ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Broncos defensive end Elvis Dumervil uses his diminutive size and long arms to his benefit.
He’s developing a signature move where he ducks down low, sneaks around a surprised offensive tackle, pops back up and sacks the quarterback.
The pass-rush maneuver—dubbed the “long-armed rip move”—has served Dumervil well. He’s tied for seventh in the league with eight sacks this season.
“With my leverage and long arms, that works for me around the corner,” said Dumervil, who’s 5-foot-11 and 250 pounds. “My goal is 12 to 15 sacks this season. I’ve still got a long way to go.”
Dumervil has had quite a season for the Broncos. He’s had three multi-sack games, intercepted a pass, forced three fumbles—two of which were returned for touchdowns—and recovered a fumble.
“He’s just got a knack,” safety John Lynch said. “That’s a position where you don’t look at size, just look at production. He’s been producing since high school.”
And yet his compact size has always been held against him. He’s become immune to it.
Dumervil had 78 sacks at Jackson High School in Miami, but wasn’t highly recruited.
So he landed at Louisville, where he finished his career with 32 sacks. He had 20 his senior year and was named the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Award, given to the nation’s best defender.
But because of concerns about his height he slipped into the fourth round of the 2006 draft, where Denver selected him to bolster its lackluster pass rush. He responded with 8 1-2 sacks in his rookie season.
“I’ve been thankful for the opportunity,” Dumervil said.
With season-ending injuries to Ebenezer Ekuban (torn Achilles) and Jarvis Moss (fractured fibula), Dumervil has seen his role increase. He’s gone from a pass-rush specialist to an every-down player.
“His run defense has really improved,” Denver defensive boss Jim Bates said. “He’s exciting to watch. He’s playing really well.”
The opposition is starting to catch on. He’s drawing frequent double teams, opening up holes for players like rookie Tim Crowder, who has three sacks in the last two games.
“I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help,” Dumervil said. “I’m having fun.”
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HESTER WATCH@: Bears coach Lovie Smith has seen about every type of coverage used on punt return extraordinaire Devin Hester.
“We’ve had teams kick the ball out of bounds. We’ve had them squib it, try to place it to another player,” Smith said. “There’s not a lot of new things we will see from here on out.”
Hester leads the NFC in punt returns with a 15.9 yard average. He’s returned two for touchdowns this season.
“He’s a game-breaker,” Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said.
Not to mention fun to watch.
“He’s a special talent,” Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall said. “He’s lightning fast, he makes things happen. He’s dangerous.”
Smith was asked if he would punt it to Hester.
“Being the head coach of the Chicago Bears? Yeah, I would kick to him,” Smith said with a laugh.
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TAILBACK UPDATE@: The Broncos will be without tailback Travis Henry for a third straight game Sunday at Chicago thanks to a left knee injury.
What’s more, backup running back Selvin Young will be a game-time decision due to a strained right knee.
Henry, who partially tore the posterior cruciate ligament in his knee against Detroit on Nov. 4, is also battling the flu.
“He’s got the flu, he’s got the knee, it’s not looking good,” Shanahan said Friday after practice. “Other than that, he’s doing fine.”
If Henry and Young can’t go, the job will fall to Andre Hall. The South Florida product rushed for 89 yards on Monday night against the Tennessee Titans. He also had a 62-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
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SALUTE TO PRIEST@: Safety John Lynch saluted the decision by Kansas City running back Priest Holmes to retire earlier this week.
Holmes made an improbable comeback this season after being out of the game for 22 months after sustaining head and neck injuries in a game in 2005.
Lynch had neck surgery following the 2003 season. He also missed two games earlier this season after suffering numbness following a stinger in his neck.
“He made a valiant effort to come back,” Lynch said. “I think he’s making a good decision. He got some information that he felt wasn’t good and he made a decision. You salute him on a wonderful career. He’s a class guy who played on a high level for a long time in this league.”
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QUICK HITS@: Broncos receiver Javon Walker had swelling in his surgically repaired right knee following practice Thursday, but is confident he’ll play Sunday at Chicago. He’s listed as questionable. Walker has missed eight straight games because of the knee. … FB Paul Smith is listed as questionable with a calf injury. … The Broncos have a lifetime record of 6-6 against Chicago, including 2-3 on the road. … LB D.J. Williams leads the team in tackles with 105.
