Derek Newton has tough test in Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil

[CloakNNNdagger]

Two games into 2012, the Houston Texans have an NFL-best 76 rushing yards to the right side of the offensive line. 11 carries have gone that way for Houston, and at 6.9 yards a pop, those rushes have been successful. It might seem like a random statistic, but it’s incredibly pertinent to those interested in the Texans, who began the campaign with a pair of new starters at right guard and right tackle, with Antoine Caldwell and Derek Newton there respectively.

Newton played all 83 snaps in last week’s 20-point victory at Jacksonville, withstanding the heat and humidity that day in north Florida. But Sunday in Denver a whole new challenge awaits in the Mile High City with defensive end Elvis Dumervil and linebacker Von Miller.

“He’s going to face the quickest guys he’s seen off the ball,” head coach Gary Kubiak said. “And he’s probably going to be a little late off the ball because of the noise.”

So far in 2012, the Dumervil and Miller tandem has a combined 14 tackles, three sacks and eight quarterback hurries. Although Dumervil started at right defensive end Monday night against Atlanta, and Miller was listed as the strongside linebacker, Kubiak pointed out that the two will play at different points on the field.

“Wherever they line up they both line up all over the place,” Kubiak said. “We actually let our guys line up offsides in practice.”

Selected second overall after Cam Newton that season, Miller was everything Denver wanted and more. Now, he’ll go against a 7th-rounder from the same draft class in Newton, who has turned heads with his improvement, athleticism and ability in the Texans’ offense.

Rest of the story

[b0ng]

Derek Newton has been a surprising non-liability for his first two games. His game vs Miami wasn't all world but against Jacksonville he put on as good of a performance as Winston had done in his last year or two.

[Playoffs]

Yeah, good luck with that D.

Derek Newton has been plowing people under. That one yard Foster TD, OMG, Newton pancaked the dude. Derek "Hoss" Newton is good to go. Pass blocking is the challenge against Denver. We should see lots of running if our Texans get the lead. Hopefully a repeat of J-Ville. Defense makes the plays. Offense manages the game. A winning NFL formula. 2000 B-More Super Bowl type season would be wonderful. If Trent Dilfer can get a ring, Matt Schaub should be able to. Yes the B-More and Superbowl Shuffle Bears winning style is not the norm but it does happen. About every 13 years. Hey this is year 13 in that cycle.

[Nawzer]

It will be tough, but they'll probably give him help on that side. Best way to neutralize great pass rush is to run at them successfully.

[badboy]

Originally Posted by Nawzer

It will be tough, but they'll probably give him help on that side. Best way to neutralize great pass rush is to run at them successfully.

How about runs thru the middle and short passes to middle? Make the safeties come up opening AJ deep.

[The Pencil Neck]

After rushing for 216 against the Jaguars, I expect Kubiak to open up and hit some long ones against the Broncos unless the Broncos play the soft zone stuff that the Jags were playing... and maybe even then.

Remember a few years ago against the Chiefs where we had a jumbo package with AJ as the only wideout. We had a HARD run fake and Matt hit AJ for that long TD. Remember that? I'm expecting to see something like that in the first few plays.

[Carr Bombed]

Originally Posted by b0ng

Derek Newton has been a surprising non-liability for his first two games. His game vs Miami wasn't all world but against Jacksonville he put on as good of a performance as Winston had done in his last year or two.

Von Miller is the type of edge rusher that would've kicked Winston's ass on Sundays.. so I'm eager to see how Newton holds up against Denver. I also want to see more of the redneck rook Jones .

[b0ng]

Originally Posted by Carr Bombed

Von Miller is the type of edge rusher that would've kicked Winston's ass on Sundays.. so I'm eager to see how Newton holds up against Denver. I also want to see more of the redneck rook Jones .

Yeah Ben Jones was pretty damn baller himself on the snaps he got to play. Really the entire right side has been great and that was something I think most of us were deeply worried about. Both of these players (Doom and Miller) are going to test the O-line if we get into must-pass situations. If the defense does it's job on Manning, then hopefully Doom and Miller will have to continuously guess whether we are running or passing and that should buy Schaub the extra half second he might need.

Here's the thing though, Denver doesn't have the big *******s in the middle like Miami does or Jacksonville did in 2011 (Don't have a clue why Knighton and Alualu look like crap this year). Derek Wolfe is a rookie (2nd rounder) DE, Kevin Vickerson has basically been a nobody, and Justin Bannan has bounced around from team to team. Ty Warren was there last year (I think) and he's on IR this year, DJ Williams, their MLB from last year who was pretty good against the run is currently suspended. The Steelers O-line is, and has been for a few years now, complete garbage and the Falcons have been middling in terms of rushing the ball. If I'm Kubiak I'm giving the ball to the RB's all they want all day long, and force Vickerson/Bannan/Wolfe/Woodyard/Mays be the guys who make the plays. Once they get beat up by the run start hitting them with play-action. If this Broncos defense is for real then those guys are going to have to play well above their current name recognition.

And that's the easy side of the ball for them match-up wise.

[CloakNNNdagger]

Broncos pass rush specialist Elvis Dumervil inventing new moves as he draws more attention

His mom recently called and asked him very matter-of-factly, “Why don’t you have any sacks yet?”

So maybe this was a little bigger deal than he figured.

Dumervil insists his sackless start has more to do with double teams than anything else. Blockers have simply figured out a way to neutralize his patented moves, the ones that led to a league-leading 17 sacks in 2009.

Now, it’s up to Dumervil to counter. He’s watching tape of sack specialists from around the league, looking for new maneuvers he can incorporate into his pass rush.

“It’s a chess match,” said Dumervil, whose Broncos (1-1) will host Houston (2-0) on Sunday. “It’s all about studying film, knowing what’s coming and when it’s coming. I’ve got to get a step ahead of them.”

This game, indeed, will prove to be a great chess match involving coaches and players on both sides of the field. When it's all said and done, the team which can protect their King (Schaub/Manning) the best can expect to call out "checkmate" at the end of the game Sunday.

[ObsiWan]

Draw plays....
All day long.
That'll slow their collective roll.

[Rey]

Just run right at them a bunch of times. Let them know they're going to have to play football and not just rush the qb.

[Bulls on Parade]

I've been real impressed with Derek Newton's progression in what seems like a short time frame. If he has a good game against those excellent pass rushers the Broncos have then I'm going to be very confident with him moving forward. I'm already becoming sold on him. Gary Kubiak speaks highly of him in just about every interview I come across.

[hradhak]

I think Newton's been a solid replacement for Winston in the run game. Winston was not the greatest pass blocker and he was always good for a holding call. Newton is probably going to have one of his toughest test this season today. Von Miller is scary. Our TEs and our backfield are going to have to pick up the slack.

[beerlover]

Yes he was exposed. Learning experience to build on I hope.

[eriadoc]

Originally Posted by beerlover

Yes he was exposed. Learning experience to build on I hope.

He lost a couple big ones, but he also won his share. He's been damn good for a rookie.

[texanhead08]

I've been impressed with Jones too. These past two weeks when he came in we started to really pound the defense in the running game.

[wolf123]

He had his ups and downs today for sure. The first 5 minutes for him were brutal but he battled back well.

[Texn4life]

He was so so for a vet..... Pretty decent for a guy making the third start of his career. The sack on the first play was tough. We were backed up and probably shouldn't have even thrown the ball in that situation, but he had 3 or 4 penalties today though. I think he'll clean that up.

[Scooter]

i thought he actually played pretty well today. the first play of the game i want to put more on schaub than newton, though obviously newton could've done better. backed up in your endzone schaub has to know that the ball MUST come out quickly, he held it for that 4th second and that was it. the penalties were a problem, and he grabbed a time or two, but otherwise played a strong game all things considered.