Broncos' Defense Ranked Top-10 in DVOA Despite Litany of Injuries
In the first two weeks of the NFL season, there were plenty of reasons for Denver Broncos fans to be concerned about the defense. Pro Bowlers like Von Miller, Jurrell Casey, and A.J. Bouye, along with young depth players such as Dre'Mont Jones and DeMarcus Walker, were all injured, leaving others to have to fill the void.
But after five games, it's becoming clear that the Broncos' defense is still a strength, even with a couple of key veterans lost for the season.
The Broncos defense is ranked sixth in Football Outsiders DVOA — ninth against the pass and fifth against the run. Those rankings come against what Football Outsiders sees as the 15th-toughest schedule thus far.
Denver's defense opened the season against the Tennessee Titans, who have the third-best offense as measured by DVOA, then played the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have the ninth-best offense as measured by DVOA.
In other words, the Broncos faced two quality offenses to open the season and did quite well.
After that came the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have the seventh-best offense as measured by DVOA. If the Broncos' offense could have done more in that game, the defense might have had a better outing.
The Broncos' defense hasn't faced strong offenses over the past two weeks, with the New York Jets ranked 31st and the New England Patriots ranked 25th in DVOA. Still, you expect a quality defense to dominate against weaker offenses, and the Broncos did that.
It's clear that Denver has a coaching staff that knows how to get it done on defense. Vic Fangio isn't perfect, but his schemes have worked well with the personnel he has, even with several players out with injuries.
Throw in the knowledge that Ed Donatell brings as defensive coordinator, the coaching Bill Kollar does with defensive linemen, and the work of the rest of the defensive coaches, and you have a staff that is getting the most out of its players, even if those players aren't always the most talented.
It's going to make for some interesting decisions after the 2020 season if the Broncos can keep this up. I'll be talking about some personnel decisions the Broncos may have to make after the season, but let's consider a few points.
Harris Proves It
Shelby Harris, for instance, is arguably having his best season as a pro. The Broncos acquired Casey in a trade, to be that veteran presence on the D-line, but would the Broncos be better served with Harris in that role after the season?
Ojemudia Exceeds Expectations
The Broncos had high hopes for Bouye, but Michael Ojemudia has emerged and Bryce Callahan has been a steady performer. Does this mean the Broncos may need to move on from Bouye after the season?
And that brings me to Justin Simmons, who is getting back on track. Given that the cornerback situation is looking better, would a reason to cut Bouye be so the Broncos can commit the dollars to Simmons instead?
Of course, there are still 11 games left to play, so we'll know more about where things stand once the season is over.
A New Litmus Test
One thing is certain: The Broncos' defense is going to get a bigger test this week when it faces the Kansas City Chiefs, who have the second-best offense as measured by DVOA. Like the Buccaneers, the Chiefs have a top quarterback and lots of offensive weapons.
It appears that Jones and Walker might be ready to return to the lineup this week, and there's hope that Bouye might be able to as well. The Broncos can certainly use all the help they can get against their division rival.
After the Week 7 matchup with the Chiefs, among remaining Broncos opponents, the New Orleans Saints are the only other team with an offense currently ranked in the top-10 in DVOA. Although the schedule should lighten, plenty can change in the coming weeks.
Offense's Unanswered Questions
Of course, it will help if the Broncos' offense can find its groove. Offensively, the Broncos are ranked 29th in DVOA, and is increasingly getting back players who have missed time. An offense that can move the chains and finish drives can do a lot to take the pressure off the defense.
But give a tip of the hat to the coaching staff for getting the most out of what it has on defense. After losing top players to injury, there was plenty of reason to worry. Now we know, though, that this coaching staff can find a way to get results, even with all the injuries.
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