By now you’ve heard Derek Wolfe feels like a “caged animal.”
He’s ticked off, and he wants to take his aggression out on the Oakland Raiders. That’s great news for the Denver Broncos defense that already is the best in the NFL.
One aspect that’s gone overlooked by some/most is a trait this unit has small doses of but doesn’t have enough of – nasty. Downright, scary nasty.
The anger is great. The motivation to make his presence felt is awesome. Couple that with “nasty” and you get another element to a special defense.
The Denver defense needs the nasty that Wolfe will bring. If he’s a “caged animal,” that nastiness should be at supreme levels; especially on the heels of his four-game suspension.
Wolfe needs to bring that to the Broncos defense, and he doesn’t have to look far for a comparison or inspiration.
The way this Denver defense is playing has people thinking back to the Orange Crush of the late 1970s and early ’80s. There was an element that defense had this current one does not: nastiness. And it came courtesy of Lyle Alzado. Wolfe needs to channel Alzado starting on Sunday in Oakland.
That’s not to say Wolfe has to head butt fellow teammates who have their helmets on while he does not, but play with the same reckless abandon that Alzado was known for. The mindset that no one will stop him. The fear that no offense wanted to play the Orange Crush defense because not even Alzado’s teammates knew what he was capable of on the field.
There’s no debate where the best defense lies in the NFL. There’s no weakness on this unit, and it’s only getting started. The Broncos defense will continue to get better the more it gets used to the system and gains confidence. There are still areas they need to improve, like not giving up that long run to Adrian Peterson. But this defense has the potential to do historic, special things.
The return of Wolfe helps in that regard. He adds talent along with much-needed depth.
As I watched Wolfe at his locker on Monday, I couldn’t help but see glimpses of Alzado in his demeanor. It was almost creepy but also awesome.
Wolfe needs to bring the nastiness to the Broncos and this defense. No better time to do it than against the hated Raiders. And no better coach to bring it out of him than Bill Kollar.
Time to let Wolfe eat.
Time to unleash that “caged animal” and strike fear in the rest of the league when it faces this defense. Just as Alzado did in the late ’70s and early ’80s.
Wolfe needs to channel Alzado and bring that same nastiness. When he does, the comparison to the Orange Crush will be complete.
