The Broncos’ run defense was on a long list of things that didn’t go as planned Monday night.
And while most of the discussion about the Raiders’ three-point victory will center on the idea that putting Tim Tebow in the lineup will somehow enable the Broncos to control the line of scrimmage better on both sides of the ball, run defense will be one of the items that determines how things really go in the coming months.
There has been a long history of college coaches visiting with NFL teams in an offseason to pick the brains of the coaches and gather ideas.
But with all of the throw-happy offenses in the NFL these days — endorsed whole-heartedly by the league’s rule book — it is likely time some NFL folks load up and visit Fort Worth.
Texas Christian coach Gary Patterson has taken the nickel defense — five defensive backs — to the highest level. Patterson’s team plays a 4-2-5 look as its base defense, often using three safeties. Against a bevy of spread offenses all over college football, his team has led the nation in defense for the past three years.
The Broncos are one of many teams forced to play the nickel to try to reel in opposing passing attacks, but then find themselves trying to defend the run with lighter defensive backs on the field.
Monday night was no different as the Raiders used formations to get the Broncos into the nickel at times with the intention of running on Denver. Darren McFadden had a 20-yard carry against the nickel to convert a third-and-13 in the first quarter.
He also had a 6-yard run on the Broncos’ nickel in the second quarter.
With offenses that play a heavy dose of three- and four-wide receiver looks still waiting on the schedule, it’s something the Broncos will have to deal with the rest of the way.
