SECONDARY MUST FIND WAY TO ALTER FOES’ BLUEPRINT

Watch Broncos film from their first three games and one big trend is clear.

Want to attack Denver’s defense? Hit their secondary with quick strikes and reap the rewards. Seattle totaled 298 yards passing and three scores. Oakland dropped 288 and one touchdown. Then Baltimore lit up the Broncos for 277 and another score. Opposing wide receivers all feasting on mostly shorttointermediate routes.

“If teams want to throw the ball that quick, then we have to play closer in coverage and make some plays early,” Joseph said. “It’s a blueprint on tape now the last couple weeks — throw it quick, challenge the DBs and keep Von Miller and (Bradley) Chubb and those guys at bay.”

Help arrives in Week 4 on Monday night against the Chiefs, with two cornerbacks set to return from injury: Tramaine Brock and Adam Jones.

Brock suffered a left groin strain against the Ravens, had MRI, and Joseph said “it looks to be OK.” Brock is expected to practice Wednesday, Thursday and then play Monday night against the Chiefs. Jones missed the week of practice leading up to Denver’s trip to Baltimore and joined the inactive list with a hamstring injury. Joseph said he is also expected to be back Monday.

Rookie Isaac Yiadom made his NFL debut as the team’s third cornerback in their absence. He was targeted often and finished the day with four tackles.

“Every game, I’ll be able to build,” Yiadom said. “I made some mistakes and made some plays. I have to fix the mistakes and go into next week and be better.” Lindsay reaction. Joseph addressed rookie running back Phillip Lindsay’s Sunday ejection in Baltimore for throwing a punch in a battle for the ball.

“I saw him dive into the pile, which is illegal, so he can’t do it,” Joseph said. “There were three guys who dove into the pile. … It should have been three penalties on all three of those guys.”

“I didn’t see a punch being thrown. … But we have to own the penalties.”

The Broncos signed former Raiders punter Marquette King with the expectation he’d consistently pin opponents deep in their own territory with booming elevationdrive distance. It has yet to materialize. After four games, King checks it at No. 23 leaguewide for gross punting (44.6 yards) and No. 15 for net punting (41.6). He’s checked opponents inside their own 20yard line six times.

“He has to simply punt better, no different than our corners have to play better in coverage, and we’ve got to block better,” Joseph said. “He’s a football player and he’s got to do his job. He’s got to punt better.”