Broncos Mailbag: Grading Sean Payton’s team through the first four games of the 2024 season
P.J. Locke shot out of a cannon, and Aaron Rodgers didn’t stand a chance.
Late in the fourth quarter of Denver’s 10-9 win over the New York Jets, the Broncos starting safety stormed into the backfield and sacked the star quarterback on a crucial fourth-and-10.
Pre-snap, the defense showed an all-out blitz. Inside linebackers Cody Barton and Justin Strnad lined up between the guard and center, with Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto at outside linebacker. When the ball was snapped, Barton and Cooper dropped into coverage while Locke came from Rodgers’ blind side and delivered a vicious tackle.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton said Rodgers’ quick release and pre-snap adjustments make him hard to sack. But Denver sacked him five times at MetLife Stadium. It was the first time a team recorded at least five sacks against Rodgers since the Carolina Panthers in 2020.
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Denver’s pass rush has been a work of art, beautifully painted by defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. After an inconsistent effort last season, Joseph has his players locked in to start the 2024 campaign by keeping opponents off-balanced with different pressure looks.
“Not often you fool a guy like Aaron,” Payton said. “I think Vance has done a good job of picking those opportunities and frequently showing (blitz) and getting out into other looks. Certainly, it’s unsettling.”
Through four weeks, the Broncos have one of the best defenses in the league, and the numbers prove it. Denver blitzes more than any team, ranking second in sacks (16), third in pressures (57) and passing yards allowed (146 per game), and sixth in pressure rate (46.3%).
Against the Jets, Denver set the tone from the jump and didn’t let up until the clock hit zero in the fourth quarter. On the first play of the game, the Broncos rushed seven, including Strnad and Barton. Running back Breece Hall had to step in to block Barton, but Strnad snuck into the pocket, undetected by Rodgers to record his first sack of his career.
“It’s always important for us to start fast against all our opponents,” Cooper said. “Make sure we set that tone early for the defense and carry that energy throughout the game.”
It wasn’t the first time Joseph had his inside linebackers shoot through the A-Gap. In Week 3, Tampa Bay faced a fourth-and-3 in the fourth quarter when Singleton and Barton charged at quarterback Baker Mayfield — who attempted to scramble up the middle but was taken down by Bonitto.
The double A-Gap blitz is one of many looks Joseph has utilized early on this season. There are moments when Joseph has sent five-plus at the quarterback or disguised pressure and dropped players into coverage. In the second quarter on Sunday, Strnad dropped back while Barton and Bonitto brought heat from both sides, resulting in a sack by the latter.
The Broncos presented a similar look with 56 seconds left in regulation. It looked like …read more
Source:: The Denver Post – Sports
