He’s now on the other side of a blitz, microphones coming from every which way. He’s cool in the pocket, that T.J. Ward, the guy they call “Boss,” a black fedora placed on his head just so. He’s asked about the victory, about the interception. Then, after they retreat, he’s asked about the real story of the defense — T.J. Ward finally being T.J. Ward again.

“How many times did you blitz today?”

“I think three,” the Broncos safety said.

“In the other games, how many blitzes did you average per game?”

After a light chuckle, Ward said, “Probably 0.5, maybe one. There’ve been a few games where I didn’t blitz at all. I think it’s a great call — the blitz allows me to use my speed against bigger interior linemen, so I’m not running straight into them.”

There were many game-changing plays Sunday, but the game-resetting play came from Ward, who also later intercepted a pass on a tipped ball in the fourth quarter which led to Denver’s winning score.

On Miami’s first drive, those Dolphins seemed to do whatever they wanted to, even allowing Larry Csonka to get a carry. But on the second Dolphins’ drive, Denver defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio unleashed Ward on a third-and-8. No. 43 blitzed quarterback Ryan Tannehill, forcing the kid out of the pocket, resulting in an incomplete pass. This play exemplified his abilities, and, for a moment, justified why Denver paid big for a defensive shark who, after some quiet performances, was dubbed by a certain someone: “Shark Weak.”

PHOTOS: Miami Dolphins vs. Denver Broncos at Mile High

It took just a quick 11 weeks to do so. Yeah, Ward’s close friend Rahim Moore said the public doesn’t see the little things Ward has done this season to enhance the defense. Look, when Denver introduced Ward at a news conference, they didn’t gush about the little things he does. They talked about the impact plays — the nasty. We finally saw it Sunday.

Does the “Boss” want to blitz more often?

“Absolutely, I love blitzing,” Ward said. “Whenever I get an opportunity to put pressure on the quarterback and make third downs a little harder for them, that’s where I’m most comfortable. Whatever Jack wants to call and feels is the best defense, I’m fine with that, too.”

Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio is the boss, a proven defensive mind. But the subtle subtext of Ward’s final line there — “I’m fine with that, too” — caught my ear. Ward clearly wants to be a bigger part of the onslaught.

Ward plays “the most positions on the team,” Moore explained, and we saw it Sunday. When asked about the defense allowing only 7 second-half rushing yards, Ward smiled after lauding the front of the defense, explaining that, “I was kind of part of that front, too.”

Ward is as much a linebacker (in sub packages) and a safety (in base packages), a dynamic weapon when used properly. A lot of football is finding a fit and a stride — we saw it with Denver’s offensive line Sunday, admirably blocking an oft-used run offense. And a “freer” T.J., Ward’s words, allows him to attack.

Yes, T.J. made two dumb penalties Sunday — no excuses there. But he was also a hawk, deflecting two passes, forcing drops and occasionally blitzing like a boss.

“I’m pretty comfortable at linebacker,” the safety said. “There are some nuances I do have to fix, because I can’t be in two meetings at one time.”

On Monday, fans will talk about Ward’s interception, the one that ricocheted into his arms, essentially sealing the victory. But they should also laud and applaud Del Rio for utilizing Ward and allowing him to do — in addition to the aforementioned little things — big things.

Benjamin Hochman: bhochman@denverpost.com or twitter.com/hochman