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Bailey's hit more valuable than sack for Broncos

By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published October 5, 2008 at 8:30 p.m.

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Denver's Elvis Dumervil sacks Brian Griese during the second quarter. It was one of three Denver sacks in the game, and Dumervil's first of the season.

Photo by Matt McClain © The Rocky

Denver's Elvis Dumervil sacks Brian Griese during the second quarter. It was one of three Denver sacks in the game, and Dumervil's first of the season.

Broncos defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban Brian Griese to the ground for a sack. Griese was sacked three times in the game, but it was a non-sack by Champ Bailey that knocked Griese out of the game.

Photo by Darin McGregor © The Rocky

Broncos defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban Brian Griese to the ground for a sack. Griese was sacked three times in the game, but it was a non-sack by Champ Bailey that knocked Griese out of the game.

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It doesn't count for anything, Champ Bailey lamented.

The cornerback's blitz in which he leveled Tampa Bay quarterback Brian Griese in the third quarter Sunday, necessitating a move to Buccaneers backup Jeff Garcia, wasn't a sack because Griese's arm was in motion when the hit occurred.

"I don't even know how you'd put that down on the stat sheet," Bailey said.

It's an incomplete pass, technically. But there's an asterisk, too.

As tone-setters go, this was the moment the Broncos defense has been searching for since Nate Webster's fumble return for a score in the first half of the New Orleans game Sept. 21.

It demonstrated the Broncos defense could apply pressure and that its 3-4 scheme, used as a frequent changeup to its normal four-man, three-linebacker look, could work if run correctly.

A shot in the arm? Bailey's hit was in more ways than one.

So was the Broncos' overall defensive performance.

By the time Tampa Bay scored again five possessions later, Denver had forged a 10-point lead and essentially had grabbed control in the AFC West with the Broncos winning 16-13.

"Anytime you implement a new defense the first week of the regular season, it's going to take time," defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban said of the frequent use of the 3-4 look Sunday. "Mind you, we didn't do it in minicamps, (organized team activities) or training camp. So, hopefully, guys are getting comfortable in it and we can still keep doing it."

Bet on it. The Broncos limited the Buccaneers to 6-for-15 on third down going heavy with that look, which features Elvis Dumervil and Ekuban as the ends and Kenny Peterson at nose tackle and adds Jamie Winborn to the starting linebacker group.

The Broncos, against a Buccaneers offense that hadn't yielded a sack in two weeks, were credited with three, including one by Dumervil despite a three-man rush. Bailey's nonsack, coming on a double corner blitz off both edges, was a bonus.

Just as important, the Broncos clogged the passing lanes with zone drops to foil a Buccaneers passing offense that's more conservative than a Sarah Palin rally, while limiting Tampa Bay to a season low in points (13) and yards per play (5).

"We knew we had to cut down on explosive plays," said Broncos defensive tackle Marcus Thomas, who had a fourth-quarter interception out of a 4-3 look on a zone drop. "The last couple games there were four or five, and we cut that to one or two big plays that we allowed. Eliminate those and we'll be a pretty decent defense."

Pretty decent wasn't the way to describe the Broncos' stop unit the past few weeks, particularly after getting gashed by Larry Johnson and Co. for 213 rushing yards the previous week and carrying a 73 percent completion rate by opponents into the game.

The Broncos on that side of the ball were widely seen as the anchor that would sink the team: The "enver" Broncos - no "D" to be found.

"You get tired of it, but it's a fact," Bailey said. "We have been giving up yards and points. We don't like that. And we knew we were better than what we were doing and went out and proved it. But it's just one game."

Other than a 14-yard Earnest Graham run and a 38-yard scamper by Buccaneers running back Warrick Dunn sandwiched around a penalty on Tampa Bay's second possession, the Broncos swarmed to the ball and kept the Buccaneers in dink-and-dunk mode.

Tampa Bay had only one completion exceeding 12 yards. Starting with Bailey's hit, Tampa Bay went three-and-out on four straight second-half drives.

"Everybody was to the ball. That was the biggest difference," linebacker Boss Bailey said.

The consistent pressure didn't hurt, either. The Broncos had only one sack in each of the previous three games before matching that total. D.J. Williams and Ekuban also brought Griese down before the quarterback's exit.

"It was huge, man," Dumervil said of the heat put on the pocket. "And anytime you get a first- string quarterback out of there, they've got to change their whole mind-set."

Whether Sunday does the same for the Broncos defense remains to be seen.

Yet, for one afternoon, it solved what had been a nagging issue: missed assignments. It has something to do with the Buccaneers' no-frills offense, surely, but just might be because of increasing comfort level with Bob Slowik's hybrid scheme that works well with these earth-friendly times.

"It was huge to get the front four going, get the 'backer in there and making the package work," Boss Bailey said. " 'Slo' believes in it. We believe in it. We just had to show him we believe in it by putting it together on game day. That's what you saw."

Comments

  • October 5, 2008

    8:57 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    deepwater805 writes:

    I can only imagine the day that both the offense and defense have the kind of day they are capable of having, on the same day. The rest of the NFL is hoping that day never comes, but methinks it's coming soon. Very soon.

    Note to DT's: next time find that brown roundish pointy thing in your ham fists....just fall on it.

  • October 5, 2008

    9:57 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    RockyMts69 writes:

    It's about time Denvers D stepped up to the plate!!! Now imagine what they could do if both the defense and offense start pumping on all cylinders...? Keep up with the good work!!!

  • October 6, 2008

    1:37 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    dirkle writes:

    Tampa Bay's offense is not exactly a juggernaut.
    Let's not break our arms patting ourselves on the back just yet.

  • October 6, 2008

    6:21 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    kmeissner writes:

    Dirkle is one of those "fans" that is never happy. Denver played a good game yesterday. The defense looked great for the most part, and special teams is finally tackling people. Prater has been superb so far. Try to look at a few positives next time.

    GO BRONCOS!!!

  • October 6, 2008

    6:45 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Rutabaga writes:

    I was so happy that the Bronco defense decided to play on Sunday I ate a whole bag Halloween candy corn. I felt kinda sick afterwards, but it was a happy kinda sick. Even this morning when I burp I can still taste the candy corn but it reminds me of the game.

    Boy, the Bronco defense sure fooled me. I thought that they were stinky-er than the squished skunk somebody ran over down the street from me. But the defense doesn't smell that bad anymore. It's sort of like somebody poured the really good smelling stuff that the barber uses on me after he cuts my hair all over the skunk. Sweet...

    Go Broncos... To The Championship and Beyond...

  • October 6, 2008

    8:58 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jrose350 writes:

    I am new to the board but a long time Broncos fan and I wanted to say this. I am not saying that the Bucs are one of the top offensive powerhouses in the league either, but they did put 450+ (400+ passing) on the Chicago Bears defense, who didnt record a single sack. Puts the effort yesterday in a little more perspective. As for the Offense, I watched Big Ben throw for 300 and 3 TDs on the Jags D last night, so I am looking forward to next week with or without Royal and Scheffler.

  • October 6, 2008

    10:56 a.m.

    Mile_High_Magic writes:

    (This comment was removed by the site staff.)

  • October 6, 2008

    12:58 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    BroncoBrad writes:

    dirkle,

    While I'm not denying that Tampa's offense is not one of the top in the league, if you recall from the prior week against KC, they were near the bottom of the leaque in offense going into that game and they laid 33 pts on us.

    A big leap forward in the right direction for the Broncos D. We just need to keep executing on D each week. Certainly a big lead in the first half would help with an improved D. My finger nails would look a whole lot better Monday mornings if that were to happen.

    Still hoping Ryan Torain comes back in two weeks for the P-Men game. I'd like to see the offense get more balanced. We just haven't been able to run the ball effectively like in the past. Hopefully RT can put the running game back to where it needs to be. If we can start running the ball better, it will open up the passing game even more.

    GO BRONCOS!!!!!