The Denver Broncos pass rush is built around a remarkable group of speed rushers who use their incredible first steps to get to the quarterback, but that’s just part of the process. Getting to the quarterback isn’t easy, but keeping compromised quarterbacks in a crumbling pocket can be just as hard.
According to former Bronco Von Miller, the guy who makes sure escapes don’t happen is just as important.
"[The Broncos] do that with those guys on the outside with unbelievable first steps, the get-offs, but then after they fold the pocket off the edge, they don't let the QBs out," Miller told Jeff Legwold of ESPN in a recent piece. "Zach Allen, he closes the door."
It’s an important job, and Allen keeps getting better at it. He goes into tomorrow’s final game against the Los Angeles Chargers with 6.5 sacks, which is a big number for an interior lineman. It’s not as high as the sack numbers of defensive end John Franklin-Myers (7.5) or linebackers Jonathan Cooper (8) or Nik Bonitto (12.5), but Allen definitely appreciates Miller’s comment.
"It means a lot Von would say that," Allen said. "A lot. Everybody knows what he meant to this team ... we want to do big things like they did.”
Allen is constantly doing big things because he keeps improving, according to Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
"Zach has always been a great rusher, and he's always been a smart, smart player," said Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who also coached Allen when they were both with the Arizona Cardinals. "But he's gotten stronger physically, more refined in what he does, and he gets more fair rushes because our guys challenge the front on the outside and inside. And he punishes any mistakes people make trying to block him."
Allen also cites former Houston Texans pass rusher J.J. Watt as a mentor. He recently joined Watt as just the second lineman to have at least 40 quarterback hits in back-to-back seasons in NFL history, and Watt shouted him out in a recent post on X.
"To have a mentor, and a friend, like him, I'm appreciative," Allen said of Watt. "I have an obsession about this, I love what I do, I love this job, I take it seriously. ... I want to be a part of what we have going here and accomplish big goals."
The overall goal with Allen now, according to coach Sean Payton, is to keep his interior stud fresh for the playoffs.
"We are trying to pay attention to the pitch count a little better," Payton said of Allen, who has played in just over 70 percent of Denver’s defensive snaps. "But you don't want to impact his strengths, which are effort, how he attacks the second part of the rush, his bend. We think there is a good plan there."