The Broncos Defense Isn't Unstoppable; Just A Bad Matchup For Tom Brady, Patriots
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- Overwhelming the Patriots offensive line and rattling Tom Brady without ever letting up, the Denver Broncos defense put up an unstoppable effort in the AFC Championship Game at Mile High. Their talent at all three levels is undeniable, and their performance in Denver last Sunday suggested they may be a generational defensive unit the caliber of the 2013 Seahawks and 2000 Ravens.
But is this defense just unstoppable in general? They may be, but the AFC Championship Game wasn't the same Broncos as we've seen every week and not representative of who they will be in the Super Bowl against Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers.
The Broncos defense is undeniably ferocious up front. Von Miller dominated all afternoon while Demarcus Ware, Derek Wolfe, and Malik Jackson took turns teeing off on Brady. Their defensive front was by far the biggest mismatch in the game, and Wade Phillips knew this and deviated from his usual schemes to exploit it for 60 minutes.
But the Broncos can't do to the Panthers in the Super Bowl what they did to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. They won't be able to get nearly as much pressure rushing just three or four guys against the Panthers' offensive line, especially not up the middle against First Team All-Pro center Ryan Kalil or guards Trai Turner and Andrew Norwell.
Phillips still can't blitz as much as he usually likes to against Cam Newton, either, because he can take off and break a big gain with his legs if they can't keep him contained in the pocket. The Panthers' running backs are also good at picking up blitzes to give Newton extra time. And with this game taking place at a neutral site, the Broncos won't have the advantage of being more used to the thin air or capitalizing on silent snap counts like they did against the Patriots.
Phillips needs to bring almost a completely different defensive strategy to the table in the Super Bowl, and unlike the Patriots offense, the Panthers don't have a glaring weakness that the Broncos can attack, especially not up front. If they shut down Newton and his weapons, they deserve to be called a generational defense.
Until they prove capable of doing that, they should only be known as a bad matchup for the Patriots and a huge obstacle in Tom Brady's way.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.