To spy or not to spy? Broncos face a 'unique' challenge in Baltimore's Lamar Jackson

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Lamar Jackson did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. But the Broncos still expect the 2019 MVP to play, and they are planning accordingly.

What’s more, they’re planning for something completely unlike what you expect from any other foe. Monday, Broncos coach Vic Fangio dropped the name Barry Sanders when discussing the fourth-year quarterback, and what both Jackson and Sanders share is the ability to turn a game on one explosive play after a series of seemingly inconsequential jabs.

Three days later, Fangio’s chief defensive lieutenant, coordinator Ed Donatell, cited Michael Vick — whose wizardry Donatell witnessed first-hand as the Atlanta Falcons’ defensive coordinator from 2004-06, when Vick was at the apex of his on-field powers.

“The schemes have changed over the years but it’s Michael Vick,” Donatell said when asked about a quarterback that could be compared with Jackson. “It’s something of that sort, something that dynamic.”

The Vick comparison makes sense to AFC Defensive Player of the Month Von Miller, who will face Jackson for the first time on an extensive basis Sunday. Jackson played just two snaps and did not touch the ball during the Broncos’ last game against the Ravens, in Baltimore on Sept. 23, 2018.

“I never played against Michael Vick, but you watch him on film he has some of those same type of abilities,” Miller said. “He’s fast, he’s quick, and he can go from zero to 60 yards in a blink of an eye.”

And those plays can be back-breaking. Baltimore is 11-2 when Jackson has at least one run of 30 or more yards in a game, including last Sunday, when he ripped off a 31-yard scramble on a second-and-10 play in the first quarter.

A key for the Broncos’ edge rushers is to keep Jackson bottled up to the point where he can’t utilize outside escape lanes. But that said, Miller and the Broncos still have designs on attacking, and that he won’t approach his job differently.

“I mean, what am I going to do? Just sit on the line of scrimmage and just wait around?” Miller said. “I still have to go out there and rush the passer.”

Sack Jackson, and your chances of success rise accordingly. Consider this: When opponents sack Jackson at a rate of once every 24.0 plays (pass attempts plus rushes plus times sacked) or worse, Baltimore is 19-1, including playoffs. Get to him more often than that, and the Ravens are a pedestrian 14-10.

The Raiders, for example, got to Jackson three times in Week 1 — one every 15 quarterback plays.

“If you look at the Raiders (in Week 1), Maxx Crosby had success versus those guys. Max came out with two sacks. Max had a hell of a game rushing the passer, playing the run and doing all that stuff.

“Maxx did it. I feel like I can do it, too.”

But defending Jackson is about more than just the pass rush; it involves everyone.

It would be easy to say that Donatell would put a spy on Jackson. This is a typical tactic against most dual-threat quarterbacks.

Against Jackson, it isn’t enough. Not only do you use a spy, but all sets of defensive eyes must be on Jackson’s threat to run.

“It’s both [a spy and the entire defense],” Donatell said. “There are times when there will be people looking after him, but everybody has that responsibility—all eleven people. There’s a second play that you’re going to have to play when he gets off rhythm and you need great discipline in those times, too. It’s really both.”

Discipline is also a key against perhaps the game’s most unique weapon.

“We haven’t seen anyone like Lamar, his skill set, what he brings that offense, and the talent that they have across the board,” safety Justin Simmons said. “It’s going to be a really good challenge for us.

“All the goals and aspirations that we have as a defense and that we verbalize — it’s going to play itself out on Sunday, if that’s what we want to be.”