Jets' Coaches Explain What Makes Broncos' Defense So Good
Dropping 27 points on the Packers and their elite defense at Lambeau Field was an impressive feat for the Jets, a testament to how much this team's offense has grown in 2022.
They'll need to produce a similar type of performance on Sunday if they want to score some points against the Broncos in Denver.
Entering play in Week 7, Denver has the third-ranked defense in football when it comes to yards allowed in 2022 (290.3). Only the 49ers (255.8) and Bills (281.5) have been better at limiting total yards this season.
The Broncos have been dominant in keeping other teams off the scoreboard as well, allowing just 16.5 points per game, a big reason why all but one of their games thus far has been decided by one possession.
"They’re so precise, so fast, relentless," Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters this week. "It’s as good of a defense as we’ll see all year. I’ll probably say that a couple more times here in a few weeks, but these guys are legit. They’re hard to move the ball on."
Asked what makes Denver so good on that side of the ball, Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said their defense is "loaded."
"They’re loaded both with brains and physical ability," LaFleur explained. "I think you can tell the foundation they’ve had for the last, say going into their fourth year. Yes, they have a new staff, but it’s the foundation of what they’re doing, is still very much the same and then [defensive coordinator] Ejiro [Evero] is coming in, putting his twist, along with his staff.
"They’re fast, they fly around, they’re very smart, they’re never out of position. They’re arguably a top two or three total defense in this league and for good reason. It shows up on tape, they play for each other, it’s going to be an incredible challenge particularly going into that environment, it’s going to be hostile. I don’t feel like our guys blink at all, they haven’t yet, we’ve played in a lot of hostile environments, but it’ll be an incredible challenge for our guys."
This is even more of a challenge for New York when you consider their recent track record against this Broncos club. The Jets were blanked in Denver last season, a 26-0 shellacking as Zach Wilson and company still searched for their first win in 2021. In 2017, Gang Green traveled to face Broncos toward the end of their season and also lost in a shutout (23-0).
We keep saying it, but a win for the Jets would be a statement. Like what they were able to accomplish in Green Bay a week ago, New York can show the rest of the NFL that this team is different in 2022, a well-rounded club driven by a mixture of young talent and proven veterans, meshing to exceed expectations.
MORE:
- Russell Wilson’s Injury Doesn't Make Broncos Game an Easy Win For Jets
- Jets Haven't Forgotten About Last Year's Disaster in Denver
- Jets Host Two-Time Pro Bowl DT For Visit, Could Add Veteran to Stacked D-Line Room
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