ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Nine days ago, I walked with Von Miller into a storage room at the Broncos Boys & Girls club to discuss his Von's Vision program. I was serving as the emcee. Working with Miller makes life easy. He cares, he preps, and he can improvise. We went over a few talking points he would address, and he nailed it in the event.
A memorable moment arrived early on as I asked the kids if they liked Von's spectacles. They cheered, followed by a dramatic pause, and then a young girl blurted, "I. Do. Not!" Von laughed, and asked, "Why not?"
Not long after he took a picture with the girl and said, "Do you want me to take my glasses off?"
This is Von. He puts people at ease. So when the Broncos drafted Bradley Chubb with the fifth overall pick, I praised it. In previous years he represented a potential No. 1 overall selection. Combine his talent with Von's leadership -- and eventually DeMarcus Ware's coaching -- and Chubb appeared on the toll road to success.
Through 10 games, the Broncos own a disappointing 4-6 record. Their schedule has done them no favors. The Broncos are the first team since the 1976 Tampa Bay Bucs to face three consecutive opponents who are on at least a five-game winning streak.
"We haven't flinched," coach Vance Joseph said. "We will be ready."
Miller and Chubb bring punch and power against the Steelers. They lead the NFL with 19 combined sacks, tops among NFL duo's this season. They represent the first teammates to own simultaneous five-game sack streaks since Von and Elvis Dumervil in 2011.
No teammates have ever produced concurrent six-game streaks.
"We're in this together," said Miller, when asked if he's determined to stay ahead of Chubb in the sack race. "When I was watching ESPN with Mel and the Kipers, I was watching those guys. That’s what they said (Chubb had a good motor), they said a lot of stuff. And then when you get in the league and you see these guys, they’re never what those guys had diagnosed. But Chubb is as advertised, if not more. He’s 270 pounds, he can drop back into coverage and he can play the run. He’s a monster when it comes to rushing the passer. He does it on the right side, versus the best offensive lineman every week. Chubb is as advertised and I’m truly blessed and grateful to be able to play with a guy like that.”
Miller is on pace for 16 sacks, leaving him within striking distance of his career-high of 18. Chubb sits at nine, his projection putting him in position to break Jevon Kearse's single-season rookie record of 14.5 set in 1999.
"I have gotten more comfortable during the season," Chubb said. "We work well together."
For Miller, each week brings history to his doorstep. Counting playoffs, he recorded his 100th sack last Sunday. He has 93.5 in the regular season, four shy of Simon Fletcher's team record.
"It’s a true blessing to play with an organization like this for eight years and get all of my sacks with this team and to have the types of coaches and the type of teammates that I’ve had that have pushed me and put me in situations to make plays like that." Miller said. "I’m truly blessed. Whenever you hit a milestone like that, I take time and I think about. Like you said, you want to go for the next 100."
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Want Broncos news? Denver7 Broncos insider Troy E. Renck is your source. He talks to the players, covers the games and reports scoops on Denver7 and the Denver7 app. He is a CU grad who has covered pro sports in Colorado since 1996, including 14 years at The Denver Post. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and TheDenverChannel.com’s Broncos page. Troy welcomes most of your emails at Troy.Renck@kmgh.com.
