The Denver Broncos’ defense, under new coordinator Vance Joseph, has experienced all kinds of embarrassment. It was bad enough when the Broncos allowed 10 offensive touchdowns and 726 total yards last week against the high-flying Miami Dolphins, but what’s happening early on against Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears is especially not good.
The Bears’ passing game has been especially putrid this season, but against Denver on Sunday, Fields has looked more like Josh Allen or Tua Tagovailoa than anything we’ve seen this season to date. The first half isn’t even over, and Denver’s problematic coverages have already ceded two big touchdowns from Fields and his targets.
There was this 29-yarder to DJ Moore with 14:53 left in the second quarter…
.@justnfields with a DIME to @idjmoore 😮💨
📺: #DENvsCHI on CBS pic.twitter.com/tQtrjPHMQv
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 1, 2023
…and this 22-yarder to Cole Kmet on the very next drive.
Wide open for the touchdown 🙌
📺: #DENvsCHI on FOX pic.twitter.com/B7XdNtqbBU
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 1, 2023
UPDATE: In the time it took me to write this, Fields hit Kmet for ANOTHER touchdown.
We're cookin' now 👨🍳
📺: #DENvsCHI on CBS pic.twitter.com/srLe8ROxz0
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 1, 2023
After that score, Fields upped his stats to 12 completions in 12 attempts for 185 yards and three touchdowns. Which means that the Broncos haven’t allowed an incomplete pass in the first half since Week 2, as Tagovailoa completed 16 of 16 for 206 yards and two touchdowns in that Week 3 debacle.
The Broncos already ranked dead last in Defensive DVOA before this game — at this rate, the guys over at FTN may have to build a floor under the basement to accurately rate what this defense is doing.