It takes a special kind of stamina to chase down Steelers quarterback Justin Fields an entire game. That’s why Zach Allen is paid the big bucks.
Allen was in Fields’ face from the start of Denver’s matchup against Pittsburgh last week. But it wasn’t until the two-minute mark of the second quarter that Allen took down the speedy signal caller, maneuvering past a pair of offensive linemen before striking Fields on his blind side.
Through two games, Allen has been one of the best pass rushers in the league. He is tied with Kansas City defensive lineman Chris Jones for the eighth-most pressures (10). Head coach Sean Payton attributes Allen’s early success to his high motor, playing in 95% of Denver’s defensive snaps while being a reliable presence down after down.
“Play 16 and 48 look the same. That’s hard to do at that position,” Payton said. “His consistency and his stamina are two things that come to mind.”
Allen’s ability to stay on the field for a long period stems from his offseason training. From February to April, Allen said he performed strong-man workouts once a week. Among the exercises were Zercher walks, which featured him walking back and forth with a 400 to 500-pound barbell. “If you can get through those workouts, you can get through anything, because those are pretty hellish,” Allen told The Denver Post.
He also did sled pushes with heavy weights to help increase his stamina.
In Week 1’s loss to the Seahawks, Allen played 65 defensive snaps — second most in his career, totaling two pressures and assisted outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper in a safety. Last week against the Steelers, he played in 61 defensive snaps (92%).
“Big guys do wear down, and you want big guys fresh,” defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said. “He’s shown over the years he can play multiple snaps.”
Due to Denver’s lack of depth at defensive line in 2023, Allen received more attention from opposing offensive linemen. The addition of John Franklin-Myers and Malcolm Roach has opened the door for more one-on-one matchups for Allen, and he has taken full advantage of those opportunities. Allen has the second-best pass-rush win rate (23.1%) among defensive linemen, according to Pro Football Focus.
Against the Steelers, Allen gave their offensive line problems throughout the game. Allen primarily lined up against right guard James Daniels, generating five pressures on 13 matchups, according to Next Gen Stats. In Allen’s 12 matchups against left guard Spencer Anderson, he recorded two pressures.
Zach Allen (99) of the Denver Broncos sacks Justin Fields (2) of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
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He finished with a career-high eight pressures and a sack on 28 pass rushes.
“Good veterans figure out ways to make plays within a scheme,” Joseph said. “We have guys inside who can rush opposite Zach, so it’s pretty fair. He’s getting some one-on-ones, and he’s winning.”
Allen’s impact up front has helped Denver’s pass rush, which Joseph sought to improve during the offseason. Denver blitzes more than any team in the league and has the second-best quarterback pressure rate. The Broncos are also tied for ninth in pressures (25).
“There were times last year when we were living and dying on turnovers,” Allen said. “This year, we’re taking pride in playing good defense every single down.”
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