Tim Tebow making the start Sunday in Miami and the Dolphins’ decision to use that day to honor one of Tebow’s University of Florida national championship teams has overshadowed other things about Sunday’s affair.
One of which is what the Broncos do when they don’t have the ball and Tebow isn’t in the game. The Broncos surrendered 190 yards rushing in one of their games, and opposing quarterbacks have thrown for at least 300 yards in the other four.
That’s not the kind of defensive posture the team is looking for.
While at least some of their offensive struggles boiled down to being unable to close out drives and score touchdowns — in Willis McGahee’s three 100-yard rushing games, Denver has a 1-2 record — the Broncos have been a little tougher to figure out on defense.
They are 24th in the NFL in yards allowed per game, which is a modest improvement over their 2010 finish, when they were last, or nearly last, in virtually every major defensive category.
“We’ve done some good things,” Broncos coach John Fox said. “There are some signs that we’re improving from where we were last year.”
However, when teams get inside the Denver 20-yard line, they’re putting touchdowns on the board. The Broncos are 31st in the NFL in scoring defense and are one of just seven teams to have surrendered at least 12 touchdowns from inside their own 20-yard line.
Of those seven teams, the Broncos (1-4), Colts (0-6), Eagles (2-4) and Chiefs (2-3) have two wins or less. The other three — the Patriots, Bills and Raiders — have offenses that are Nos. 2, 3 and 8 in scoring offense.
The Broncos don’t have that kind of luxury right now.
Schemes can win the game between the 20s, but inside the 20-yard line, on both offense and defense, it’s largely a matchup deal.
Most offenses seem to be taking a hard look at the Broncos’ nickel package (five defensive backs) because of where Champ Bailey is. Against the Chargers, for example, Bailey matched up on San Diego wide receiver Vincent Jackson when the Broncos were in base defense, no matter where Jackson lined up.
However, when the Broncos went to the nickel, that moved Bailey into an inside position, where he covers the third receiver, no matter who it may be. Defenses have done this with the best cornerback all over the league because quarterbacks go to that slot receiver so often, but when the Broncos do it, quarterbacks are looking outside, especially with a chance to score, because Bailey isn’t there.
It may not come to light against the struggling Dolphins, but the Broncos have seven of the top 13 scoring offenses still on the schedule in Detroit (No. 4), Oakland (No. 8), New York Jets (No. 11), San Diego (No. 13), Chicago (No. 10), New England (No. 3) and Buffalo (No. 2).
Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com
