The Denver Broncos are off to a surprising 3-3 start.
They have been riding one of the NFL’s best defenses, led by Riley Moss, Brandon Jones, and Vance Joseph, to three wins in their last four games.
The Broncos have not made the playoffs since their Super Bowl 50 victory in 2015. Fans have witnessed a quarterback carousel year in and year out. Names like Case Keenum, Jeff Driskel, and Brett Rypien have started games for Denver since Peyton Manning retired.
Since then, the Broncos hold a record of 55-81 while cycling through five head coaches. The team acquired Saints head coach Sean Payton in 2023 for their 2023 1st-round draft pick. Things felt promising in Denver, but a slow start to the season hindered their chances of making the playoffs yet again. This season, things have felt different at Mile High.
THE RETURN OF VANCE JOSEPH
Week 3 of the 2023 NFL season saw one of the most lopsided games in NFL history. The Dolphins dismantled Denver 70-20, with many fans asking for Vance Joseph, a former Bronco head coach, to be fired. It did not help that in the next two games, Denver allowed another 69 points, totaling 139 points allowed in just three games.
However, something clicked after losing to the Jets 31-21. Denver journeyed to Arrowhead to take on the Chiefs. Despite losing this game, the defense allowed just 19 points, the fewest allowed to the Chiefs up to that point of the year. Staring at a 1-5 record, the Broncos accumulated a five-game winning streak and won six of their next seven games. During that stretch, the defense for Denver allowed 13 points per game while the offense scored 22.5 points per game.
While the playoff hopes fell short in 2023, the Broncos finished 8-9 after losing four of their first five games. The defense looked poised and improved throughout the season. This proved to not be a fluke, as under Vance Joseph for the second straight season, this Denver defense has lit up opposing offenses.
Denver Broncos Defense Rankings (Through Week 5):
- 14.6 Points Per Game (#2)
- 271.2 Opp. Yards Per Game (#3)
- 4.4 Opp. Yards Per Play (#2)
- 1.4 TD Allowed Per Game (#2)
- 33.3% Opp. Red Zone Scoring (#3)
- 32.4% 3rd Down Conversion (#9)
- 10.8% Sack Percentage (#3)
The scheme that Joseph is utilizing right now is quite rare, and to some, borderline psychotic. No other NFL defense runs anything quite like this scheme. Fans witnessed the complete change Vance Joseph brought to the defense last season, taking over half the season to truly get players to buy in. Now, with a full season under Joseph, it feels like every player is used to the system and completely bought in.
GET FREAKY WITH IT!
In an age where NFL defenses salivate over Tampa 2 schemes, Vance creates plays designed around his players’ strengths.
This includes having All-Pro corner Pat Surtain II lineup to the opposing team’s top receiver while rushing four to five at the line. Joseph seemingly runs a 4-3 as his base, coinciding with a Nickel 4-2-5 formation. The idea is to instill more man coverage (as it has proved to be the strength of his top three corners) while blitzing heavily to create shorter windows for quarterbacks to make decisions.
These blitzing schemes create an unusual scenario for teams and quarterbacks to prepare for.
The Broncos have rushed 40.1% of the time which is 2nd in the NFL. Usually, blitz packages create just enough leverage and protection to avoid big plays. However, Denver takes a different approach by utilizing just one high safety during these blitzes. That is a huge gamble, but one that has paid off so far this season. Joseph puts his trust in the Broncos defensive backs more than any other defensive coordinator.
NEW ADDITIONS MAKING PLAYS
Riley Moss was drafted in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft after a storied collegiate career at the University of Iowa.
As many fans have noted, he is the first white corner to start at the posotion in over two decades.
Last season, he appeared in 14 games, but had a very limited snap count. Moss played in just 3% of the snaps in 2023 compared to 97% this season, where he has made an impact as the third-string corner. He currently has five pass deflections, one interception, one forced fumble, and 39 total tackles. He is also allowing a completion percentage of 58% when targeted.
Brandon Jones signed a three-year $22 million contract in the offseason. The former Miami Dolphins safety made his impact felt during Denver’s week three victory against the Buccaneers. He picked off Baker Mayfield and added six tackles, a fumble recovery, and a pass breakup. The impressive showing would not be a one-off game. Jones forced a turnover on the first drive in the win against the Jets in the following week.
Jones’ passer rating when targeted is 36.6, good enough for a PFF grade of 89.0 which ranks 2nd in the entire league. Riley Moss also ranks within the top 10 for corners. His grade sits at 79.8, good for 7th among corners.
IS THERE A BRONCOS OFFENSE?
While having one of the NFL’s top defenses often overshadows offensive struggles, this season the Broncos’ offense has been far from impressive.
The first two games of the season were brutal for Denver’s offense. They scored 26 total points, did not accumulate over 100 rushing yards in either game, and had five turnovers.
The blame quickly went fully on Bo Nix, the Broncos’ 1st round (12th overall) pick in the 2024 Draft. The plays drawn up for Nix have been pretty simple, trying to slowly ease the rookie into the NFL. In the first few weeks, he did not look confident whatsoever and struggled to acclimate to NFL defenses. Through those losses, Nix completed 59% of his passes, threw four picks and zero touchdowns, and posted a passer rating of 51.
Week three came along against a Buccaneers team who were heavily favored at home. However, Bo Nix showed off his promise through the air but also with his legs. He had 47 yards on the ground with a score, completed 69% of his passes, and did not turn the ball over once.
Riding off that game, the Broncos have managed to win close games despite playing lackluster offense early on. Against the Jets, Nix finished the first half with negative passing yards, but still found Courtland Sutton in the second half to give Denver the lead.
Over the last four weeks, the Broncos offense has averaged 120.3 rushing yards per game. If Nix continues to gain confidence and the rushing attack stays strong, a successful bounce-back season is well within the cards for this Broncos team.
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