The Broncos were banking on their defense reaching unparalleled levels this season. It has been good in recent years. This time, they insisted, it could be the talk of the league.
When high hopes meet futility, like it did for the defense in the opener at Miami, heads roll. Tongues wag. Doubt creeps. Criticism swells.
We know the offense fizzled and the special teams sagged at Miami. The Broncos enter against the Chargers today with both elements paramount priorities.
It is the Denver defense, however, that is neediest of a strong showing that builds success for today and the future.
Because there are cracks in unity and understanding between the defensive players and their coordinator, Larry Coyer, that could prove disastrous.
There is a pervasive feeling in the locker room that Coyer is too much of a dictator. Too stuck and stubborn in running his complicated defense instead of tailoring it more to his talent. That he does not know what to do with the talent. That his play-calling too often is suspect. That he is too college-bent. That he too easily disrespects his assistants in front of the players.
They did not like the fact that Coyer kept calling fire-zone blitzes at Miami when the defense was tired and overworked in part because of the Denver offense’s struggles. They did not like it when safety Sam Brandon was forced to play cornerback because of injuries at the position, and Coyer called his pass defense as if none of the parts had changed.
It is about exploiting matchups in the NFL, the players insist, not about doing what you do.
It is simply not a healthy environment with him, “not a healthy deal,” one player explained, and there is too little positive reinforcement compared with raw criticism.
Several Broncos defensive players spoke about this earlier in the week but few wanted to be quoted. Their fear is since coach Mike Shanahan hired Coyer, Coyer is a reflection of Shanahan. None wanted to burn bridges with Shanahan.
“Some do, some don’t, and the ones that don’t sure aren’t going to say it – yet,” cornerback Lenny Walls said. “‘Why did he call this or that’ is a topic of conversation. I think guys are frustrated because we have a lot of talent on defense.”
Defensive lineman Marco Coleman added: “Guys want to do one thing, he wants to do another thing. There is still some getting-to-know-you going on and there is some whispering behind his back that happens with most coaches. He has a vision. I’ve played for nine different coordinators in my career and there are 1,001 ways to slice an apple. But when stuff rolls from losing, it rolls downhill, and it starts with the coach and then the coordinators and goes right to the players.”
Thus, defensive success today against the Chargers builds a dam and gives this group time to connect. Failure, especially absolute failure, could lead to an avalanche of ill will.
Coyer, 62, is in his third season as Denver’s defensive coordinator. When viewing his results – consecutive No. 4 total defensive rankings and easily fewer than 20 points allowed per game in his past two seasons – the numbers say he has orchestrated defenses better than most NFL coordinators.
He has a batch of new players, especially free agents and rookies, that makes this defensive edition of the Broncos no easy task to jell.
I asked him if he was aware of communication problems or other issues between him and his defensive players. He said no.
“Getting them to understand what we are asking is a process, and it will be an ongoing process,” Coyer said. “We are still seeing what players can and cannot do and changing our thinking of what we ask. I am accountable to the players. I am accountable to Coach Shanahan. My job comes down to that. Every week Coach Shanahan might have questions about what we were doing in the last game. You’d better have answers.”
He was asked if Shanahan had questions after Miami.
“A couple,” he responded.
Denver’s defensive players have a high regard for themselves. They consider their talent elite in the league yet allowed the most yards (426) of any team from the NFL’s opening weekend.
Sometimes players seek scapegoats. Sometimes they are squarely on the mark.
The proof will be against the Chargers today, one of the league’s more multifaceted offenses. Watch the crispness of the Broncos’ tackling. That will tell you plenty.
Losing reveals all warts. Losing takes what may be a bumpy situation between Coyer and his defenders and turns it into a calamity.
Coyer wants his defense to be fanatical, to use its speed to overcome mistakes, to play fast and tough with stamina, to be relaxed and not think as much as it simply plays.
The good thing is the Broncos’ defensive players want exactly the same things.
Will both parties get it?
Staff writer Thomas George can be reached at 303-820-1994 or tgeorge@denverpost.com.
