It’s not about how much bigger you are, how many more weights you can lift or how high you were drafted.
According to Robert Ayers, stopping the run in the NFL is about sheer grit.
“Being sound against the run is a mindset,” Ayers said. “It’s not about talent and having a bunch of guys that are good players. It is about having a physical, tough mindset.”
On Monday, Ayers said he was reiterating one of Head Coach Josh McDaniels’ philosophies often heard echoing throughout the locker room.
“That’s really the identity that we’ve talked about for a long time, ‘Hey, let’s make sure that they can’t just create a bunch of chunk plays in the running game,’” McDaniels said.
The coach continuously credited Ayers and fellow linebacker Jason Hunter with establishing the edge of the defense in the team’s win against the Titans on Sunday. Their play on the outside prohibited Tennessee’s runners from escaping containment and pushed traffic back inside toward the teeth of the defense.
“I thought the defense did an excellent job of really maintaining their discipline all day,” McDaniels said.
“If we were charting discipline, (Ayers) was probably close to 100 percent.”
Faith in the scheme produces the run-stopping performances the Broncos put on display for four games. No individual has hit 100 yards on the ground against the Broncos this season.
When Ayers and Hunter trust their teammates to complete their assignments, they don’t overextend themselves and leave their responsibilities in pursuit.
“That’s a maturity in our scheme,” McDaniels said. “I think they’ve learned that everybody else in the defense is trusting that they’re going to set the edge in the running game and kind of force it back inside where we can pound a lot of bodies.
“They’re learning how much responsibility we put on their shoulders sometimes, and yesterday was probably even more than normal. Again, (I’m) very proud of the way those two guys played all day.”
McDaniels ventured to say Ayers had his best game as a professional. But with a Ravens team that beat the Broncos 20-7 in his rookie year up next, Ayers hopes to top that performance this Sunday.
“Hopefully I can have a better game, and (McDaniels) can be in here saying the same thing again,” Ayers said. “That’s my goal and that’s what I am going to keep working for.”
Tags: 2010, Denver Broncos, Head Coach Josh McDaniels, Jason Hunter, Robert Ayers, Tennessee Titans, Week 4
Ayers is making a habit of getting in opponents backfield. Well done!!
I will say that on a couple plays it looked as though the motor on the pass rush slowed down just a little. Keep fighting guys!!! That is were Elvis had his success. He never gave up on a play and just kept his motor running till the whistle blew.
Our defense against the run is very encouraging and something to cheer about. Thanks Broncos!!!
All we need is a running game and we’ll be dangerous.
pdp 1408 You are 100% correct,
Go Redskins
Great to see Ayers showing some potential,its taken him a little longer than Doom to transition from DE into OLB,but he is getting better each week,Hunter is a surprise I think none of us expected.He is also an ex DE.We still need a pass rush very badly,it makes it a LOT easier for the secondary to cover a guy for 3-4 seconds,instead of say 5-6 seconds.
I sure hope Goody can go Sunday,cause I for one think Cox and Nate Jones need to stay at nickel Corner,they don’t have the tools it takes to be a #2 Cornerback.IMO
So who knows Marc Mariani’s name now? Remember when I was talking about him for weeks before the draft. One of my good ol’ Montana boys.
Yeah I remember that clearly MANIAC, I can see why now.
Nice to see we are starting to hear McD talking about getting an identity that I have been claiming has been missing:
“That’s really the identity that we’ve talked about for a long time, ‘Hey, let’s make sure that they can’t just create a bunch of chunk plays in the running game,’” McDaniels said.
So, so far the identity is “Air McD with a nasty run D”.
If that D keeps controling the run, the day we get a running game, we will be all set. But I don’t see that as an option for this year, I think that will have to be addressed in the off season, watch out 2011, because I know this time around McD WILL pay attention to the running game both in FA and the draft, one year too late, but I’ll take it.
wsan’t Moreno his first round pick last year what about that?
the thing that bothered me about the run game is that for three and a half quarters hae refused to go away from Maroney and Maroney was Baloney!!!
He is to stubborn for his own good in the run gane!!! IMO
At least when we were getting hammered on QB sacks he went to a screen game and a short passing game. Without that we would have been in trouble.
Never really liked Moreno since the start, anyone would tell you, plus he is a zone back in a power scheme, we need a couple real men running the ball.
Once again, like last week, I’d like to see what Brown can do toting the rock, 6′ 224 lbs. he couldn’t be any worse than the guys averaging less than one yard per carry, LOL.
We’ll have LenDale next year too, that will be a big plus already.
I feel bad for writing this year off, I’m not, but next year we will be stacked. granted we stay healthy Doom and Ayers will provide a solid rushing effort our secondary will be stacked again, and the offense might have a short yardage game and if Orton is any better than he is now…CHAMPS!!! haha
I missed doom in this game. Many a times i saw hunter getting blocked when he came from the edge, doom woulda gotten through. but on run plays hunter was there. And Ayers is definitely making it in the back field.
Yea Baylin, youve never really like Moreno lol but like i was telling everyone yesterday during live blog, now you see how good Moreno is, while it didnt look like it he made alot out of nothing and got POSITIVE YARDAGE. Jabroni is horrible and Buckhalter is slacking or maybe just getting older.
We need more than a running game but that would be the biggest step to greatness cuz it would also cure our redzone problems hopefully. watched patriots against Miami today. We looked so much like them it was disgusting lol. Down to the running plays except at least THEY gained SOME yardage lol. Go Broncos…
That was one heck of a game!
on the surface, the stats looked terrible.. only 2 sacks…BUT, i feel we only see this as a pass-rush driven league(in a passing league)..we may glorify sacks more than we appreciate those gritty tackles for losses..but looking at our defensive stat list, we kept THE PREMIER RB(CJ) to 53 rushing yrds and none of their receivers came eclipsed 50, given they were more a running team. but heck! this is one helluva defense.. I’m liking how the D is starting to create an identity. my take-excellent gameplanning!!!..:D
well that was last game…up next will be an even punishin game,literally.. those Ravens will be punishing..our OL allowed 6 sacks on Orton (before half-time adjustments) but this Raven D is a different story…plus they have one of the most complete passing offenses in the league (Mason, Boldin, Housh, Heap, Rice- led RBs in receiving yrds last season, plus Flacco)….we need everyone playing outstanding defense..
I know Orton can still light up that Reed-less dfense, given given.. Last week I warned of Griffen and sure enough he pickd off KO..lol..crazy!
Lets do this Broncos.
It is astonishing how little respect Orton is receiving! Bill Cowher, or however you spell his name, said and I quote “I wouldn’t put him in the top 15 quarterbacks in the league.” I might be crazy, but I’ve never seen an “average” QB lead the league in passing yards!…sorry I just needed to vent to my fellow Broncos fans!
Yovi21 –
Right on – not to mention the media talking about how we got rid of all of our WR talent… Those numbers with “mediocre” WR’s (I do believe they are good)… I can’t wait until D. Thomas “gets it” and opponents begin wetting themselves the night before facing the Broncos…
Season is 25% through – wow it goes fast!
Yeah, I bet Cowher would put Charlie Batch on that “top 15″ of his, because he is a Steeler, a steeler getting a lot of help from his tailback, Rashard Mendenhall(don’t even talk about the defense).
Anyways, who cares what he thinks, as Yovi21 said you have to be plain stupid not to consider the top passer of the league after 4 weeks in the top 15(yeah, 15) QB’s in the league, and yes, not and average QB would be in that position.
I just got the impression that Orton might have adjusted a little to try to read blitzes and try to get out of the pocket in SOME of the plays to avoid either the sack(for and incompletition i guess) or to try to minimize the yardage lost in those sacks.
I know he is a pocket QB, but has to be smart too.
That’s just a feeling, he did pretty well overall.
Go Broncos, one of the toughest(if not the hardest) test of the season is ahead of us on Sunday. I would say this one woulb be more difficult game than the Colts because we play away from Mile High… Even though so before the season started.
Another thing is that I really want to see Syd’quan Thompson in the punt return duties. A starter WR like Royal should get a little more rest(during game time) in my believe, not to mention and injury, concussion may occur in SP teams duties.
Go Broncos, great win!
I dont think Orton is all that either but he does crack my top 10 currently in the league, somewhere around 9/10. And im not hating cuz im proud of what orton has been able to do yovi, but leading the league in passing yards is easy when your team is bringing up the rear in rushing yards and all u do is pass like 90 percent of the game. just saying….
@ BORRACHAZO… man im glad someone else is now clammering for syd’quan! he was electrifiying during preseason! ridiculous acceleration! hopefully he gets some duty soon in the punt returns!
I have respect for cowher, but I think he feels that way because he thinks any QB could thrive in McD’s QB-friendly system..IMO..but not in “top 15″ this season is a bit too much…KO is playn darn good right now and he deserves as much credit…only a few QBs would still put up 340 plus yrds and win after getting sacked 6 times (ON THE ROAD)..:D
makes one wonder how proven McD’s system is for a developing QBs and how tebow could develp later on. for now let KO air it out. he looks pretty comfortable and unstoppable..imo
I feel you Yovi! The media will always sleep on us and our players until we win another bowl, and then they’ll go back to sleeping on us shortly after that. Baylin I sure do hope you’re wrong and we can find something or someone to get a spark in our run game this year, but I think there’s no question that’s where our attention has to be turned to in the draft. TRB I’ve been on the fence about Moreno since the end of last season but I think you have to be right. The kid has got be talented. At least that’s what the numbers would indicate. We had 89 and 65 yards in our first two games respectively, and Moreno had a rushing TD in each. Compare that to 40 rushing yards against Indy, 18 in Tennessee and a big goose egg between Maroney and Buckhalter for rushing TDs in two games. Orton should never be the leading rusher with 11 yards like last week! Hope Moreno can return for Baltimore because our #1 pass offense is gonna need a little extra help against their #1 pass defense. Also could you elaborate on what you were saying were the problems in our run scheme this year?
And Borracho, I think Orton IS smart. Tennessee really just gave him nowhere to go. Everytime I thought why, “why did he run right into those guys?” or “why didn’t he go that way” I’d see the replay and there was always someone waiting for him in what I had thought was green grass. He’s just not fast on his legs. I can’t complain though, based on what he’s doing with his arm…