When looking over the scouting report heading into Sunday’s Bucs-Broncos matchup, Denver comes into town with a pair of workhorses on defense.

Cornerback Pat Surtain II is one of the NFL’s best at his position, while defensive end Zach Allen is a menace at causing pressure and using his hands to affect plays. Tampa Bay will have its hands full limiting the impact Surtain and Allen have on the game and the team discussed throughout the week its plans to contain them.

Pat Surtain II “Covers Everything” And Has “Unbelievable Ball Skills”

Broncos CB Pat Surtain II Photo by: USA Today

The son of a three-time Pro Bowl cornerback, Pat Surtain II has made a name for himself since being the ninth overall pick by the Broncos in the 2021 NFL Draft. Surtain is undoubtedly Denver’s best player, and they rewarded his elite play with a four-year, $96 million deal this offseason that passed Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr. for the highest contract given to a defensive back in NFL history.

His reputation is something that head coach Todd Bowles knows all about.

“He covers everything,” Bowles said. “He has an outstanding ability – he has great feet, he’s tough, he’s great on the line, he’s great off the ball, he’s good in zone [coverage] and he’s good in man[-to-man] and he’ll tackle. He’s got great ball skills. Any time you face a guy like that, it’s going to be dangerous.”

Facing the “dangerous” Surtain is none other than wide receiver Mike Evans, and it will be a matchup of size between the 6-foot-2 Surtain and 6-foot-5 Evans. While the star wide receiver was kept mostly quiet by the Lions (three catches for 42 yards), he is looking forward to what should be a back-and-forth battle.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and WR Mike Evans – Photo by: USA Today

“[It’s a] great challenge,” Evans said of facing Surtain. “I’m sure he’ll be matched on me – he matched [George] Pickens and D.K. [Metcalf] and he did a good job in those matchups. I look forward to the opportunity.”

Quarterback Baker Mayfield is always excited about the chance to throw to Evans, but he will not look forward to seeing Surtain closely defending him. With how offensive coordinator Liam Coen draws up the Xs and Os though, expect Evans to get chances to go up and get it.

“That’s what a guy like Pat Surtain can offer a defense – true, one-on-one, shut one side of the field down… He’s that type of player,” Mayfield said. “He’s got unbelievable ball skills, he can run with guys, he understands concepts and can read the patterns really well. He’s a guy that is going to have his PBUs (pass break-ups) and make plays on the ball, but we have to design things to be able to get Mike some matchups other than just him. We also trust Mike in one-on-one scenarios regardless.”

Zach Allen Is “A Workhorse” That Bucs Have To Slow Down

Broncos DE Zach Allen and Texans QB C.J. Stroud – Photo by: USA Today

While Pat Surtain II offers one set of challenges, defensive end Zach Allen poses another.

After the Bucs’ offensive line had their hands full stopping Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, Allen will be another threat to get after the quarterback and disrupt the rhythm the Bucs’ offense would like to settle into.

“He’s a monster,” Todd Bowles said of Allen. “He’s similar to Hutchinson. He’s a workhorse, he’s going [to] work you, he’s going to out work you, he’s very good off the ball, and he’s going to play to the whistle so he’s going to be dangerous.”

Through two games, he is tied with Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones for the fourth-most quarterback pressures with 13.

While Allen was a solid player with the Cardinals, he has unlocked another level after signing with the Broncos. His ability to bully offensive linemen is something to account for and it will take a variety of measures to limit him.

Left guard Ben Bredeson will be one of the guys tasked with slowing him down, and he spoke to Pewter Report about the challenge Allen provides upfront.

“He’s clearly having a good year,” Bredeson said. “He’s a good player. He has good hand use, it’s just about staying balanced in your sets and coming together as a unit to account for him every play and using proper technique throughout the game.”

Broncos DE Zach Allen and Bills QB Josh Allen – Photo by: USA Today

As the one charged with devising ways to stop Allen and the blitz-heavy Broncos’ defense, Liam Coen gave a blueprint of how to remove him from the game.

“Yeah, [he is] a really good player,” Coen said. “I actually recruited him a little bit… [He is] a really good player and I have a ton of respect for him. [He is] active, uses his hands extremely well. We’ve got to do a great job when we cover him up. The other thing that he does extremely well that I think is taken for granted is his batted passes – he’s got one of the highest amount of tipped and batted passes in the NFL over the last three years.

“When we have him, we’ve got to stay locked on him, we’ve got to drive him, we’ve got to chop him with our hands, we’ve got to use a ton of different techniques and use our toolbox to get his hands down in the pass game while also [removing] him in the run game.”

Both Pat Surtain II and Zach Allen are the biggest gamewreckers on the Broncos’ defense, and ones that the Bucs’ offense has spent a lot of time preparing to face as they look to begin their season 3-0 on Sunday afternoon.