Broncos Mailbag: How was pass rush so effective with Von Miller traded, Malik Reed injured?

Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O’Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag periodically during the season. Submit questions to Ryan here.

Was Sunday much of a Broncos triumph oregon a dismal nonaccomplishment by the Cowboys? I accidental the latter. The Broncos made immoderate bully plays but this was a classical trap crippled for Dallas. Thought they would cruise to a triumph vs. a atrocious Bronco squad and mentally took the week off. What accidental you?
— Bill, Parker

Here’s the happening astir a trap game: It has to bash with a team’s adjacent hostile and not that day’s opponent. If Dallas was, say, playing Kansas City oregon Green Bay oregon the Rams adjacent week, past I would accidental the Cowboys got “trapped” and overlooked the Broncos. But Dallas hosts Atlanta adjacent truthful that rationale doesn’t alert for me.

To your archetypal question, some things tin beryllium right. Everything the Broncos did (except for the peculiar teams) went right. They planned well, coached good and played good to the tune of a 30-0 pb connected their mode to a 30-16 win. On the flip side, the Cowboys were sleepy and ne'er woke up. Every squad has a clunker wherever a operation of factors pb to a loss.

Arizona jettisoned Josh Rosen and past recovered Kyler Murray. The Broncos jettisoned Paxton Lynch and past passed connected Josh Allen. And they took KJ Hamler and passed connected Trevon Diggs. Of course, 1 could spell connected forever. Question is, however galore much years until we’re retired from nether the long, acheronian shadiness of John Elway? I’m reasoning 4 oregon five.
— Scott Newell, Denver

Interesting topic: What benignant of concern did George Paton inherit and however agelong volition it instrumentality for him to hole it? This isn’t a one-year fix, that’s for sure, but it shouldn’t beryllium a four-year ordeal, either.

Reviewing your examples, you deed connected the Cardinals — they gave up connected Rosen aft 1 twelvemonth and drafted Murray archetypal overall. The Broncos had already fixed up connected Lynch (even though helium was inactive connected the roster) erstwhile they passed connected Allen successful 2018. And the Hamler prime volition ever beryllium absorbing to dissect due to the fact that it came a time aft the Broncos drafted Jerry Jeudy.

Circling backmost to your timeline. Paton faces large decisions connected draught picks helium didn’t select, chiefly receiver Courtland Sutton, near defender Dalton Risner and extracurricular linebacker Bradley Chubb. He has already picked up Chubb’s 2022 declaration option.

Ryan, tin you explicate that blocked punt play wherever we someway ended up with the shot back?
— Ron, Lakewood

I person to admit, I didn’t cognize what was going connected erstwhile the play happened connected Sunday and I’m not alone.

The Cowboys, acknowledgment to a wholly unblocked subordinate up the mediate (how does that happen?) blocked Sam Martin’s punt. The deflected shot traveled past the enactment of scrimmage. Dallas’ Nashon Wright tried to corral it, but it went done his hands and was picked up by the Broncos’ Jonas Griffith.

According to the rule, due to the fact that Wright touched the shot and it was beyond the line, it’s a escaped shot for the Broncos to retrieve and commencement a caller drive.

Coach Vic Fangio said aft the crippled helium had seen that play before. I hadn’t.

Where was this discourtesy the past fewer weeks? It’s similar the passing crippled miraculously opened up due to the fact that we committed to a moving game. Crazy right? Not similar it’s Football 101 oregon anything. Do you spot a stronger committedness to the tally crippled moving forward? With our receivers starting to get healthy, tin we expect an discourtesy to consistently people 25-plus points the remainder of the way?
— David, Highlands Ranch

Let’s constrictive down to the discourtesy that appeared connected Sunday against Dallas. They scored a season-high 30 points and gained 407 yards (third-most this year). The cardinal factors successful the triumph and wherefore fans mightiness person the close to beryllium encouraged moving forward.

Running crippled commitment. Part of moving the shot is having plays that summation nary yards, but you request instrumentality with it. The Broncos stuck with it and it evidently helped to person specified a large lead. They didn’t effort a walk successful the last 11 minutes.

Jerry Jeudy’s return. Jeudy missed six games with a precocious ankle sprain. He looked bully against Washington and amended against Dallas. His beingness opens things up for Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick.

Play-calling. I’ll ideate this speech past week betwixt manager Vic Fangio and violative coordinator Pat Shurmur: “Pat, I privation you to effort a fewer of these things due to the fact that they accent immoderate antiaircraft I’ve coached.” Maybe that is the crushed wherefore Shurmur introduced speedy passes to Jeudy.

No Von Miller. No Bradley Chubb. No Malik Reed. Yet we inactive had a beardown walk unreserved that seemed to flummox Dak Prescott. Is this conscionable a lawsuit of a clump of young guys taking vantage of their opportunities? I’m excited to spot much of Jonathon Cooper. He looks similar the existent deal.
— Miles, Parker

In 2 games minus Miller — helium was inactive against Washington and past traded — the Broncos person 8 sacks. Reed (hip) missed the Cowboys game, but the Broncos are getting contributions from Cooper (two sacks connected Sunday) and Stephen Weatherly (one sack against Washington).

I volition besides springiness recognition wherever it’s owed and that’s the antiaircraft line. Shelby Harris and Dre’Mont Jones person created much unit connected the quarterbacks the past 2 games, which forces them retired of the pouch and into risky throws oregon elemental throwaways.

Cooper whitethorn extremity up being 1 of this year’s draught steals.

Any updates connected the injuries? We were losing guys near and close during the crippled there. We’re going person to ringing Tom Nalen if we support losing violative linemen.
— Ross D., Lakewood

Much of the wounded accusation tin alteration betwixt the clip I benignant this reply (Monday night) to erstwhile you spot it online (Tuesday morning) oregon successful the paper (Wednesday morning).

Offensive line: The Broncos finished Sunday’s crippled with 4 backups. Right defender Graham Glasgow (ankle) is retired for the play and volition beryllium replaced by rookie Quinn Meinerz, though Netane Muti whitethorn beryllium an option. At close tackle, Bobby Massie (ankle) is expected to miss this week’s game. At near tackle, Garett Bolles (ankle) missed the Dallas crippled and his presumption for Philadelphia is uncertain. If Bolles tin play, the Broncos could displacement Calvin Anderson to close tackle; if Bolles can’t go, it would beryllium Anderson astatine near tackle and Cam Fleming astatine close tackle.

Cornerback: Pat Surtain II (knee) was incapable to decorativeness the Dallas crippled and Bryce Callahan (knee) is connected injured reserve. That leaves a apical 3 of Ronald Darby, Kyle Fuller and Nate Hairston. The Broncos person Michael Ojemudia connected injured reserve and Essang Bassey connected the physically incapable to execute list. They did activate Duke Dawson from the PUP database connected Monday night.