This Under-the-Radar Broncos Player Can Wreck Packers

The Denver Broncos’ powerhouse defense has game-wrecking players all over the depth chart with All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain, premier pass rusher Nik Bonitto and defensive tackle Zach Allen.

Zach Allen? Who’s Zach Allen?

Merely the best interior pass rusher in the NFL, and he will be a major problem for the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

“Zach is a guy that can win quickly inside,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “I think he’s got over 50-some-odd pressures on the season, so to get that inside-outside combination is a big-time challenge because somebody’s getting a one-on-one somewhere.”

Allen, a third-round pick in 2019 who made his debut this year at No. 90 on the NFL Top 100 list, is one of the better defensive tackles in the NFL. Never a Pro Bowler, the reason he is not as widely respected and well known around the league is because he happens to play on the best defensive front in the league, which means he can get overshadowed at times.

“His ability to get off the ball. He’s got great moves in the pass rush game,” Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said. “But he is physical and productive, but he gets in the backfield in the run game, too. Slippery player. Plays fast. He’s not necessarily the biggest guy, but he can still win and create push, which is pretty impressive.”

While Allen is taller than the average defensive tackle at 6-foot-5, he is about 30 pounds underweight at 285. Despite being slightly undersized for his position, he has delivered outsized production.

His six sacks rank fifth among defensive tackles, but it’s not just the sacks.

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart is pressured by Denver Broncos defensive end Zach Allen. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Since signing with the Broncos in free agency in 2023, Allen leads the entire NFL, not just the defensive tackles, with 98 quarterback hits, according to the official league stats. A second-team All-Pro in 2024, Allen led the league with 40 last year, four more than the Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson and 12 more than anyone else.

This year, Allen leads the league again with 34, with at least three in eight of 13 games. That’s two more than Myles Garrett, who is on the verge of setting the NFL single-season sacks record. He’s also batted down six passes.

According to Pro Football Focus, he leads all defensive tackles with 51 pressures. By contrast, all of Green Bay’s interior defensive linemen have combined for 60. Last year, he led the position group with 75.

While he was held in check for most of his last game against the Raiders, recording no tackles and no sacks, he was credited with three pressures and three QB hits, showing that he can create problems for the offense even when he isn’t bringing down the quarterback.

“He’s so quick off the ball,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said recently. “He bends well. I would say he’s one of those guys, when you talk about stamina and play after play, it’s unique.”

Since replacing Elgton Jenkins at center, Sean Rhyan has yet to allow a sack, but has given up eight pressures, including three QB hits, according to PFF. Right guard Anthony Belton has been an asset in the run game but given up eight pressures the last two weeks. Left guard Aaron Banks has given up three pressures each in the last two weeks.

While the Packers’ interior offensive line has been up and down recently, Allen is on a three-game streak of being held without a sack. Before that, he had six straight games with at least half a sack.

Like what Devonte Wyatt was doing in the interior of the Packers’ defensive line before his season-ending ankle injury, Allen is benefiting from playing on a defensive line where almost everyone could be double teamed. Outside linebackers Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper have been one of the top edge-rushing duos in the NFL, combining for 20 sacks and 20 tackles for losses, giving Allen ample opportunity to rush the passer one on one.

At the same time, just like what Wyatt did for Micah Parsons, Allen’s ability to produce interior pressure has eliminated escape routes and made life easier for Bonitto and Cooper.

If the Packers want to steal a win from the AFC-leading Broncos, it will start with keeping Jordan Love standing on passing downs. To do that, the offensive line can’t get too caught up with Bonitto and Cooper and forget about Allen. Otherwise, he could become a game-wrecking problem very quickly.

As center Sean Rhyan put it: “They’re a good team. Got to use our technique, what we’re taught, and then go execute.”

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