BRONCOS BATTLE WITH FREQUENT FLY ZONE
Oncefeared Broncos secondary being picked on
The play did not cost the Broncos a chance at winning last weekend at Baltimore — too many other things would go wrong later. But it was emblematic of how far the team’s previously dominant pass defense has fallen.
The Broncos led 147 late in the first half. The Ravens faced thirdand10 from the Broncos’ 43 yard line. A sack of quarterback Joe Flacco or an incomplete pass would result in a punt. The Broncos got soft. Cornerbacks Chris Harris, Isaac Yiadom and Bradley Roby lined up 8, 8and 9 yards beyond the line of scrimmage, respectively. Flacco held the football for 2.41 seconds and threw a 9yard pass to Michael Crabtree, short of the first down but in kicker Justin Tucker’s range for a 52yard attempt — which was good. A free three points.
Long gone is when the Broncos would dictate that play. They would jam receivers at the snap, knock them off their route downfield or use speed to track the deep pass. The Broncos finished ninth, first, first and fourth in fewest passing yards allowed from 201417.
Through three weeks this season, the Broncos are allowing 61.9 more yards passing per game (up to 262.7) and opposing quarterbacks have completed 69.5 percent of their attempts (up from 59.9) and have posted a 102.2 passer rating (up from 91.9) compared to last year.
A pass defense that used to be feared is now below average. The selftitled “No Fly Zone” has become the “Frequent Fly Zone.”
The defensive backs had a series of playersonly meetings this past week and defensive coordinator Joe Woods also met with the group. Ideas, concerns and suggestions were discussed.
“I do that every week,” Harris said with a laugh. “Hopefully they listen. I think they listen to me.”
Said Woods: “In the meeting, we talked through a lot of different issues. I listen to some things they were concerned about, and I explained to them why I was calling the things that I called. We’re in a good place right now.”
The Broncos’ secondary may feel they’re in a good place, but they may also be facing the wrong team (Kansas City) at the wrong time (Monday night). Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his fleet of weapons will test the defense’s resolve.
The Broncos feel they have the run defense and pass rush to compete in the AFC West. But neither component will mean much if the secondary can’t play better. Let Mahomes play pitchandcatch as Flacco and Oakland’s Derek Carr did the past two weeks and the Broncos’ season will splinter beyond repair.
“We have to play with confidence, and we have to challenge these guys,” coach Vance Joseph said of the Chiefs. “If not, it can get bad quick.”
It kind of already is bad.
Pinpointing breakdowns
How did the Broncos get to this point, where Joseph said opponents have a “blueprint” of how to attack his defense?
Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips departed after 2016, and his decades of knowledge and ingame adjustments can’t be overstated . … Top cornerback Aqib Talib was traded to Phillips’ Los Angeles Rams during the offseason. … Roby, a former firstround pick, was moved from No. 3 to No. 2 on the depth chart and seems worried about getting beat deep instead of trying playing press coverage and then running step for step with the receiver. … Brendan Langley, a thirdround pick in 2017, was cut in camp and is on the practice squad. … Veterans Tramaine Brock and Adam Jones have battled injuries. … Yiadom is a rookie who needs more seasoning.
Three times in the last five years, the Broncos held quarterbacks below 60 percent completions. Just two years ago, passers had a woeful 69.7 rating against the Broncos.
“They just don’t have the same kind of players that are shutdown players at corner that can play as consistently as Aqib could,” said ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, a former NFL defensive back and player personnel executive. “And they’re not playing with as much confidence as they did in the past.”
A sure sign of a confidence shortage is playing too far back in off coverage. Carr threw 32 passes against the Broncos and 27 traveled 9 or fewer yards in the air. The dinkanddunk game kept Oakland ahead until a late Broncos’ rally.
Teams are throwing quickly, but not because they have to. Any quarterback who sees “off” coverage is going to throw in two seconds for the short profit.
Would blitzing six and seven players more often (if the opponent’s personnel allows for it) produce more quick throws into traffic? Do the Broncos need to disguise their coverage looks more often, as Harris has suggested? Should Harris, the team’s best cornerback, stay outside and Roby move inside to see if that can get him going?
Even though the season is three games old, all ideas must be explored, which is why Woods met with the players and the players met with each other.
“We know going into this game that it was going to take extra effort,” safety Justin Simmons said. “We know in the back end a lot of the pressure lays on us and that’s how we like it and that’s how it’s been in the past.”
Woods succeeded a coordinating legend in Phillips and the attention in times of struggle is now focused on him.
“The players were great when Wade was there, but he’s also good at setting them up for success,” Riddick said. “Joe has to continue to help them out and his role will be even greater now because they’re not as strong (personnelwise) as they were in their heyday.”
Passing game on the rise
The Broncos aren’t the only team searching for a pass defense answer.
“I think (offenses) are being aggressive,” Joseph said. “Offensive football, right now, is hard to stop.”
Compared to Weeks 13 of 2017:
• Teams are averaging 20.1 more passing yards per game despite only 7.6 more attempts. Teams have 31 more touchdown passes.
• The league completion percentage is only 1.3 points higher (64.2 vs. 65.5), but seven teams are allowing opposing passers to complete at least 70 percent of their attempts.
• Slightly up are 300yard passing games (from 23 to 25) and touchdown passes of at least 40 yards (from 19 to 24). But there is big uptick in 100yard receiving games — 26 last year and 48 this year.
• Three teams (New Orleans, Kansas City and Tampa Bay) are allowing 335plus passing yards per game, 10 teams (including the Broncos) have an opponent’s passer rating of at least 100.
“I said this before the season — we were going to see an offensive explosion the likes we’ve never seen because of the way the rules are and effect it’s going to have on defensive players and how they attack the game and how they play the game,” Riddick said. “Don’t discount that. Defensive players look very timid now.”
Cornerbacks may be concerned about illegal contact, defensive holding or pass interference penalties. Safeties may be worried about getting penalized for personal fouls on bangbang hits that dislodge the football or deflect it into the air for an interception. It appears most teams have adopted a tacklethecatch mantra. Don’t get beaten deep. Defend the firstdown marker. Tackle soundly after allowing the completion.
Harris has three pass breakups, but Roby has none while allowing 14 completions in 16 targets in man coverage.
While expressing confidence in Woods’ playcalling and the ability of his teammates, Harris has spoken with an honest edge since the postgame locker room last week. A Super Bowl champion and an allpro, he had a right to be semiagitated about how passive the Broncos have played.
“You can’t be scared,” Harris said. “If you’re scared, go to church. You’ve got to be ready to challenge everybody.”