TAMPA, Fla. — Let’s compare apples to apples.
In a week 3 game in the heat and humidity of Florida last season, the Denver defense allowed 70 points. In a week 3 game in the heat and humidity of Florida this season, the Denver defense allowed 7 points.
OK, so in another aspect of those two games, this was apples to oranges. The embarrassing 70 was against a high-powered, jet-speed, quick-motion-before-the-snap Miami Dolphins with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa clicking. The encouraging 7 was against the more static Tampa Bay Buccaneers with quarterback Baker Mayfield getting sacked seven times, six of which were in the second half.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton wanted nothing to do with the comparison during his day-after-game media conference call Monday morning.
“An entirely different team,’’ Payton said. “We played a different team. So uniquely we’re pulling out week three’s game against Miami last year is that what we’re doing? And then comparing it to this year’s week 3. So yeah it was a better result this year.”
The Broncos did change their personnel considerably after that Miami debacle. There were six different starters in their game against Tampa Bay. The six starters against Miami who no longer are included Drew Sanders, Randy Gregory, Josey Jewell, Damarri Mathis, Kareem Jackson and Dellarin Turner-Yell (Justin Simmons was hurt). The six new Denver starters against Tampa Bay: John Franklin-Myers, Nik Bonitto, P.J. Locke, Brandon Jones, Riley Moss and Ja’Quan McMillian.
The five Bronco defenders who started both games: Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, Alex Singleton, Jonathon Cooper and Pat Surtain.
Bo threat keys late rushing attack
In the first half against Tampa Bay, the Broncos were still struggling to run the ball, amassing just 46 yards off 14 carries, 3.3 per carry.
In the second half, the Broncos had 90 yards off 14 carries or 6.4 yards a pop. No. 3 running back Tyler Badie picked up 66 yards on eight carries in the second half, including a 43-yard scamper. The key, Payton said, was quarterback Bo Nix, who had 47 yards and a touchdown off 9 carries, some of which were by design, some by off-script scramble.
“We got to a few quarterback-read runs which … the quarterback becomes a threat,’’ Payton said. “And then we blocked it well.”
Tillman’s debut
Former USFL/UFL Birmingham standout Dondrea Tillman was called up from the practice squad last week and had 2.0 sacks off 20 defensive snaps in his NFL debut. He also was among the Broncos’ leaders with 13 special teams players.
“We weren’t going to let the other three play 60 snaps or 50 snaps, so a guy like that he’s got to be playing in the kicking game and then getting snaps on defense.’’ Payton said. “I was pleased with his effort. He’s strong. I mentioned early in the week we’d seen and felt comfortable – we’d seen a lot from him. And I was excited to see him take advantage of the opportunity.”
