HOUSTON – In waves and waves of speed rushes, rips and chops and plenty of old-fashioned bull rushes, the Denver Broncos’ defense is overwhelming opponents with a suffocating pass rush.
It’s an especially dangerous defense, hazardous to quarterbacks regardless of their elusiveness.
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Eight games into the season, no one is even getting close to approaching the Broncos’ gold standard for attacking the pocket.
They’re atop the NFL sack charts with 36 and rank first in the NFL with a 45.9 percent pressure rate on dropbacks, according to Next Gen Stats.
It’s been extremely ugly for opponents trying to block a deep and talented front seven headlined by star outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, whose athleticism has propelled him to eight sacks already this season. One year after earning a four-year, $120 million maximum value contract and recording a career-high 13 1/2 sacks and 16 tackles for losses, the former Oklahoma standout is on track for another career-best milestone.
For the Texans’ overhauled offensive line on Sunday at NRG Stadium, one week after allowing zero sacks for the first time this season and since the final game of quarterback C.J. Stroud’s rookie year, they have to be on point against a formidable Broncos defense.
“I just see a group that plays together, you don’t really see too many guys who trying to have a selfish rush,” Texans rookie left tackle Aireontae Ersery told KPRC 2. “I feel like they play together well and all five or six guys who rotate can all pass rush. As long as we communicate, we’ll be good. We’re at home, so I’m not too much worried.
“Whatever the team, whatever we’ve been asked of as an offensive line, we just got to make sure that we do our job. This is still the NFL. Everybody has got to make sure we do our job, so that we don’t hurt ourself and go backwards or get a flag or whatever the case may be. So, we can continue to have success.”
It’s not only Bonitto the Texans need to be concerned about, though.
Most NFL teams aren’t like the Texans, who have bookend Pro Bowl edges in Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. It’s extremely rare to see a team like the Broncos.
Jonathon Cooper has six sacks, two less than Bonitto. John Franklin-Myers and Zach Allen both have four sacks apiece. Allen is a powerful force at the line of scrimmage who leads the team with 22 quarterback hits, five more than Bonitto.
“Just communicate, everybody get on the same page, play as one, play hard,” Texans right tackle Tytus Howard told KPRC 2. “Not try to be doing nothing out of the norm. Just stay consistent all game. They got a good front, from top to bottom..
“They’re all good players. I think they win a lot of games because of how good their front is, but I think we could stay consistent all game and do the things we need to do to get some time and establish the run, we’ll be good."
Yes, the Texans are expected to use some maximum protection schemes that involve their jumbo package with Blake Fisher in the game as an extra tackle.
“They’re relentless,” Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley said. “So, you got to buckle up, and it’s going to be a 60-plus minute game. You got to play with great technique and if you don’t, you get exposed by teams like that.”
The Broncos have consistently harassed quarterbacks all year long. Allen had one sack and four hits last week in a win over the Dallas Cowboys as he got after quarterback Dak Prescott.
“We just have to play our technique,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Don’t overthink it, just play our technique. Really strain to get them blocked up front, knowing that they’re a really solid group and really solid on the inside as well. They’ll play a five-down front. It’s just everybody across the board is going to have to win their one-on-one matchup.”
This game is eerily similar to the challenge the Texans faced against the Seattle Seahawks, road loss during which Stroud was sacked three times and intercepted once.
Like the Seahawks, the Broncos don’t have to dial up a lot of blitzes to create penetration into the backfield.
Against the injury-depleted 49ers, Stroud had a clean pocket and was pressured a season-low 21.4 percent of time on dropbacks. The Texans also rushed for 157 yards.
Unlike the 49ers, though, the Broncos are far more talented and they’re healthy.
They rank fifth in scoring defense and total defense.
“Does a good job of playing relentless,” Stroud said. “They don’t give up. They play really tough. They have a really good defensive line.”
The architect of the Broncos defense: former Texans secondary coach Vance Joseph.
He was a part of Gary Kubiak’s staff when Ryans was a Pro Bowl linebacker.
“Joseph, he does an unbelievable job of bringing a variety of pressures every single week,” Ryans said. “You have to be ready. Again, all your protection rules get tested. Vance does a really good job of knowing how to stress your protection and where the weak points are.
“So, we know we’re going to get strained in that area. It’s going to take all 11, again, whether that’s the backs stepping up in protection, tight ends, our line, and quarterbacks making the proper call.”
After the 49ers game, Stroud received a game ball from Ryans. The quarterback made it a special point to arrange for six more game balls to reward his linemen: Ersery, left guard Laken Tomlinson, center Jake Andrews, right guard Ed Ingram and Howard.
“He showed love, gave the whole line game balls,” Howard said. “That’s just motivation to keep doing it, man, keep achieving that standard every week. Those aren’t free. They’re not free, you gotta earn it.”
Ersery is coming off his highest graded game of the season, an 82.1 pass blocking grade, per Pro Football Focus. He allowed only two pressures on 17 pass blocks.
“I’m pretty hard on myself, man,” Ersery said. “Good, bad. I still feel like there’s always areas for improvement. That’s just how I’m always gonna be, man. Kinda gotta pick my poison, but, hey, I wanna be great. I know that takes time, it doesn’t happen overnight.”
When pressured, Stroud has completed just 52.2 percent of his throws for two touchdowns and three interceptions. When he has sufficient time, he has completed 72.7 percent of his throws for nine touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Broncos are a team that will likely call for some quick-game concepts, screens and heavy packages to contain their rush.
“They affect the passer really well,” Andrews said. “They’re just really disciplined. Vance Joseph has done a good job for a lot of years and they got a good scheme and it keeps people on their toes. They all can rush.
“They can all affect the passer, So, it’s gonna be on every single one of us, all five, to make sure that we’re doing our job.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com