5. T.J. Ward
In my eyes, T.J. Ward is the clear heartbeat of the Denver Broncos defense. He plays with emotion on every snap, and his teammates follow suit. Last season, Jack Del Rio restricted what Ward could do on the field, limiting his ability to freelance, but this season Wade Phillips has let the beast free, and it’s been fun to watch.
Unfortunately, while a beast can be powerful, it can also be painful. And I think you all know what I mean by that.
TJ Ward (Den) gets ejected for throwing a punch during a block. #KCvsDEN pic.twitter.com/Xczei5bhUt
— Kevin (@SamuelTheAdams) November 16, 2015
I’m not worried about Ward’s ability or skill; the Broncos don’t need him to “step up.” No, what the Broncos need is for him to grow up.
The passion and emotion Ward plays with is fantastic; it’s what drives this defense. But he has to channel that in a positive direction. There’s a reason why the Broncos seemingly draws more personal foul penalties than any unit in the league, and it’s because they’re undisciplined; that starts with Ward.
There are going to come tense moments late in the season or in the playoffs where tempers may get heated, and an ill-advised shove, punch, or eye-poke could cost the Broncos the game. They can’t have that.
