Broncos' pass rush will invite plenty of screens

The Denver Broncos expect to see plenty of screens and draws to counter the speed they'll bring off the edge with pass-rushers Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller this season.

Dumervil is one of the best defensive ends at recognizing the screen, standing up to swat passes or shut off a passing lane and pushing the tackle back into the pocket whenever offenses try to counter his speed with screens.

That's one thing Miller, the second overall draft pick, will have to learn as he adjusts from the Big 12 to the NFL.

''The thing that I tell him, `When it's too easy, they're opening the door to let you get upfield, then something's up,''' defensive line coach Wayne Nunnely said Thursday after Denver's defense worked extensively during practice on defending the screen.

With Dumervil so adept at deciphering screen passes, opponents will surely test the rookie from Texas A&M.

''So, when he sees that it's too easy, he's just got to put on the brakes and work back to the line of scrimmage and find the ball,'' Nunnely said.

Miller has an outstanding first step but there's a steep learning curve in the pros for an outside linebacker whose primary job is rushing the passer.

''I think every day he's getting a little bit better,'' defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said. ''It just comes with work. It comes with seeing it and seeing it and seeing it, and he's continued to get better, and as long as he keeps working, he's going to be just fine.''

''It's a process,'' Dumervil said. ''He's a rookie still. I think he's way ahead of the curve, but he's still a rookie, there's a lot of things he has to learn. But as long as he's playing at his best, full speed, we can react to the other things.''

Nunnely said it will be imperative for the interior linemen - Kevin Vickerson and Brodrick Bunkley - to recognize the screen and adjust.

''Teams are going to try to slow us down,'' Vickerson said. ''We're going to have pressure coming off the edge. With that being said, the middle has to be controlled and that's me and Bunkley and the tackles that are coming in.''

It will also be imperative for strong safety Brian Dawkins and weakside linebacker Wesley Woodyard, who's filling in for an injured D.J. Williams, to loop around and plug the lanes to stop the heavy dose of screens the Broncos are sure to see.

''With the speed that we have on the edge, that's something we have to look for: screens and draws,'' Woodyard said. ''That's going to be a big alert with any team that we face this year with the speed and pass rush that we have this year.''

Woodyard said he knew the moment Miller was drafted that the Broncos would get a steady diet of trickery in 2011 as teams try ''gimmicks to slow our pass rush down and try to get people to think instead of just playing football.''

If the Broncos can slow down the Oakland Raiders' run game Monday night at home, then they'll be able to turn loose Miller and Dumervil to rush the passer, inviting some of those screens and delayed handoffs if quarterback Jason Campbell can get the ball out of his hands before the ''Orange Rush'' gets to him.

''I think when you can have two guys coming off opposite edges, it's hard for the offense to stop both of them,'' Allen said. ''They've got to keep a tight end in, or chip on one side or the other, but when you've got rushers on both sides, it makes it hard on the offense. It limits some of the things they can do, so we're excited about that.

''But again, listen, we're not going to get a chance to rush the passer if we don't stop the run. So that's the first thing we've got to get done.''

One thing that should help the Broncos pass rushers get to their man is moving shutdown cornerback Champ Bailey inside to cover the slot receiver on passing downs.

''When you look at third down, a lot of teams are working inside and trying to work the slot receiver,'' Allen said, ''and we put our best guy in there.''

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Connect with AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton at http://twitter.com/arniestapleton