GREEN BAY, Wis. — They were supposed to be steak and lobster.
Von Miller was a terrific pass rusher before Vic Fangio became his head coach and de facto defensive coordinator.
Vic Fangio was a terrific defensive coordinator before he had Von Miller.
Together, they figured to help the Broncos’ defense set records.
They’re in the record books, all right. The 2019 Broncos just became the first NFL team in at least the past 50 years to not have a sack or a takeaway through the first three games of the season.
Sometimes, steak and lobster can be overcooked.
“I’ve got to find a way to play better, I’ve got to find a way to get sacks I’ve got to find a way to do my job,’’ Miller said.
Fangio blamed the circumstances of the game for the Broncos getting shut out against Derek Carr and the Oakland Raiders in game 1. Carr got rid of the ball lickety-split.
It was mostly a heavy run attack by the Chicago Bears that served as an explanation for the Broncos going sackless in game 2.
Aaron Rodgers, the great Green Bay quarterback but usually sackable, was supposed to be the anecdote in game 3. Goose eggs again.
“That’s three games in a row, that’s no good obviously,’’ Fangio said. “It is the circumstances of the game to a degree. This game in some ways was very similar to our first two. Until we can stop people more (convincingly) and score more points teams are going to be content to play these types of games.”
It’s not just Miller who isn’t getting sacks. Bradley Chubb had 12.0 sacks as a rookie last year and while he was ballin’ in other ways Sunday against the Packers – three tackles for loss and a quarterback hit – he has gone five consecutive games without a sack dating back to last season.
“Definitely not happy, definitely frustrated about it but past is past,’’ Chubb said. “Going to continue to work. I told Von I feel like they’re going to come in bunches. When one comes they’re going to come in bunches so we’re going to try and stay patient and let it happen for us.’’
Bolles bounces back
After a week when just about everybody in Broncos Country wanted to run left tackle Garett Bolles out of town, never mind the starting lineup, he responded with a fine game Sunday against the Packers.
No holding penalties. He helped running backs Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman combine for 144 yards rushing on 4.0 yards per carry. Bolles did give up one sack but only after quarterback Joe Flacco held on to the ball longer than usual.
And with right tackle Elijah Wilkinson getting beat for a critical strip sack that led to a Packers touchdown, Bolles was clearly the Broncos’ best offensive tackle Sunday.
How did Bolles recover after he was so widely persecuted for his four holding-penalty game last week against the Bears?
“I’ve fought adversity my entire life,’’ he said. “It’s just a bump in the road. I have to continue to pick myself up and continue to fight. It’s what you’ve got to do. This is a business of competitors. It’s a business of people that are fighters and that’s how you do it. Just put that stuff behind me and continue to move forward.”
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