BANNAN: "We've just got to do whatever is going to work for us."
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Early in Sunday’s game, Mark Sanchez and the Jets offense looked across the line of scrimmage and saw something they scarcely expected from the Broncos — a 4-3 alignment.
Denver hadn’t worked extensively with a 4-3 since training camp, and the Jets appeared befuddled at the game’s outset, gaining just four yards and no first downs on their first three series, which ended in two punts and an interception.
The Jets eventually adjusted to the Broncos’ look, which was as much necessity as strategy, thanks to injuries to Robert Ayers and Wesley Woodyard that sapped the linebacker corps of its depth.
“The four-down linemen (scheme) was something we felt had a chance to be productive for us last week,” Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said. “We liked a lot of what we got out of that defense and that personnel grouping and the looks that we tried to give the Jets. It’s something that we will consider as we go forward.”
But the element of surprise present last weekend will no longer be there.
“The 4-3 really slowed down the Jets for the most part of the game, but now teams will be looking for it,” said Kevin Vickerson, who started at defensive end. “A lot of people didn’t see us playing a 4-3 just because we were big up front like that. It’s got its pluses and its minuses.”
Added Justin Bannan, who moved from 3-4 end to 4-3 tackle: “We’ve just got to do whatever is going to work for us, depending (on) who’s injured, or what’s going to have success against the (opposing) offense. We can run that look or the look we usually run. It just depends on how it shapes up as far as the game plan goes.”
Injuries could affect the game plan again against Oakland.
With Vickerson nursing a groin injury suffered during the third quarter against the Jets and the Broncos only having six defensive linemen on their 53-man roster, the 4-3 might not be as viable an option against the Raiders if he can’t recover in time.
After the Tuesday promotion of linebacker Dyral Briggs from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, the Broncos were able to practice Wednesday with 12 front seven players — five defensive linemen (all but Vickerson) and seven linebackers (all but Woodyard and Ayers).
But Denver does possess some hidden flexibility to add depth up front. Linebackers Jason Hunter and Jarvis Moss have worked as defensive ends before. Hunter was nothing but a 4-3 defensive end in his NFL career prior to joining the Broncos in August, while Moss saw some work in a down-lineman position when the Broncos used nickel and dime packages against the Jets on Sunday.
“Everybody’s got to be versatile. It’s a different scheme, a different look we give people,” Vickerson said. “Everybody’s got to be responsible for (multiple) assignments because we are interchangeable. Other guys can step in. we’ve got (defensive linemen) Ryan McBean (and) Marcus Thomas doing (well). Then you’ve got (nose tackle) Ron Fields, who played a little (defensive) end in San Francisco.”
Together, the whole might be greater than the sum of its parts, even if the absences of Ayers, Woodyard and Vickerson are prolonged ones. The defense forced three takeaways against the Jets and held them to 5.1 yards per play — the lowest per-snap average permitted by the Broncos this season.
“I definitely see it in our run defense, our gap fits up front — we’re improving,” Moss said. “We’re sdefintiely getting better week to week. The record (is) not showing it, but we’ll reap some benefits real soon.”
But to make this defense work for the long haul, the Broncos will have to show a variety of looks — and ask their defensive linemen and outside linebackers to handle a variety of roles.
“We still are without Robert Ayers. So, we’re going to have to line up in some semblance of the 4-3, the 3-4, no matter what the health is of our team,” McDaniels said. “As it stands right now, we’re going to be able to have either package ready to go and I think that’s going to be something that we consider each week as we go forward.”
