With virtually all preseason playing time precincts reporting, it is clear the Broncos’ offense is more regular season- ready than their defense.
Sure, the Broncos’ offense suffered through a fumbled snap here and a dropped pass there, but the unit has made progress in the preseason.
Most of the starters will sit Thursday against visiting Arizona in the final doesn’t-count game of the season.
Denver’s defense, though, appears to need more than an occasional tweak to get ready for the Sept. 9 season opener at Buffalo. After an unimpressive preseason, the defense will spend the next 14 days continuing to try to grasp the system of new defensive boss Jim Bates.
In fairness, Saturday night’s performance against Cleveland at Invesco Field at Mile High included some good things from the No. 1 defense. But there also was inconsistency on display against the Browns, who won 17-16.
Though still in the preseason, the play of Denver’s first team the first two games made Saturday’s game highly anticipated by the Broncos and their fans.
The first-string defense gave up 10 points to San Francisco in two series on Aug. 13 and could not stop the run. Five nights later at Texas Stadium, the Dallas Cowboys, using a game plan, scored 24 points the first half.
While Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, Bates and several players weren’t happy with the defensive play in the first two games, there was a caveat offered with nearly every assessment: There was no game plan.
“We want to see the team play well,” Shanahan said last week. “You have to improve each game.”
Against Cleveland, there was a game plan for Denver’s top defense, which played into the third quarter. It seemed to get better as the game went on.
After the first Cleveland possession, the fans’ panic could be heard throughout the stadium. It was all dressed up in a chorus of boos.
With Charlie Frye as quarterback, the Browns marched 80 yards on 11 plays. That series, capped by a 1-yard touchdown run from Jamal Lewis, gave Cleveland a 7-0 lead. The Browns’ second possession initially was promising, but it stalled at their 49-yard line.
Phil Dawson kicked a 23- yard field goal as the Browns took a 10-3 lead on their third possession, with 1:55 to play in the second quarter.
Denver’s defense showed life by tightening when it had to on Cleveland’s second and third possessions. But the Browns’ offense still made big plays. And perhaps most worrisome to the Broncos is that the Browns’ first-string offense had scored just three points in their first two preseason games.
The Broncos’ first-string defense, which also saw action against Cleveland quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn, a rookie, appeared more comfortable in Bates’ system. There appeared to be fewer missed assignments and the Broncos swarmed to the ball quicker.
“We need to show improvement,” veteran safety John Lynch said last week. “It’s early, but you want to play well.”
While it wasn’t perfect, some progress was made by the Denver defense.
