Cracks Appearing in Broncos' Defense at Wrong Time

With the Denver Broncos poised for a tough stretch run, now is not the time for defensive vulnerabilities. And yet, cracks in the armor are showing.

Aug 25, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos won their 10th straight game by completing the sweep over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. With the win, the Broncos secured the common-opponents tiebreaker over the New England Patriots, which could be a factor in the AFC's sweepstakes for the No. 1 playoff seed.

However, there was a concerning element in the Broncos' win over the Raiders. Cracks in Denver's defensive armor have emerged over the last two games. Thankfully, opponents haven't been able to fully exploit these cracks. 

The Broncos performed statistically against the Raiders, and the players graded out well, but the little lapses the defense is showing should be a concern, considering the teams the Broncos face in this final frame of the season. With the Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, and Los Angeles Chargers left on the docket, all four teams have the pieces to exploit these cracks. 

CB Rotation: Why?

Over the past two games, the Broncos have rotated their cornerbacks to some extent. They have been pulling Riley Moss or Ja’Quan McMillian off the field to give Jahdae Barron and Kris Abrams-Draine extra reps. This decision has clearly caused some chaos within the defense. 

Against the Raiders, in particular, the Broncos' defense had multiple plays with busted coverages. One of them came with a communication error from Abrams-Draine and McMillian.

Playing defensive back is a confidence position, but it is also one of rhythm, especially in communication, and needlessly substituting defensive backs creates issues. There was another communication error between Moss and the safeties in the Raiders' fourth-quarter touchdown.

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Pass Rush Slowing Down

Dec 7, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) is sacked by Denver Broncos defensive tackle Malcolm Roach (97) and defensive end John Franklin-Myers (98) during the first half at Allegiant Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Broncos' pass rush has still been decent, but they haven't dominated games over the past couple of weeks, as they had been throughout most of the season. The Raiders have one of the NFL's worst offensive lines, and the Broncos should have dominated the trenches, but they failed to do so. 

Denver should be thankful that the Raiders' quarterback play was terrible and the Washington Commanders' was inconsistent because it enabled the defense to survive despite the cracks that are beginning to show. This is on Vance Joseph to figure out, and the first step is to stop the rotation with the corners. 

Simulated Pressures: Time For a New Look

From there, Joseph has to find a new simulated-pressure look, as teams have figured out how to attack the Broncos when they show it. It's been the same look with the linebackers mugging the A-gaps.

While this forced Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper into one-on-ones with the tackles, teams have gone to a quick pass that has been there reliably, and the Commanders are the ones to thank for showing the NFL that blueprint. 

Where Are the Takeaways?

From there, the Broncos need to continue cleaning up the penalties to avoid shooting themselves in the foot, but we've been saying that all year. The Broncos have also had their hands on the football a lot, but they only have seven interceptions to show for it. You can live with some of the other issues if you can generate takeaways to compensate for them. 

The docket of quarterbacks and offenses left for the Broncos is an onslaught, as they face the NFL's third-toughest remaining schedule. Now is not the time for the defense to start showing how it can be strategically attacked. The offense has picked up the slack over the last two games, but it still has its own inconsistencies to overcome. 

The Takeaway

The Broncos are in a great position at 11-2, but the next four opponents, with the quality of the offenses and the weapons they have, could be a threat. The Broncos need their defense to be that standout top-three unit that it was for the first 12 weeks.

The Broncos have struggled to close out seasons under Sean Payton, and they can’t let that be the case this year. The AFC is entirely up for grabs, and home-field advantage could be huge when it comes to the playoffs.

That top seed in the AFC is in the Broncos' hands, but they'll likely have to win out in order to secure it.