New, Physical Broncos Defense Now Officially Battle-Tested

The Seattle Seahawks physically dominated the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl last February, and for a short time last Sunday, it looked like they would do the same in the rematch. The Broncos’ early offensive game plan was so conservative it bordered on scared, and the Seahawks built a 17-3 lead by halftime.

Quarterback Peyton Manning and Denver’s talented offense sputtered until the fourth quarter, but something changed on the defensive side of the ball in the second half. A revamped defensive unit that had to get stops to keep the Broncos in the game fought back with the kind of physicality we’re used to seeing from the Seahawks.

After back-to-back weeks of needing to close out games on defense and an entire half of stellar defensive play against arguably the best team in the league, Denver’s new-look defense is now officially battle-tested. The Broncos’ goal of getting more physical on defense is starting to pay off.

"I think this is a set-the-tone type defense," strong safety T.J. Ward said after the game, via David DeChant of DenverBroncos.com. "We've got a defense full of fighters, and I'll go to war with these guys any day. We responded every time, amid adversity, and that's what you want out of a defense.”

Plays	Total Yards	1st Downs	3rd Downs Converted	Result
5	14	1	0	Punt
3	8	0	0	Punt
7	33	2	1	Missed FG
3	-8	0	0	Safety
1	0	0	0	Interception
8	33	3	1	Punt
4	25	1	0	28-yard FG

By bringing in strong safety Ward, cornerback Aqib Talib and defensive end DeMarcus Ware in the offseason, the Broncos were making a concerted effort to get more physical on the defensive side of the ball. The talent and mentality they’ve brought to the Broncos is starting to rub off on those around them.

"There's no question that Aqib and T.J. make us a stronger, tougher secondary," said defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio prior to the season, via Mike Klis of The Denver Post. "But I think we have a collection of really tough, rugged guys in our front."

That defensive front stonewalled Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch in the second half and made it possible for the offense to tie the game late. The physical Lynch had just 10 rushing yards in the second half on seven carries, and the Broncos swarmed him in the end zone for a safety at the start of the fourth quarter.

A Manning interception set up the only points Denver’s defense would allow in the second half—a 28-yard field goal by Steven Hauschka. One of Denver’s two second-half touchdowns was set up by cornerback Chris Harris Jr.’s fourth-quarter interception of quarterback Russell Wilson.

"We could have easily laid down and went away and just let them run away with the game," Harris Jr. said, via DeChant. "But we took their punches and we punched them right back."

It wouldn’t be hard to make the case that Denver’s defense wasn’t responsible for the three points the Seahawks scored in the second half, but it was responsible for five of the points the Broncos scored. That’s despite the fact that the offense had generated just three points in three quarters against Seattle’s defense.

Denver’s offense was running draws on 3rd-and-long despite having a similar offensive unit to the one that set the record for most points scored in a single season last year. Running back Montee Ball carried the ball 14 times for just 38 yards, and Denver’s running backs combined for 37 yards.

Peyton Manning’s side of the ball wasn’t physical; it was finesse. If not for Denver’s defense, it’s another blowout.

"When our offense was down and couldn't score, we held our ground on defense," defensive tackle Terrance Knighton said, via DeChant. "We got our offense an opportunity to score, and we did enough to force overtime."

The rails came off a little bit in overtime, but the Broncos still made the Seahawks work for it. Wilson had to gain 21 of the 80 yards with his legs on four attempts, and two of those attempts came on third down.

If it stays healthy, Denver’s defense could get even better going forward. Weak-side linebacker Danny Trevathan is still out with a leg injury, but he could return in Week 5 after the upcoming bye week.

With a tough defense, the Broncos are now ready to muscle through the grueling part of their schedule. The Broncos play three of their next four games at home, but against the 3-0 Arizona Cardinals, 2-1 San Diego Chargers and the faltering San Francisco 49ers. The Broncos hit the road in November and play seven of their last 10 games on the road.