The Denver Broncos defense is getting a lot of attention lately and it is well earned. They stand out as the best in the NFL in total yards allowed, passing yards allowed per game, third down defense and, maybe most importantly, turnover differential. Among the impressive group is, pound-for-pound, one of the most physical defenders around.
T.J. Ward stands only five-foot-eleven tall and weighs 200 pounds, but he uses every inch of his height and every pound of his weight to strike pain and fear into his opponents. It is a style of play that he has always had since his days at the infamous De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif. and it has served him well in six NFL seasons and two Pro Bowls. It is his attitude as much as it is his physical talent, and after a one-game suspension he begrudgingly accepted to start the season, he has brought that demeanor back onto the field.
“Sitting out that first week was hard and I just wanted to come back and be at my best. In Kansas City, I felt I had a good game, but it wasn’t my best. I just wanted to make sure that I came back the next game and played to the best of my ability to help my team win.”
Ward is notoriously great at going up from the strong safety position and making sound tackles. In fact, Sunday he added to an impressive statistic on the Detroit Lions’ first offensive play from scrimmage. He tackled Joique Bell in the backfield for a one-yard loss. It was his 16th tackle for a loss since 2013, which leads defensive backs in the NFL during that span. His ability to play all over the field is something fine tuned for years.
“I pride myself on versatility. I pride myself on being able to play in the box, play in the post and throughout my career I feel I have been asked to do that more than any safety in the game.”
Ward came back from suspension following the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens and played well against the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday Night Football, but clearly wanted to improve against the Lions. He didn’t disappoint. Ward filled up the stat sheet with nine tackles, six solo and one for a loss. He was everywhere and his play earned him a postgame honor by the team.
“T.J. was our defensive player of the game,” Kubiak said Wednesday “I’m really proud of T.J. He missed that first week and I think that, to me, when players go through that, I think they get humbled and see how much they really miss what they have. I think that he’s come back and played really well.”
The Lions have thrown the ball a vast majority of the time and Sunday night was not different. Despite the fact that Ward’s only true deficiency is in pass coverage, he had a big impact on the game. This Sunday will be a matchup that suits his physical skill set much better. The Minnesota Vikings love to run the ball and through three weeks, they have excelled at it.
The Vikings are averaging 144.3 rushing yards per game, good for third in the NFL. The man running the ball may seek out contact as much as Ward. Adrian Peterson, one of the most bruising, yet agile running backs in the NFL has dominated thus far in 2015.
Peterson returned from a season-long suspension due to a child abuse case and has been on a mission to reassert himself as the league’s best runner. He has reeled off two impressive games of 134 and 126 yards rushing after a disappointing first game of only 31 yards on the ground in the team’s only loss. Ward relishes the opportunity to face Peterson and see who comes out on top.
“It is going to be a big test. He is obviously one of the best backs, if not the best back in the league, so we are going to have our hands full trying to contain him,” Ward said Wednesday. “You know I’m excited to play AP [Peterson]. I love the best competition. I’m sure the guys beside me want that too.”
Sunday night’s game against the Lions was a prime example of what Ward is capable of doing, that most safeties cannot. He can play as an undersized linebacker at times and is a sure enough tackler to do it often. Of his nine tackles against the Lions, eight were on a running back and six of them were on run plays.
The Vikings got behind the San Fransisco 49ers in week one and had to abandon the run early. Since then, Peterson has had 49 carries in Weeks 2 and 3 combined. After missing just one game due to suspension, Ward was more than ready to return and clearly understands Peterson’s mindset after missing the entire 2014 season.
“I know he has a chip on his shoulder and I know he feels he has a bunch to prove, to come back to that form he was in before he got suspended.”
Ward will be a huge catalyst Sunday in front of the home crowd. If the Broncos can contain Peterson, it is highly likely that they will improve to 4-0. The last time Ward met Peterson on the field it was 2013 and he was a Cleveland Brown. He finished the day with eight tackles, six solo and one interception.
Ward has always been a physical player and admitted Wednesday that he had to play closer to the line of scrimmage last year and it may have cost the defense in the back end. This year the addition of Darian Stewart, who has played both strong and free safety, has added a great dynamic to the secondary.
“I love having Stewart back there with me. I feel like he has the mentality I have, to hit everything moving and play the ball when it is in the air. We don’t have to play strong [safety] and free [safety] all the time. We don’t have to get caught and run to the other side of the field. We can just play each other’s role and I think we do that well.”
Their will be no surprises when the Vikings come out feeding Peterson the ball and Kubiak said as much Wednesday when he was asked about the big-time back.
“We had better tackle well as a team. That’s the biggest thing. It’s going to be a team effort to find a way to get him [Peterson] down. He’s the best in the business, has been for a long time, and we know that he’s going to touch it. We had better have everybody rallying to the football.”
Sunday afternoon, chances are more often than not that Ward will be the one leading the charge to bring down Peterson, or anyone carrying the ball for that matter.
Email Sam at sam@milehighsports.com and follow him on Twitter @SamCowhick