Jacksonville Jaguars vs Broncos: 5 questions from the enemy camp

1. Besides Von Miller, what other defender in the Broncos’ front seven should the Jaguars worry about?

PO: It’s hard to pick just one, so I’ll bend the unwritten rule here. The Broncos have gotten some nice production out of defensive linemen Shelby Harris and McTelvin Agim over the last couple of weeks. In fact, Harris has done well for the team over the last couple of years. He’s famous for being a phenomenal ball-swatter. Inside linebacker Alexander Johnson recorded 124 total tackles for the Broncos in 2020.

One guy who the Jaguars may not know a whole lot about is rookie linebacker Jonathon Cooper out of Ohio State. Cooper elevated to Bradley Chubb’s backup and with Chubb missing Week 1, Cooper got some playing time. At the end of the day, the Broncos edge rushers as a whole unit should worry the Jags.

3. How would you assess the development of the Broncos 2021 first-round pick, cornerback Patrick Surtain?

Patrick Surtain logged the least amount of defensive snaps for the Denver Broncos in Week 1, tying linebacker Andre Mintze with just 16. The team’s cornerback group is strong, so Surtain was not always needed. It also had to do with the game flow and scheme the Broncos ran. It just didn’t allow the rookie to get on the field a whole lot.

Surtain missed a tackle on Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard, who went 37 yards for the score. While it was not technically his assignment to cover Shepard, it was his responsibility to make the tackle, which he just was unable to do.

In the preseason, Surtain did intercept a pass against the Minnesota Vikings that went to the house for six points. He is the real deal. There will be bumps in the road, but I’m confident in his abilities. The Alabama product is going to see plenty of action against Jacksonville as Ronald Darby was placed on injured reserve and will miss at least three weeks with a hamstring injury.