Biggest key to Broncos’ winning streak? Interior play that keeps getting better
If you happen to be in Greenville, S.C., between now and Saturday and have a hankering for a mouth-watering sandwich on a budget, you can pop into Big Dave’s All American BBQ and grab one for only 93 cents.
Just make sure you thank D.J. Jones .
Big Dave is Jones’ father, whose days as a culinary master go back to his work as a caterer for the Troy Aikman-era Dallas Cowboys . He put together the deal this week as a celebration of D.J.’s big play for the Denver Broncos in their victory Sunday against the Cleveland Browns when No. 93 darted into the backfield and recovered a fumble by wide receiver Elijah Moore . Mention the highlight at Dave’s and you’ll get the best deal on a BBQ sandwich you’re going to find.
“Just like anybody else, I love contributing to the team,” Jones said. “I should have scored. I should have got it, but I am glad I got (the ball) for the offense.”
Jones’ performance may be feeding the good people of South Carolina, but it’s the play of the veteran defensive tackle and that of the other interior players on the Broncos’ roster that has been the fuel driving the team’s five-game winning streak. Denver (6-5), which will try to make it six in a row when it visits the Houston Texans (6-5) in a critical AFC clash Sunday afternoon, dominated the interior one-on-one battles against the physical Browns.
Jones and fellow defensive tackle Mike Purcell recovered fumbles. Zach Allen , who has been one of the NFL ’s most effective interior pass rushers during the past month, notched a safety while sharing a fourth-quarter sack of P.J. Walker with outside linebacker Nik Bonitto . Outside of those flash plays, Allen and Jones have been sturdy, consistent presences for the Broncos defensively during the winning streak. Both were signed to lucrative multi-year deals in free agency — Jones in 2022 and Allen in 2023 — to be experienced anchors for Denver’s defensive front.
“It’s hard to have success as a team if your guys up front on both sides of the ball — the trenches, as we like to say — are not at least neutralizing or playing up to the level of your opponent,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “I think we’ve gotten really good play from that defensive front.”
Allen has the seemingly never-ending wingspan that helps him reach ball carriers even when he’s being squarely blocked. Jones is every bit of 305 pounds but has the quickness and agility of a point guard. He is capable of making plays on the edge of the field like he did during Denver’s Week 10 victory in Buffalo when he sprinted to the sideline and immediately dropped Latavius Murray after the running back caught a swing pass from Josh Allen . Or, Jones can steamroll linemen, like he did when he plowed Minnesota Vikings center Garrett Bradbury in Week 11 to force a game-ending intentional grounding penalty by quarterback Josh Dobbs.
“He’s one of the reasons why I came here,” Allen said of Jones. “I’ve said it from Day 1. I remember being in Arizona and watching his tape from when he was in San Francisco, being like, ‘I want to play with that guy.’ Luckily, I’m getting to do it, and when we’re on the field together it definitely makes my job easier. It raises the standard. He’s been an energy guy for the defense.”
The offensive line also had its best day of the season against the Browns. The Broncos rushed for a season-high 169 yards amid a concert of swift pulls and crushing wham blocks. They kept NFL sack leader Myles Garrett as quiet as any team has all season and gave up only one sack overall. In short, the starting five up front — Denver has trotted out the same group in every game this season — set the tone. No more so than when left tackle Garett Bolles , pulling across the formation as Russell Wilson pitched to Javonte Williams , bulldozed a linebacker to help free Williams on the edge.
The Broncos enter Week 13 leading the NFL in yards before contact per rush at 1.80. While quantifying offensive line performance in the run game can be a tricky endeavor, the stat is indicative of a line that is creating ample space at the point of attack. As Denver keeps adding complexities to its running game, the advantage up front could become even more pronounced. It will be a critical element for the Broncos as they wade into a rare stretch of three straight December road games.
“First and foremost, we’ve got guys that love playing football,” said right tackle Mike McGlinchey , who was targeted in free agency in large part because of the impact he had in helping the San Francisco 49ers consistently produce one of the NFL’s best rushing attacks. “The five of us — and the rest of us, not only the five of us — really are committed to playing good football and playing it well together. We really enjoy being around each other, which is a huge added bonus and makes going to work easier. There’s an open discourse about what we do well, what to do better, and when things are screwed up, how to fix it. And we are so fortunate to have Zach Strief and Austin King as our two O-line coaches because they’ve kept us on the right path and kept our vision on the way we needed to do it. We’ve been chipping away at the block all year to show that we can get better and put games on our back.”
When Broncos general manager George Paton took over the role in January of 2021, he laid out his team-building vision over a video call with reporters. He underscored the importance of constructing a team built to win up front on both sides of the ball. It was the key, Paton said, to outlasting teams in key moments and in critical stages of a season. It was the path to wearing down opponents. It was where the toughness and physicality he hoped to cultivate had to start.
On Sunday, that vision was manifesting in a way that was easy to see. Jones and Allen, two free-agent signings by Paton, controlling the line of scrimmage defensively. Quinn Meinerz , a 2021 draft pick, and McGlinchey and Ben Powers , two more free-agent additions, doing the same thing on the offensive side of the ball.
“I think you’re going to be in every game,” Paton said at that introductory press conference, “if you have a really strong defensive line and a really strong offensive line.”
The victory against the Browns showed just how tough the Broncos can be when those elements are leading the way. If the interior players on both sides of the ball keep trending that way, there’s no reason to think Denver’s winning run can’t continue.
(Top photo: Jamie Schwaberow / )
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