Tag: defensive coordinator

Broncos DC Vance Joseph a ‘steady, fundamentally sound coach’

“I love Vance [Joseph],” Broncos OC Joe Lombardi said last week. “He’s one of my all-time favorites.”

The Denver Broncos‘ defense has had quite a turnaround since giving up 70 points to the Miami Dolphins in Week 3 last season.

Through five games this season, Denver has allowed 73 points and the defense ranks second in points allowed per game (14.6), third in total yards (271.2), third in sacks (19) and seventh in interceptions (five).

So, what led to the turnaround on defense?

“Vance has done a great job, he and his staff,” coach Sean Payton said earlier this week. “[It’s] hard to point to one thing relative to personnel because obviously there have been a number of personnel changes. I think we’ve gotten stronger in the front, and then I would say we’re better in the secondary. I would say that in a lot of areas.

“We’re getting really good play obviously from [Pat] Surtain and then [Riley] Moss on the other side. We’re getting good safety play, we’re stronger in the front. I think there’s probably anytime you have a turnaround maybe that we’ve seen to date, there’s probably a number of factors.”

Joseph deserves much of the credit for the defense’s success, and offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi has been full of praise for his counterpart.

“I love Vance,” Lombardi said last week. “He’s one of my all-time favorites. He’s another guy that doesn’t get caught up in the short term. After the Miami game last year, there was no panic in Vance. He knows what he’s doing. He’s been around.

“Certainly, whenever we’re not having success, we look at things and try to make adjustments. He’s just a steady, fundamentally sound coach. I never had any questions if this is where he was going to get the defense. He’s the best.”

Joseph and Co. will look to keep the momentum going when they host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

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Vance Joseph’s self-made defense ranks second in the NFL

The Broncos’ defense ranks No. 2 in points allowed this season (14.6). “It’s a group of self-aware, young, hungry guys,” Vance Joseph said.

Five weeks into the 2024 NFL season, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has been widely praised for his impressive defense.

The Broncos’ defense ranks second in points allowed per game (14.6), third in total yards (271.2), fifth in passing yards (159.8/game), tenth in rushing yards (111.4), third in sacks (19) and seventh in interceptions (five).

During his media availability last week, Joseph deflected praise to the “self-made” players who make the defense work.

“We have a defense full of just young guys who are mostly self-made,” Joseph said last Thursday. “We have one first-round pick, and that’s Patrick [Surtain], who is a really good player. Everyone else are pretty self-made guys that are just grinders. That’s helped our process of working hard, being smart, studying and just doing it right. Playing together and being team-first guys.

“It’s a group of self-aware, young, hungry guys who are still trying to reach for more. So I don’t have a problem of motivating guys, of keeping guys humble because it’s there every day. Again we have one guy, Pat, who’s a first rounder. Everyone else are just self-made guys who want to get better every day.”

This week, Denver’s defense will face a Los Angeles Chargers offense that ranks fourth-worst in the league in yards (263.8) and fifth-worst in points (17.0). The Chargers have the best scoring defense (12.5) in the NFL, however, so Sunday’s showdown could be a low-scoring affair.

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Peter Schrager dubs Broncos DC Vance Joseph his Coach of the Week

NFL analyst Peter Schrager heaped a ton of praise on Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph following Week 5.

The Denver Broncos have a winning record thus far in the 2024 season, in many aspects due to their stifling defense. And NFL Network analyst Peter Schrager has taken notice of the elite group.

“I give out a coach of the week award every week. It could be a head coach, a special teams person, it could be an assistant coach at any level, and I am so excited to give Vance Joseph the award for coach of the week this week,” Schrager said on Good Morning Football this week.

“The Denver Broncos defense is the best in the league, and they were rocking those Orange Crush uniforms and they absolutely dominated the Raiders.”

Schrager went on to praise the Broncos’ defense for their success across the 2024 season.

“Looking at this unit this season, they are allowing 14 points per game this season. That’s good for second in the league,” Schrager said. “They have 19 sacks, 75 quarterback pressures and 41 quarterback hits, all good for top three in the league entering Monday Night Football.”

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Later on in his segment, Schrager lauded the humility of the defensive coordinator.

“Vance, personally, the story is so cool. He was the head coach of the Broncos, got unceremoniously fired, worked elsewhere, got the job with Sean Payton to be defensive coordinator, has no ego, says ‘Sure, I’ll be defensive coordinator.’ They give up 70 in a game to the Dolphins last season, and everybody says ‘Get rid of Vance Joseph!’

“They have since been one of the most dominant units in the league [since then]. Vance Joseph, love the focus, love the way this team is performing and we love the fact that your story tells you that you do not shut the door on a guy who’s done it his entire career.”

Well-deserved praise for Joseph and Denver’s defense.

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Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo explains the legacy left by former All-Pro Safety

Kansas City #Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo explains the legacy left by Tyrann Mathieu | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs’ defense has dramatically improved over the years, primarily due to veteran talent that changed the culture.

During Friday’s press conference, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo praised former star defensive back Tyrann Mathieu.

“Listen, I’ve got a special place in my heart for (Saints S) Tyrann (Mathieu), right? He’s a special guy. It’ll be great to see him” said Spagnuolo. “I think the last time – I think we saw him when we went down there (to New Orleans) (for the) preseason game. Yeah, that’s the last time we got the chance to give him a big hug, but (I) love Tyrann.

Mathieu signed with his hometown, New Orleans Saints, before the start of the 2023 season but made sure to leave an ongoing legacy within the Chiefs secondary.

“You know, I see it every day. It’s a little thing, but our DBs, before we – you guys aren’t out there until we get to stretch, right?” said Spagnuolo “Usually, about 10 minutes before that, all of the DBs are out on the field, and they’re doing footwork and (Defensive Backs Coach) Dave’s (Merritt) with them and (Safeties Coach) Donald’s (D’Alesio) with them, but that was really established with Tyrann all the way back (in 2019). He was pulling those guys out of the locker room 10 minutes early, so that’s a leadership thing.”

Mathieu spent three seasons in Kansas City, earning Pro Bowl selections twice, first-team All-Pro honors in 2020 and second-team honors in 2019. He made an impression on a young L’Jarius Sneed, who has then passed on traits to current lead defensive back Trent McDuffie.

“I think he laid a foundation here, especially in the secondary, of some of the things that we do quite frankly and the way (that) they operate,” said Spagnuolo. “I know those years. Looking back on when he was first here (Titans CB L’Jarius Sneed), LJ was young at the time, and I remember him learning from Tyrann. Then, Tyrann left, and LJ was teaching Trent (McDuffie), so there’s been a trickle down, and I think we owe Tyrann a lot for what he did when he was here.”

If he’s available to play on Monday, Mathieu should expect some applause and appreciation from the Arrowhead Stadium crowd.

Broncos defense ranks near top of the NFL in major categories

The Broncos’ defense ranks second in yards (256.5) and third in points allowed per game (13.8) this season.

Through four weeks of the 2024 NFL season, the Denver Broncos have one of the best defenses in the NFL. That’s not an opinion — the stats back it up.

On a per-game basis, the Broncos have allowed 256.5 total yards (second), 146.0 passing yards (third), 110.5 rushing yards (12th) and 13.8 points (third). Denver also has 16 sacks (second) and five takeaways (11th). Vance Joseph has the unit playing at an extremely high level, and they shut down the New York Jets in Week 4.

“Yeah, I think, look, they’ve got a good rushing attack, and I think when that’s rolling it’s hard, you know he (Aaron Rodgers) does so much,” coach Sean Payton said after a 10-9 win over the Jets on Sunday. “I thought we defended the run real well today.”

New York’s offense was limited to 2.8 yards per carry against the Broncos and Rodgers was sacked five times in Week 4.

“It’s tough to do against him,” Payton said of the sacks. “He’s someone that’s real good with his protection IDs and he’s also someone who he knows if he’s short one and he knows right away. So, you’ll send a guy in motion, he’s extremely smart so you may go another 20 games before you see that happen to him. Look, that was part of the success today.”

Up next for Denver’s defense is a home game against the Las Vegas Raiders, who have averaged 288.8 yards per game and 19.5 points per game. Joseph will undoubtedly send the heat against a Raiders line that has allowed 14 sacks through four games this fall.

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Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo praises linebacker’s resilience: ‘He’s got such great football instincts’

Kansas City #Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo praises Nick Bolton’s resilience: ‘He’s got such great football instincts’ | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs are still riding high from their clutch victory last Sunday night over the Atlanta Falcons. Veteran players made plays on defense, halting a potential comeback drive and keeping the other Chiefs undefeated.

Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo spoke with reporters on Thursday about linebacker Nick Bolton’s impact on the unit.

“Yeah, it was great to see Nick (Bolton) make that last tackle, I mean, well, you all know, he gutted it out. His back was bothering (him), and he went back in,” said Spagnuolo. “And, thank God we got guys that can go in when Nick’s not in there and still function the same way. I think that’s huge. I mean, we all learned that last year, right when Dru (Tranquil) had to take over. But when you lose that guy in the middle, it’s like losing the quarterback, right? And even if it’s for three plays, if you don’t have somebody that can go in there, that everybody feels comfortable with, it gets tough.

Bolton returned from the injury just in time to make the game-saving tackle on Bijan Robinson. The clutch performance was another reminder that Bolton is valuable to the defense.

“Nick just coming back and doing what he did,” said Spagnuolo. “I think we all know this about Nick: He’s got such great football instincts. He feels things, and he studies the game, so he knows ahead of time when teams are going to do certain things. But, I thought he played great.”

Bolton will look to recover quickly before the Chiefs make the West Coast trip for this Sunday’s AFC West matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Vance Joseph has Broncos’ defense playing at a high level

The Broncos’ defense ranks 2nd in passing yards allowed, 3rd in yards allowed and sixth in points allowed three games into the season.

What a difference a year makes.

One year after a 70-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins, the Denver Broncos returned to Florida on Sunday to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

This time, the Broncos took care of business with a convincing 26-7 victory. Denver’s defense — led by coordinator Vance Joseph — dominated from start to finish, ending the game with seven sacks and two takeaways.

“I think we made [Baker Mayfield] hold [the ball],” Broncos coach Sean Payton said after the game when asked about the sacks. “I think we made him hold it some. That is a credit to coverage.”

Denver cornerback Pat Surtain held Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans to just one catch for eight yards. Broncos safety Brandon Jones grabbed an interception and recovered a fumble.

Six defenders recorded a sack, including two sacks from former UFL pass rusher Dondrea Tillman in his NFL debut. Following that impressive performance, Denver’s defense ranks high after three weeks of play.

The Broncos have allowed 259.3 yards per game (third-best), 133.3 passing yards per game (second-best) and 15.3 points per game (sixth-best). Denver’s 11 sacks are tied for fifth-most and while that number is inflated by Sunday’s seven-sack performance, the team’s 44.8% pressure rate is a good sign that the sacks should continue.

If there’s a weakness, it’s the 126.0 rushing yards allowed per game (12th-worst), but that’s not a big factor when the Broncos are able to build a lead.

Denver’s defense is off to a great start this season, and Joseph deserves credit.

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Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo on veterans being rusty in Week 1: ‘Those guys hadn’t played’

Kansas City #Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo on veterans being rusty in Week 1: ‘Those guys hadn’t played’ | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs defense battled during their Week 1 victory, as starters Chris Jones, Justin Reid, and Nick Bolton emerged strong after missing significant time due to injuries in the preseason.

Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo was concerned heading into last week’s game against the Baltimore Ravens because his veteran starters were not available during training camp. On Thursday, he addressed his thoughts on their performance in last week’s victory with reporters.

“I mean, playing 80 plays is a lot of plays. Now, that’s partly our fault, right? We can get off the field on a couple of third downs, but I thought it got tough at the end of the game because of that.” said Spagnuolo. “those guys hadn’t played, so that’s a different kind of conditioning. It’s different than getting on a bike or running gasses and whatnot.”

The Chiefs’ defense could not slow Lamar Jackson’s mobility as he still managed a 100-yard rushing performance. The unit pulled out the win after a suspenseful finish at the back of the goal line.

“I think if you ask those guys, they’d tell you that they were gutting it out at the end, and fortunately for us. I mean, listen, I know the foot and the inches the game is, and all that, but what I look at is, thank God,” said Spagnuolo. “I mean, Nick (Bolton) could have been closer to that, but thank God he got there when he did to at least push him out enough that we got the black shoe on the white back in there.”

The players should be a little more up to speed after returning to regular reps this week ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo on the uncertainty surrounding the second cornerback position

Kansas City #Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo on the uncertainty surrounding the second cornerback position | @EdEastonJr

The cornerback position is critical for any team in the NFL, and the Kansas City Chiefs already feature an All-Pro in Trent McDuffie but followed by question marks on the depth chart.

After Monday’s practice, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo spoke with reporters about the lack of a standout for the second starting cornerback spot.

“It’s an unanswered question right now, to be honest with you,” said Spagnuolo. “With the injuries that we dealt with and the guys in and out, it was hard to say, ‘This is the guy that won the job,’ so, there will probably be a bunch of them (cornerbacks) playing. We mix and match a lot anyway, so there will be a lot of that going on.”

Defensive backs expected to be in the second cornerback spot include Joshua Williams, Jaylen Watson, Nazeeh Johnson, and Chamarri Conner. Spagnuolo indicated the importance of solidifying the slot cornerback spot in Thursday’s matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.

“I mean, the expectation is (that) they’re going to come in here and try to run it –which we get it. Hopefully, we can get them in situations where they’ve got to throw, and we can be good against that because this team – listen, they get noted as a running team – they can do everything,” said Spagnuolo. “They have really good wideouts; their quarterback can extend the down, we all know that. He’s (Ravens QB Lamar Jackson) accurate. I mean, we’ve got a great deal of respect for them. “

The Chiefs have officially moved on from L’Jarius Sneed. The first regular-season game will help determine whether they made the right decision not to retain the talented cornerback.

Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo on injured players: ‘More frustrating than annoying‘

Kansas City #Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo on injured players: ‘More frustrating than annoying‘ | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs enter their final preseason game on Thursday, but they are still unsure about their defensive plans due to key players being unavailable.

On Tuesday, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo revealed to reporters his frustrations with multiple injuries on defense.

“Yeah, so, more frustrating than annoying because it’s really part of it. I was – I made this point in our (defensive) unit meeting the other day, but I don’t believe – we couldn’t have because J-Reid (Justin Reid) hasn’t had any practice snaps, right?” said Spagnuolo. “So, I don’t believe we’ve had the – let’s call it our top 11, 12, or 13, whatever that is. I don’t think we’ve had them on the field for one play. That’s concerning (and) frustrating. Now, I did say to them, ‘Those things are out of our control. I can’t control guys getting hurt, (but) what we can control is our conditioning and being ready to play and all of that.'”

The significant injuries in the secondary have affected the competition for the second starting cornerback position. According to Spagnuolo, the decision has become more complex.

“It’s making it really difficult to decide which way to go,” said Spagnuolo. “We’ve got one more game. Some of these guys will play that are still fighting for jobs, but we can’t say there is a starting other corner right now, in all honesty.”

Chris Jones has also not played in the preseason but is expected to be ready for the regular season opener against the Baltimore Ravens.