NFL teams don’t like to show much in preseason games, but Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph believes he’s spotted a tell.
Through two exhibition games, Joseph has noticed a trend in how both the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers attacked on first down against a Broncos team that led the NFL with a franchise-record 68 sacks and finished third in points per game allowed at 18.3 a year ago.
“Lots of (bootlegs), lots of misdirection, outside runs more often than not, max-protection passes, quick game,” Joseph said Tuesday after practice. “Teams don’t want to lose first down, because if they do lose first down, then our rush kind of comes alive. So I think that that game was an example of what is coming in the future.
“In two weeks, we’ve seen that kind of trend that way.”
It’s a pretty simple adjustment. Other NFL teams watched Denver’s pass rush terrorize quarterbacks, so there’s been a commitment — even in the preseason — by the Falcons and Packers to get creative on first down.
The numbers back up the opposition’s concern. Denver allowed a 36.76% success rate on first and second downs last season, , which was the lowest mark in the league.
“I think they’re trying to get 4 yards,” Joseph said when asked what he thinks those teams are thinking. “They don’t want to be in second-and-7 or 8-plus, because thatap obviously a pass rush down. I thought last year we did a great job of basically playing third down twice.
“Third downs is where they practice their protection plans. They might slide to Nick (Bonitto) and chip (Jonathon Cooper). Second downs is where we made our hay, as far as the pass rush. I think teams understand that.”
The Broncos were effective at getting to the quarterback on all downs in 2025. But of Denver’s 12 sacks on second downs, 10 of them came in second-and-7 or longer. The more it looks like a passing down, the more Joseph can get creative with where and how his rushers can attack.
According to , the Broncos were a zone-heavy team in long-distance downs in 2025, but a man-heavy defense in short-to-gain situations. Joseph’s schemes can muddle the data, because his zone defense often comes with man-to-man principles. But, in general, a zone look at the snap can make it more confusing for the opposing quarterback and offensive line to diagnose where the pass-rush threats are coming from.
The Broncos also held opposing offenses to the worst third- and fourth-down success rate last year, per SumerSports, at 35.91%. There was little joy to be found, regardless of what down it was.
But Joseph and his staff have identified how they think opponents are going to try and change that this year. Long-down distances are death against this Broncos pass rush, so find a way to stay out of them and hope everything gets a little easier.
“We watched it over the summer and spring, just getting ready for how teams are going to play us,” Joseph said. “Thatap been a lesson for our guys the first two weeks.”
Attendance
Did not practice
Side field: CB Riley Moss, C Alex Forsyth, LB Drew Sanders
Not present: S Taylor Rapp, T Frank Crum
Limited
RB RJ Harvey and S Tycen Anderson both did some drills and spent part of practice on the side field.
