2 Denver Broncos

While playing for the Titans last season, new Broncos corner-back Denard Walker studied the Ravens' defense each of THE three times Baltimore and Tennessee played each other, taking note especially of the little things—such as how free safety Rod Woodson directed his teammates—that helped the Ravens' unit become one of the NFL's best ever. "Their defenders played as one," says Walker. "They didn't have a lot of stars, but they had people who believed in each other and what they were doing. That's what we need here."

What Denver needs even more is for Walker to be a shut-down corner; that's why the Broncos gave him a six-year, $26 million deal. Although they finished second in the league last season in interceptions, with 27, they were last in pass defense, giving up 246.6 yards per game. It was no surprise that corner-backs Ray Crockett and Terrell Buckley weren't re-signed.

Also gone is defensive coordinator Greg Robinson. He has been replaced by Ray Rhodes, whose first order of business is to determine who will start opposite Walker. Deltha O'Neal, Denver's first-round pick in 2000, is an explosive athlete whom coach Mike Shanahan says made more plays than any other Broncos defensive back down the stretch last season. But O'Neal is still learning the position; he didn't play corner full time until his junior year at Cal. Eric Davis is a 12-year veteran and a two-time Pro Bowler whom the Panthers dumped during the off-season for salary-cap reasons. Davis told Shanahan that while trying to win a starting job he would help O'Neal and rookie Willie Middlebrooks, a first-round selection out of Minnesota, learn the game. "I liked hearing that because if you get guys who are content to just come in and sit behind somebody else, you have the wrong guys on your team," Shanahan says. "We'll have a lot of competition at that spot."

Rhodes, the man responsible for deciding who gets to play, has a successful track record as a defensive coordinator. With the Redskins last season he inherited a unit that had ranked 30th in the league in 1999 and transformed it into one that finished fourth. In Denver, Rhodes is stressing an improvement in tackling. Maybe he saw a tape of the Bengals' Corey Dillon running through the Broncos' defense for a league-record 278 yards last October. "We've done a lot of drills to improve in that area," says linebacker John Mobley. "Our big thing is to have every hit pushing the play backward. Last year we had a lot of arm tackling, and backs were getting four or five yards after the initial contact."

Rhodes has also installed a scheme that is fundamentally sounder than Robinson's, which involved a lot of stunting and was more of a read-and-react attack. "The attitude is already different," says defensive tackle Trevor Pryce. "We're not sitting back on our heels and waiting to be hit in the mouth."

"Ray's terminology has changed, but his mind-set is still the same," says Davis, who spent three seasons playing under Rhodes with the 49ers. "He's going to get after people, but he also wants his players in position and relaxed. If there's one defense that is working for him, he'll call it all game so his guys will feel comfortable."

Shanahan didn't stop at cornerback while trying to upgrade his defense. The most prominent new arrivals up front include free agents Leon Lett and Chester McGlockton, who could create even more pass-rushing opportunities for Pryce (12 sacks in 2000) and defensive end Kavika Pittman. The jewel of the line-backing corps could be second-year man Ian Gold. Shanahan likes Gold's blitzing and coverage abilities and has vowed to increase his playing time. The question is at whose expense. The Broncos are set with Mobley and Bill Romanowski on the outside. For now, Gold will back up Romanowski.

The turnover on defense could disrupt Denver's chemistry, but the upside is huge for the Broncos, who are expecting another Super Bowl run. All the pieces, except left tackle, are in place on an offense that was second in the league in scoring in 2000. Plus, based on last season's records, Denver will play the second-softest schedule in the league, and the players could especially benefit from their bye, which falls in the penultimate week of the regular season.

As was the case last year, the defense is receiving all the scrutiny. Things look good on paper, but the players know that doesn't mean a thing. "If we don't perform, it won't matter if Norman Schwarzkopf is leading the defense," says Pryce. "We're going to wind up in the same position."

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