Welcome back and keep the queries coming …
Today’s comes from Blake in Milwaukee:
Q: Living in the Midwest, I have not been able to see a game yet this year and … when I look at the stats, I see that Champ Bailey has very few tackles. Is it because they aren’t throwing at him or because he hasn’t had to come in to help the running defense as much as he did in the past? I view his low tackles as a good sign. Am I correct?
A: Blake, Champ’s spine would probably agree.
You are correct in that teams are avoiding Bailey as you would expect in the passing game, so he hasn’t been called upon to make many tackles there.
His receivers aren’t seeing the ball that often when he’s in man-to-man and the three quarterbacks they have faced have largely avoided his area when they have been in zone as well.
And he has not been as active in run defense as in previous years because so far the Broncos have done a far better job in their front seven keeping running backs contained along the line of scrimmage.
In the past, Bailey often made tackles in run support because the back had already slipped through the gap at the first level and Bailey was trying to save a big play.
He is one of the best open-field tacklers in the league and one of the best I’ve covered over the years, but it’s also risky for him to always be in harm’s way.
One of the most serious injuries of his career — a dislocated shoulder — came in the season opener in Miami in 2005. That’s when Bailey tackled Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown on the dirt infield — the outline of the baseball diamond was still down on the field since it was September.
The Broncos do face some power running teams in the coming weeks, so all of that will be tested. Quarterbacks like Philip Rivers and Tom Brady, also coming up, have been more willing to challenge Bailey in the past, so his tackle numbers may take a slight tick upward if the ball starts to come his way a little more.
Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com
