Tag: Vance Joseph

Bill Belichick, Pat McAfee chime in on Bo Nix and Broncos’ stingy defense

“This is a good, solid defense,” Bill Belichick said of the Broncos’ squad.

The sports world was set buzzing following the Denver Broncos‘ 28-14 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 8, including former NFL punter Pat McAfee and ex-coach Bill Belichick.

“Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos seemingly got it going. Do you believe in Sean Payton and what he’s got going in Denver?” McAfee asked Belichick on Monday’s edition of the Pat McAfee Show. 

“Well yeah,” said the usually muted Belichick. “One of the best things they’re doing in Denver is their defense. They’re really good on defense and I think that (defensive coordinator Vance) Joseph has done a great job there. They have a nice pressure scheme, their front’s playing very well, they got Surtain back, and if they don’t turn the ball over, they’re going to be in every game.”

The Broncos limited the Panthers to 284 yards of total offense, which was as many yards as Denver rookie quarterback Bo Nix had passing alone. The Broncos’ stingy defense also hasn’t allowed more than 25 points since the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks.

“This is a good, solid defense; they play pretty well they communicate well and they don’t give up a lot of points,” said Belichick.

Belichick also gave love to the Broncos’ rookie signal caller. “As (Bo) Nix is getting a little bit more confident and a little more consistency and familiarity with Coach Payton’s system, they’re doing a good job,” said Belichick. “As I said at the beginning of the year, they won’t be enough to catch the (Kansas City) Chiefs this year, but it certainly looks like they’re gaining in the division.”

You can watch their breakdown of the game below — the Broncos’ segment begins at 1:47:40.

The Broncos look to build on their 5-3 record with a big game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

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Broncos DC Vance Joseph had a perfect response to head coach rumors

“Being mentioned is cool, but right now my mind’s not there,” Broncos DC Vance Joseph said of being named on head coach candidate lists.

The Denver Broncos‘ defense has been one of the best in the NFL this fall, which has led to rumblings that defensive coordinator Vance Joseph could be a top head coach candidate following the season.

Joseph, 52, previously served as Denver’s head coach 2017-2018. The Broncos went 11-21 during that time and Joseph was fired, but he was working with a roster full of deficiencies, including not having a franchise quarterback.

With such a strong defensive scheme, Joseph could perhaps have a better run as a head coach if he lands in the right situation.

After practice on Thursday, Joseph was asked for his thoughts about being mentioned among head coach candidates this season. Joseph had a perfect response.

“I don’t have a thought about it right now because, thank God this league has seasons, right?” Joseph said. “You know, we have an offseason, you have a draft season — right now it’s play and win season. So for me, my entire focus is this [upcoming] football game and winning games and coaching right now. That stuff takes care of itself down the road.

“There’s a season for that stuff, but right now, for me, it doesn’t even have a place for me. I’m so busy right now. My mind’s on this team, a young defense who’s playing good football, they keep improving each week, to get ahead of the adversity before it strikes, that’s my focus. But obviously, being mentioned is cool, but right now my mind’s not there.”

https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/1849550307161686274

Joseph’s focused on the task at hand. He’ll turn his attention to any potential head coach interviews after the season ends.

If the Broncos do end up losing Joseph, they have an excellent in-house candidate to replace him in defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator Jim Leonhard, a former college coach who had drawn interest from NFL teams as a DC candidate before landing in Denver this offseason.

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Chris Harris gives his take on Vance Joseph’s punishing defense

“He’s always been aggressive,” Chris Harris said of Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. “We blitzed a lot when he coached me.”

Former Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris recently appeared on the Up and Adams show after the Broncos defeated the New Orleans Saints, and he had high praise for defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s unit.

When host Kay Adams asked Harris if he thought that Joseph had changed his philosophies or defense since Harris was with the team, Harris said, “I don’t think he’s changed, I just think he’s getting better with his playcalling. He’s got a great d-line, with Zach Allen leading the way and he’s got guys just making plays,”

The cornerback continued: “A lot of times, it’s not — the players make the coaches. And guys just make the plays, right? You can call the same defense every time and if guys don’t make the plays, it’s going to make the coach look bad. Right now, they’re making him look good they’re getting a lot of pressure, I don’t think he’s evolved, because he’s always been aggressive. We blitzed a lot when he coached me, so I see him doing the exact same thing.”

Adams also asked Harris who should be getting more love on the defensive side of the ball. “Riley Moss,” Harris said without hesitation. “I think he’s playing great. He started a little shaky, you know, but this is kind of his rookie year. He’s improving every week.”

You can watch the entire interview with Adams and Harris below.

 

The Broncos will host the Carolina Panthers in Week 8 on Oct. 27.

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Everyone loved Malcolm Roach dropping into coverage on ‘TNF’

“I always like to talk trash with the DBs and tell them I’m a real DB at heart,” Malcolm Roach said after the Broncos’ win on ‘TNF.’

In the third quarter of a Thursday Night Football game against the New Orleans Saints in Week 7, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph called a play that had defensive tackle Malcolm Roach drop back into coverage.

Hilariously, it worked.

“Malcolm Roach nearly had an INT in coverage 15 yards down the field LOL,” Zac Stevens of DNVR wrote on social media.

Ryan McFadden of the Denver Post said the play “might be the highlight of the night.”

“I can’t stop laughing at VJ truly going [expletive] it mode and throwing Malcolm Roach into coverage and it worked,” a fan said on Twitter/X. “He really became a defensive madman after the Dolphins massacre.”

Check it out:

https://twitter.com/BrandonPerna/status/1847142168797794521

Everyone had similar reactions: “Malcolm Roach in coverage😭.”

Another fan wrote: “MALCOLM ROACH FOR PREZ.”

Everyone loved his celebration:

https://twitter.com/LTB_Muse/status/1847108027112927300

Even the Broncos’ official account chimed in with a meme:

“Malcolm Roach cele has me cryin,” one fan wrote. Added another fan: “Bro pulled the strap 😭.”

It looked like a play straight out of a video game.

“Me when I play madden and college football 25 🤣,” a fan commented. “gotten so many picks with linemen.”

Roach was asked about his celebration after the game.

“Yeah, it’s a little joke,” Roach explained. “We’ve been — I always like to talk trash with the DBs and tell them I’m a real DB at heart. So when I got the opportunity and made the play with the PBU, you know I just had to give them something. And I was over there by the sideline.”

https://twitter.com/Scotty_G6/status/1847133902659285140

Roach was officially credited with a pass breakup, giving him this stat line in a 33-10 victory: one tackle, one PBU. That’ll do.

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Twitter reacts to Broncos’ big win over Saints (how about Vance Joseph’s defense!)

Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is getting much-deserved praise following the team’s dominant win over the Saints on ‘TNF.’

The Denver Broncos dominated the New Orleans Saints in a 33-10 win on Thursday Night Football in Week 7.

Led by defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, Denver’s defense ended the night with six sacks, two fumble recoveries and a touchdown. Here’s a sampling of how Twitter/X reacted to the big win for the Broncos.

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https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1847115994986434603

https://twitter.com/NFLonPrime/status/1847115454428434693

https://twitter.com/NextGenStats/status/1847108151285633446

https://twitter.com/dtturner11/status/1847104637872361633

https://twitter.com/JamesPalmerTV/status/1847106241723535556

https://twitter.com/JourdanRodrigue/status/1847105780773728691

https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1847116469747728511

https://twitter.com/SpielbergerBrad/status/1847102050183651711

https://twitter.com/AlbertBreer/status/1847111726279413848

https://twitter.com/CameronWolfe/status/1847110613924737417

https://twitter.com/Hullshow/status/1847097808882479438

https://twitter.com/Robby_NFL/status/1847100153666126106

https://twitter.com/LTB_Muse/status/1847106238930473182

https://twitter.com/ByJonHeath/status/1847106712014102539

https://twitter.com/lindsaybebout/status/1847099111050273206

https://twitter.com/SayreBedinger/status/1847110975905829211

https://twitter.com/colincowherd/status/1847107580034011415

https://twitter.com/ChrisHarrisJr/status/1847091264090493263

https://twitter.com/OFranklin74/status/1847106746139238868

https://twitter.com/VicLombardi/status/1847109142047346993

https://twitter.com/MaseDenver/status/1847110704588878192

https://twitter.com/MikeDeCicco/status/1847116903699173633

https://twitter.com/philmilani/status/1847111040955253148

https://twitter.com/byesline/status/1847115461906846024

https://twitter.com/MileHighMims/status/1847115609567645960

https://twitter.com/MaseDenver/status/1847115998727434372

Up next for Denver is a mini-bye this weekend followed by their next game in Week 8, a home game against the Carolina Panthers (1-5) at Empower Field at Mile High on Oct. 27.

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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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Riley Moss says Broncos’ defense can still improve

“There’s still some things we’ve got to clean up. We shouldn’t have given up that many points. There’s still some stuff to get after.”

Five weeks into the 2024 NFL season, the Denver Broncos have one of the best defenses in the NFL. And there’s still room for improvement.

Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph loves to blitz, and he’s able to do so frequently because Denver’s defensive backs hold up in man coverage. In those scenarios, though, all it takes is one missed pass breakup or one missed tackle to give up a big play.

That’s what happened against the Las Vegas Raiders last week when safety P.J. Locke misjudged a pass to tight end Brock Bowers, who went 57 yards for a touchdown. That’s the kind of play the Broncos can get cleaned up.

“It’s one of those things where you need to be present,” cornerback Riley Moss said of the defense’s approach. “Mentally, physically, every day. You want your work days, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, to be harder than the game so when you come into the game, it’ll be a lot easier.

“That’s kind of the mentality that our entire defense has had. It has been working, but there’s still some things we’ve got to clean up. We shouldn’t have given up that many points. There’s still some stuff to get after.”

Denver ended up winning last week’s game 34-18, but Moss wasn’t satisfied with the defense’s performance. The unit will look to take another step forward when the Broncos host the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6.

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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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Broncos star CB Pat Surtain praises DC Vance Joseph

“VJ is just dialing up,” Pat Surtain said. “He has so much trust in us as players and that allows him to call these exotic schemes.”

The Denver Broncos have one of the best defenses in the NFL four games into the 2024 season, ranked second in yards allowed per game (256.5) and third in points allowed per game (13.8).

Much of the credit goes to defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who is getting the most out of stars like Pat Surtain and veteran journeymen like Cody Barton.

Joseph loves to blitz, and he can do so frequently because of the confidence he has in the team’s defensive backs to hold up in man coverage.

“VJ is just dialing up,” Surtain said after a 10-9 win over the New York Jets in Week 4. “He has so much trust in us as players and that allows him to call these exotic schemes, show different looks and frustrate opposing offenses because his ability to trust us and his ability in his play calling. Obviously, these past few weeks it’s paid dividends.

“The offenses we’ve been going against, and we played another great quarterback in Aaron Rodgers and, like I said, we’re just going to keep on building and keep on performing. VJ is just going to keep on calling great calls defensively and we’re going to get after it for sure.”

This week, Denver’s defense will face a Las Vegas Raiders offense that ranks ninth-worst in yards per game (288.8) and 19th in points per game (19.5). After forcing two turnovers and totaling five sacks against the Jets last week, Joseph and Co. will look to keep the momentum going in Week 5.

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