Von Miller missed his goal. He wanted a breathtaking performance Sunday and ended up gasping for breath. He can sack quarterbacks with his eyes shut: Jab the tackle, head fake, accelerate, then smash.

That was before surgery on his right knee nine months ago. Returning from an injury is different, the challenges real and sometimes unexpected. Broncos linebacker Miller faced the Indianapolis Colts with designs on wrecking their game plan, but he settled for a few dents.

It isn’t a reflection of who he is, Miller said, but where he is: an athlete making stair-step progress, left vulnerable when Andrew Luck pushed the pedal on the Colts’ offense.

“I’ve got to get back in the lab. They started running a lot of hurry-up. To be honest, for me, I just couldn’t breathe,” Miller said. “I am going to address that and get that fixed in my conditioning. … I don’t like to compare last year, but I believe you are going to see a better Von this season.”

Miller will be judged by two statistics: sacks and pressure. The Broncos signed free agent DeMarcus Ware to create mismatch issues, to force teams to make tough decisions on protection. Miller and Ware don’t hide from ambition, predicting 30 sacks between them.

Sunday, Ware posted 1½ sacks. Miller was shut out. They provided bursts but didn’t meet their expectations. It was part of a larger issue as the Broncos’ pass rush struggled to corral Luck, despite the Colts’ quarterback working with a makeshift offensive line.

“It was the first impression. We weren’t perfect. We have a lot to improve upon,” Ware said. “We played well for three quarters. We gave up some big plays. With a ‘W,’ it’s easier to correct things.”

The tempo presented an issue. As Peyton Manning has shown, it’s hard to touch a quarterback, let alone sack him, if the ball is released in 2.5 seconds. No Broncos lived in Luck’s face. According to Pro Football Focus, which scores performances, only the Cincinnati Bengals graded lower in their pass rush in Week 1 than the Broncos.

The Broncos’ primary pass rushers played a combined 233 snaps: Miller (58), Ware (52), Derek Wolfe (42), Malik Jackson (39), Quanterus Smith (24) and Lerentee McCray (18). Jackson recorded a half-sack. Relentless annoyance remained largely absent. Miller performed better than his stat sheet suggested, forcing a team-best five quarterback hurries.

It was a painful reminder that he’s close. Miller referred to the opener, aptly, as a foundation.

“We have got to get it going. DeMarcus played well. It’s the first game. There’s going to be some stuff that you could have gotten that you didn’t. We are still ironing out the wrinkles,” Miller said. “The knee feels good. I didn’t even think about it. My body was just sore from playing a full game.”

This Sunday presents an opportunity to gain traction. The Kansas City Chiefs lack the Colts’ playmakers, even with the return of top receiver Dwayne Bowe. Quarterback Alex Smith might be more willing to check down to running back Jamaal Charles after a new, aggressive downfield strategy resulted in three interceptions in the opener.

Miller maintains perspective about his return. He’s back on the field. But it won’t be official, probably in his mind, until he delivers his first sack.

“I felt like I could have done more,” Miller said. “But I’m confident. It was great to be back out there with my guys. I am only going to get better.”

Troy E. Renck: trenck@denverpost.com or twitter.com/troyrenck

Rush to judgment

Even with Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware paired together, the Broncos struggled to mount a consistent pass rush in the sesaon opener against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night. Denver is looking for improvement after failing to meet expectations. Broncos reporter Troy E. Renck crunches the numbers:

Colts first three quarters passing 21 of 27, 186 yards, 1 interception 2.5 sacks Colts fourth quarter passing 14 of 26, 184 yards, 1 interception 0 sacks