ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Even with everything that has gone wrong for the Denver Broncos, there has at least been one constant.
The team’s running attack has regularly looked sharp. But their toughest test may be Sunday against Pittsburgh, the NFL’s best defense.
“It’s hard to run against, but I think we faced a 3-4 defense a lot during the season playing San Diego, so we know how to adjust to it,” running back Travis Henry said.
Henry is the league’s seventh leading rusher, averaging 99.6 yards per game. And though he’s currently in the lineup for Sunday, his status is in constant limbo while he fights the league over a disputed a drug test.
The Steelers are allowing just 72.6 rushing yards a game, good for fourth in the league. The Broncos rushing attack averages 138.8 yards a game.
Something will have to give.
“They’ve got a lot of play makers,” Broncos guard Montrae Holland said. “A lot of experience across the front line. I feel like if we trust in our offense and in our coordinator we can move the ball against anyone.”
Moving the ball hasn’t been a big problem. It’s punching it into the end zone that has the team a little frustrated.
“We know as an offense we need seven points, not three,” tight end Daniel Graham said. “That’s a big focus for us when we’re on the practice field. In due time, when we click as a unit, we’ll be able to show a lot.”
That is if they can finally get healthy.
The offensive line was dealt a serious blow when center Tom Nalen was lost for the season against San Diego when he tore his right biceps. The Broncos were already missing guard Ben Hamilton who was placed on the IR after struggling to recover from a concussion.
Nalen’s loss has shifted Chris Myers from left guard to center and brought Chris Kuper into a starting role to replace Myers.
Myers played four positions along the offensive line while at the University of Miami and he spent the bye week working with Cutler and his teammates on the shift.
Kuper, in only his second year, has never started a game along the line. Now he’s sent into duty against one of the league’s scariest defenses.
“I just definitely need to get this week of practice under my belt and get comfortable with the game plan,” Kuper said. “They fly to the ball and they’re really big up front, strong guys, physical.”
The Steelers have long been known as a physical football team. And even under new coach Mike Tomlin, that hasn’t changed. But it’s that physicality that’s often neutralized by Denver’s zone-blocking scheme.
The Broncos have produced 11 seasons with at least one player gaining more than 1,000 yards rushing during coach Mike Shanahan’s tenure. So Henry looks forward to challenge.
“That’s Pittsburgh’s M.O.,” Henry said. “It’s going to be a hard four quarters. That’s what they do. Guys buy in to what they’ve got. They scheme and I think that’s why they’re good year in and year out.”
When facing San Diego’s 3-4 defensive scheme earlier this season, the Chargers held Denver’s ground game to just 72 yards, but that was due more to the Broncos falling behind early than an inability to run. Still, San Diego held the Broncos to just three points.
“We left some yards on the field,” Holland said. “We can’t really make this a one-on-one grudge match, because cause there’s a bigger picture involved. We’ve got to move the ball.”
