The Denver Broncos’ defense was abysmal earlier this season, so much so that fans and pundits (including Broncos Wire) were calling for defensive coordinator Vance Joseph to be fired.
Things have certainly turned around over the last three weeks.
Denver’s defense held the Kansas City Chiefs to 19 points in Week 6 before allowing 17 points to the Green Bay Packers in Week 7 and nine points to the Chiefs in Week 8. So what changed on defense?
“You get back to work, you go to work,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton said Monday. “I think it’s never as rosy as we would like to believe, and it’s never as bleak as we would like to believe. Now, that doesn’t sell in your world, but that’s just the truth. I think it first starts with the rushing game and our ability to defend the run. That, really, would be the first tangible thing I’d point to.
“We’ve created the takeaways, the passing situations have gone in our favor, and guys have worked hard to make corrections and improve. Those would be the first things that come to my mind. In other words, being better against the run and fitting the run better. I think they had [62] yards rushing yesterday. Then, situationally, our third down and red zone, particularly in the last two games with Kansas City, have been really good.”
The Broncos are tackling better, they’re healthier, they’re creating turnovers, and they made a few changes to the defensive lineup. All of that has contributed to the team’s defensive turnaround.
Credit to Joseph for getting the unit back on track.
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