together and be physical. That's a good defensive line - be physical. Can't have too many finesse guys, because then you get pushed around."

The Broncos also are hoping the change back to a simplified defensive scheme - Slowik has players up front responsible for one gap, for the most part - will bring some aggressiveness back into the group and hold down run games, which pounded the Broncos mercilessly in the first half of '07.

Stop the run first

To start this season, they will play far more eight-man fronts, with a safety down near the line of scrimmage, than they did in '07, the thinking being if the Broncos can reel in run games, they will face far more favorable down- and-distance situations to rush the passer.

Shanahan has described it as "getting back to the things we've done in the past, we got away from it a little bit last year."

"It's been better," cornerback Champ Bailey said. "I think those guys can just play, they're not so worried about all of their responsibilities, they can just play and get to the ball, and that should help everybody, including the people in back."

"It simplifies it for everybody - one gap, it's not hard to play one gap," Peterson said. "Just kind of go forward, keep your head in the gap. I like the scheme, I like what's going on."

In the end, though, with an opening seven-game stretch in the regular season that includes four playoff teams, including a trip to New England, as well as three teams (Jacksonville, San Diego and Oakland) that rushed for at least 186 yards in games against the Broncos last season, Denver's defensive front won't have to wait long to see where it stands.

"We know it starts with us," Ekuban said. "Every play, every day, we have to give it all we have and when we think we don't have any more, we have to give some more, every guy up there. All four, all the time."

• July 27, 2008

  10:03 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  Sounds good on paper. Now lets see what it produces on the field. It's good to go in confident. You don't belong on the field if you're not confident. But after you talk the talk, it's time to walk the walk. I hope ours boys are as good as they sound like they think they are. It would be nice to see a dramatic turn-around from last years debacle. Bates was a moron. He asked too much of the players and tried a system that didn't work. Slowik sounds like he's keeping it simple enough so the players are more relaxed.
  GOOOOOOOOOOOOO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• July 27, 2008

  10:48 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  LingLingfor_prez writes:

  Go Chargers!

• July 27, 2008

  11:20 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  R8R_H8R writes:

  "Inside at the two starting tackle spots at the moment are Robertson, who failed the Broncos physical because of chronic knee troubles, and Kenny Peterson, who the Broncos released in October "

  THAT DOES NOT SOUND GOOD ON PAPER TO ME.

• July 27, 2008

  11:21 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  Once again it's the "LingLing the ding-a-ling" hour.

• July 27, 2008

  11:34 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  Don't forget Boss Bailey, Manual, McCree, Paymah as DB's. We also have a slew of LB's. Not to mention, Peterson is a DE. and will not be a starter. We have DE's way ahead of him on the charts. The Broncos will be fine. Better then the Raiders or Chiefs. All that we have to do is handle LingLing the ding-a-lings, San Diego lightening dolts.

• July 27, 2008

  11:46 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  I say that Peterson is a DE because that is what the Broncos roster has him listed at. We also have Harris who is a DT and he is big. 6'5" tall and 305 lbs.. There is Alvin Mckinley who has 9 years in the league and can offer something to the plate. They may have penciled in Peterson, now, but it doesn't mean he will be a starter at the start of the season. We'll see. He is but one in the cog. And I don't think we can do much worse on D then last year.

• July 28, 2008

  12:32 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  I Googled a couple of different sites for Denver rosters and another one lists him as a DL, one as a DE. I copied and pasted the lowdown on him. I quote: Peterson's career with the Broncos has been nothing if not eventful. Peterson joined the Broncos midway through 2006, seeing action in 3 games. Peterson came into Training Camp in 2007 looking to compete in a deep D-Line pool only to get suspended for the first four games of the 2007 season for testing positive for a performance enhancing substance. Peterson was cut upon his return only to be signed a month later when the Broncos D-Line was in shambles.

  Upon coming back to the Broncos, Peterson was pressed into action the final 7 game sand actually proved to be a solid role player. WHile listed as a D-End, Peterson can slide inside as well and plays acceptably well, well enough for the Broncos to keep him around to compete for a job in 2008.

  Whether or not Peterson can win a job remains to be seen. With Moss coming back and youth behind him, Peterson is assuredly on the bubble. But like a bad cold, Peterson seems to hang around and we'd be foolish to count him out. After-all, he is a Buckeye!

  2007 Season Notes: After competing in training camp with the team, was suspended by the commissioner for the first four games. After serving his suspension, was released by the team on Oct. 8. Re-joined the team as a free agent on Nov. 13. Made season debut on Monday Night Football vs. Ten. (11/19), and assisted on a tackle. Led the defensive line with seven solo tackles, including a sack (8 yds.), and a pass defensed at Chi. (11/25). Dropped QB Rex Grossman for an 8-yard loss in the second quarter moving the line of scrimmage to Denver’s 43-yard line. The sack accounted for his personal most sack yards in a game. Played on defense and special teams, but did not record any stats at Oak. (12/2) and vs. K.C. (12/9). Posted two tackles (1 solo) and a pass defensed at Hou. (12/13). Played, but did not record any stats at S.D. (12/24). Posted three tackles (2 solo) in the season finale vs. Min. (12/30).

• July 28, 2008

  10:50 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  bigbadthor writes:

  I think Peterson will stick, he is versitile and seems to play well when in games. I think eventual starting D-line:

  DE: Ekuban, Backup -Moss
  DT: Thomas, Backup - McKinely
  DT: Robertson, Backup - Peterson
  DE: Dumervil, Backup - Crowder

  Think Engleberger gets cut, he's decent in the run game, but no pass rush and I think this defense needs more push from the ends.

• July 28, 2008

  11:24 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  bigbadthor, makes sense. Moss and Crowder aren't going anywhere. They were hurt last year. so not much in playing time. Now, should they get hurt again, then their futures are not to bright. Peterson would have done better, last year, if he hadn't got caught pulling a Romanoski stunt. When you feel you have to cheat, to get an edge, it doesn't speak well for the person in question.

• July 28, 2008

  1:03 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Jamaro writes:

  Looking way to much into the Peterson thing, EE and Kenny will be used at both spots most likely because of their versatility. Kenny showed flashes of solid play last year after his 4 game suspension. You can not get to set on the "starters" the reason the Broncos have Peterson and others at different positions is because of the way they rotate the d-line.

• July 28, 2008

  6:53 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  myerda00 writes:

  I think that the Broncos keep 9 DL;
  Ekuban and Dumervil with Thomas and Robertson
  Then rotate in Moss and Crowder with Mckinley and Peterson
  Plus IMO Josh Mallard makes the team.
  So If only 8 then someone gets hurt?

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