Former Mizzou DL Shane Ray ties NFL record in first start
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Though former Mizzou DL Shane Ray was a big part of the Denver Broncos’ Super Bowl-winning defense last season, he didn’t earn his first start until this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
In the Broncos’ 29-17 win, Ray made the most of his chance, tying an NFL record for sacks in a player’s first start.
Ray was chasing Cincinnati QB Andy Dalton all day, bringing down the Bengals’ signal caller three times — a feat that hasn’t been done by an NFL player in his first start since 2002.
Ray told DenverBroncos.com that the Bengals made a mistake trying to use a tight end to slow him down:
“They tried to one-on-one block me with a tight end, and I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Ray quipped. “You don’t leave a one-on-one block with Von Miller. You don’t leave a one-on-one block with the best pass-rushers in the league. They left a tight end one-on-one with me, and I was able to beat him inside to get to the sack. After that, I kept my eyes open. My original rush didn’t work, but I was able to come back and make the play when the quarterback held the ball.”
Ray also returned a fumble for a touchdown last week, so the Broncos are in good shape along the defensive line as they try to defend their Super Bowl title.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
