Can the Denver Broncos rely on Von Miller's renaissance to continue their unbeaten run?
Von Miller's 2020 season was cut short when the veteran linebacker suffered a ligament tear that was repaired with surgery.
Two seasons before that, Miller was one of the most explosive linebackers in the league, accounting for 22.5 sacks between the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
Now that Miller has returned to his true form, the Denver Broncos are undefeated, and it would appear that Miller will once again chase Defensive Player of the Year honors.
With four sacks through three weeks, can the Broncos depend on Miller's resurgence to take them to the playoffs?
How many sacks will Von Miller achieve this year?
Von Miller has had quite a successful year after just three weeks of games. Having such an important core defensive member back often takes the pressure off the rest of the defense to be at the top of their game.
Miller is currently in fourth place for overall sacks this year. He's a sack-and-a-half behind Myles Garrett. Miller also leads the league in tackles for loss with six recorded so far.
Von Miller has been named AFC Defensive Player of the Month. 4.0 sacks, NFL-most 6 tackles for loss in 3 September games. #9sports
Von Miller was recently given AFC Defensive Player of the Month honors after his stellar performance in September.
The Broncos star has found every single way to get to the opposing quarterback. This QB pressure is essential to the Broncos' secondary. If the QB is hurried enough by Miller's pressure, an errant throw is likely to occur, resulting in a would-be interception.
As the saying goes, "defense wins championships." This couldn't be more true for how the Broncos defense is shaping up for the 2021 season, an effort led by the production of Von Miller.
The Broncos are currently tied for fourth place in the league for turnover differential on the defensive side of the ball. Causing turnovers is a massive part of the game that allows momentum to shift in favor of the defense causing the turnovers.
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📺: CBS https://t.co/y6drkdoHqG
Some may argue that the Denver Broncos have been playing weaker opponents, which is why their defense seems to be playing lights out, but winning games is essential in the NFL.
The Broncos are 3-0 after easily beating all three of their opponents. The New York Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Jets are not quite the most resolute teams in the league, but the Broncos are winning games, and that is what matters.
They have outscored their opponents 76-26, a massive spread of points with the Broncos coming out on top.
The difference between a playoff team and a team that falls into mediocrity is finding multiple ways to win games, especially ones that don't seem to "matter".
Weaker opponents can help springboard a team directly into a divisional win, home-field advantage and a softer playoff schedule.
If Miller can continue his pass-rushing dominance, the Broncos will be a very tough team to beat.
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The true test comes against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. If Von Miller and the defense can stop the rushing and passing combination of Lamar Jackson, the Broncos will look to be the team to beat in the AFC West.
With four sacks already this season, there is no reason why Miller can't reach or surpass his numbers in 2018 when he logged a massive 14.5-sack season.