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The Broncos’ defense got some much-needed reinforcement Tuesday as they prepare to face the NFL’s top rushing attack this weekend.
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw returned to practice and looks ready to play in Saturday’s divisional round matchup against the Buffalo Bills at Empower Field at Mile High. It’s perfect timing for Denver’s defense, which will be tasked with slowing down the league’s most potent ground game.
Greenlaw, who signed a three-year, $31.5 million contract with Denver last March, has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since pulling up while chasing Jacksonville’s Travis Etienne Jr. in the final minutes of the Broncos’ Dec. 21 loss to the Jaguars.
“It’s good to have a healthy Dre Greenlaw back in the game,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said following Tuesday’s practice – the team’s first on-field work of the week.
The veteran linebacker’s return couldn’t come at a better time.
Buffalo led the NFL in rushing this season, averaging a whopping 159.6 yards per game on the ground. The Bills also happen to be the same team that embarrassed Denver in last January’s wild-card matchup, piling up 210 rushing yards in a lopsided 31-7 victory. They set the tone early, grinding out 79 rushing yards in the first quarter alone.
“Obviously they whupped our butt last year,” Broncos outside linebacker Nik Bonitto said bluntly.
The Bills’ ground attack is spearheaded by James Cook III, who led the league with 1,621 rushing yards while averaging 5.25 yards per carry (second-best in the NFL). Cook torched Denver’s defense for 120 yards on 23 carries in last season’s playoff meeting.
“There were a lot of things we felt coming away from a game like that [such as], ‘we’re not there yet [and] we need to improve,’” Payton explained. “It’s the runner, it’s the scheme… We’ll have to be ready.”
Greenlaw’s season has been plagued by injuries and controversy. After missing the offseason program with thigh issues, he sat out the Broncos’ first six games. He was then suspended for Denver’s Oct. 26 win over Dallas following a postgame incident with referee Brad Allen after the Giants game. The NFL stated Greenlaw “chased after referee Brad Allen and verbally threatened him as he tried to leave the field.”
Despite Greenlaw’s limited availability (he’s missed eight games due to injuries and one from suspension), Denver has built one of the league’s stingiest run defenses. The Broncos finished No. 2 against the run this season, allowing just 91.1 rushing yards per game. They’ve also been incredibly disruptive, stopping ball carriers at or behind the line of scrimmage on 30.3% of attempts – the highest rate in the NFL.
Now with Greenlaw back in the fold, Denver hopes to avoid another ground-game embarrassment against the Bills and advance deeper into the playoffs.
