If JaMarcus Russell had any pressure on him Sunday, it must have been when he returned home and opened his latest 401(k) statement.
It certainly wasn’t when he was standing in the pocket at Invesco Field.
In the end, that’s the biggest issue with the Broncos’ defense, if not the Broncos, period. They put little if any pressure on the opposing quarterback. And because of that, they force precious few turnovers.
The Broncos are minus-12 in turnovers, leaving them 31st in the league. They’re numbers that irritate Mike Shanahan more than any other compiled by his team this season.
“When you’re 31st in the league in turnovers, you’re lucky to be 6-5,” Shanahan said. “That doesn’t happen very often.”
The offense turning the ball over is one issue. Even more troubling is the defense’s inability to steal the ball. Denver has forced 10 turnovers in 11 games. Only once in those 11 games have the Broncos come away with multiple turnovers — vs. Jacksonville, when they recovered two fumbles.
You can analyze it any way you want, but the biggest problem is a lack of pressure on the quarterback. Fumbles from blindside hits and interceptions off tipped passes, plays that are commonplace in today’s NFL, are seldom seen when the Broncos’ defense is on the field.
That’s why, next season, many of those uniforms will be filled by different players.
Follow Jim Armstrong’s sports updates on The Jimmy Page morning and afternoon Monday-Friday. And read his columns on Sundays at .
He can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
