For the second consecutive day, the Denver Broncos’ defense came out on top against the offense on Tuesday.
This time, Zach Allen was the catalyst.
“He’s playing at a very high level,” head coach Sean Payton said after practice.
On the first play of the first full-team period of practice, Allen powered through the middle of the line of scrimmage for a sack on a play-action pass. On the very next play, he was able to slip past a blocker to get into the backfield for a tackle for loss.
“I would say his intelligence and his quickness off the ball,” Payton said, when asked what makes him tough to guard. “He’ll win usually in the first second and a half of a rush, or he’ll win early. So that’s what makes him difficult.”
Allen set the tone for the day, but the rest of the defense chipped in. Jonah Elliss followed those two plays up with a sack of his own, one of his two sacks on Tuesday.. Then Jordan Jackson stuffed a run. Then Que Robinson sacked Jarrett Stidham, his first of two sacks during the practice.
The offense never found its footing.
Sai’vion Jones had a sack. Matt Henningsen had a sack. Alex Singleton had a sack.
The final period of practice was a competition. The offense got the ball near the middle of the field. If they picked up the first down, they won the drill. The defense needed to force a three-and-out to win the drill.
“When a series starts, the first first down is a big play for the offense,” Payton said. “Now you’re in a drive. You can’t call it a drive if you don’t get your first first down. So just having those short point of emphasis periods, and it does teach us things too.”
The starters got the first opportunity. Bo Nix zeroed in on Jaylen Waddle on first down. Waddle pressed upfield and cut back to the sticks at the sideline on a comeback route, but Pat Surtain was in smothering coverage and dove to knock the ball away.
On 2nd & 10, Nix ran a play-action, but the defense covered the bootleg well. Nix tried to rip a ball to Evan Engram about six yards downfield, but Ja’Quan McMillian was all over him and the pass never had a chance.
McMillian and Engram exchanged some shoves after the play, which occurred right in front of the defense on the sideline. The two sides swarmed together with some yelling and shoving. Quinn Meinerz was among those who were pulled out by a coach. Eventually the situation settled down, and no punches were thrown.
On 3rd & 10, Garett Bolles jumped.
On 3rd & 15, Jonathon Cooper beat Bolles for a sack to force the three and out and end the drill.
The emotions remained high for the rest of practice. Cooper celebrated his sack in front of the offensive bench.
When the second-stringers picked up only five yards on their first two plays—a short catch from RJ Harvey—J.K. Dobbins moved down the sideline and stirred things up again. Cooper, Allen, and Talanoa Hufanga were the primary responders.
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