Houston –
The Broncos’ defense jumped ahead of the Broncos’ offense early in training camp and felt good about it. Smacking around your teammates, knowing their quirks and building momentum on familiar ground is one thing.
Accomplishing it against an AFC team on its turf is another.
Thus, after two days of practice against the Texans in staid humidity and heat, the Broncos met the Texans for real, sort of, in the teams’ first preseason game Saturday night at Reliant Stadium.
The Texans’ offense is far from the perfect gauge for a defense. This bunch finished 18th in passing offense and 19th in total offense last season. Entering their fourth season, the Texans are still building, still trying to get it right in a crawl from expansion to, they hope, exquisite.
Fresh bodies to slap? The Denver defense would take it. This jaunty group believes it is on to something big this fall.
And then the first drive for the Texans went this way:
A run for 6 yards. A pass for 15 against rookie cornerback Darrent Williams, who played soft on receiver Andre Johnson, then rushed up and blew the tackle. A run for 8 yards. A quarterback scramble for 11. Another run for 6 yards. A 26-yard pass interference penalty on Williams that put the ball at the Denver 1.
Can you say soft? Confused? Overrated?
The early joke was on the Denver defense and it was rapidly becoming a salacious hoot.
The Texans’ best showing on offense last season was in their running game. They finished 12th in rushing, near the middle among all teams. They led in the run game in nearly every category vs. their opponents, including rushing attempts (481 to 417), rushing yards (1,882 to 1,843), rushing first downs (103 to 89) and rushing touchdowns (16 to four). With the focus on back Domanick Davis, the Texans have proved they can run it, push it, power it in short-yardage and goal-line circumstances.
Thus, it was significant what happened in the next four plays from the Denver 1.
Davis ran for no gain and was belted by linebackers D.J. Williams and Ian Gold.
Davis ran for no gain and was bunged by safety John Lynch.
Davis ran for no gain, this time hemmed by tackle Michael Myers.
One more try? Of course, Davis again, and this stop was end Trevor Pryce’s plum.
Ball back to Denver. Goal-line stand complete.
Linebacker Al Wilson late in the first quarter would be beaten over the middle on a tough isolation-coverage play on a tight end, one that any linebacker would find a nasty challenge. Other than that, only seven points for the Texans vs. the Broncos’ best defenders and only 14 points allowed all night long.
Plus that game-altering goal-line stand.
This is what the Broncos were looking for. This is what you want your exhibition games to be about. If your new-fangled calling card is defense, a good time to show it is in the moment, right from the start.
And, despite a shaky first few plays, the Broncos did in their 20-14 victory.
“In our first meeting of the year,” Lynch said, “we talked about keeping people out of the end zone. We did it tonight at the goal line and won by six points. In my Super Bowl year in Tampa, we had three or four goal-line stands like that. It carries over for your defense. We have a high standard on this defense. I’m used to that.”
There was no Courtney Brown, no Gerard Warren, no Champ Bailey, three defensive starters nursing injuries. Yet, the Broncos’ defensive linemen presented a solid push for most of the night and the young players, Darrent Williams included, grew bold while on the job.
For so long with the Broncos it has been about offense. This defense is intent on changing that.
“We’ve got speed, we’ve got size, some depth and a great attitude,” Wilson said. “We are becoming the kind of defense that does not care what the offense is doing; we want to win the game on our side of the ball. That is a new brand of football for the Broncos and for the entire organization.”
This was only one preseason game, but it set the right mind-set for this defense.
In training camp, in preseason a team often becomes what it will be.
This is where a team gains its character and identity for the season. Imagine that, a Broncos season where there is more excitement when the Broncos do not have the ball compared with when they do have it.
“It can happen,” Wilson said.
I could not find a single Bronco who disagrees.
Staff writer Thomas Georgecan be reached at 303-820-1994
