methods , systems , and apparatuses , including computer programs encoded on computer - readable medium , including an instruction scheduler for scanning first and second instructions that are operable to output data to different components in a register . a rule checker determines if the scanned first and second instructions are data independent . an instruction combiner , in response to a determination that the scanned first and second instructions are data independent , forms a combination of the scanned first and second instructions . a processing unit that includes a single decoder , receives the combination , decodes the combination using the single decoder , and executes the combination .