Vance Joseph Explains Unique Approach to Game-Planning for Andy Reid
As head coach of the Denver Broncos, Vance Joseph was 0-4 against Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs. Since Joseph has returned as Broncos defensive coordinator, he's 3-3 vs. the Chiefs.
The Broncos' first matchup of the season vs. the Chiefs is coming this Sunday. This time around, the Broncos lead the AFC West at 8-2, while the Chiefs are in third place, at 5-4.
Coming off a bye, Reid has only ever lost four games as a head coach. The Broncos are going to get Kansas City's best shot.
For Joseph, emerging with a fourth win over Reid's squad starts with getting after Patrick Mahomes and limiting the Chiefs' ninth-ranked scoring offense. Suffice it to say, Joseph admires Mahomes' game, but that doesn't mean he's isn't hankering to send the Chiefs home at .500.
“He’s been the best for a long time. He’s a winner. The plays he can make off-schedule. That makes it tough," Joseph said. "Going against Patrick, obviously, how you rush him is important, how you cover is important, but the second part is just keep chasing him and keep plastering the back end because those plays they’ve made over the years, him and [Chiefs TE Travis] Kelce especially, have been hard of defenses."
Keeping Reid Guessing
Adding to Joseph's challenge this week is the expected continued absence of All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II, and the fact that Kansas City has a few newer receivers the Broncos have yet to face. And they're
"It’s a true challenge, and they have these new receivers. It’s a track team," Joseph said. "You have 4.26 [40-yard dash times], 4.30, so that makes it challenging.”
Over the years, Joseph has learned Reid's tendencies and vice versa, but the Chiefs have had two full weeks to prepare for the Broncos. Reid has two games' worth of tape to project what Joseph's coverage units look like without Surtain locking down one side of the field.
Still, Joseph doesn't base everything he does as defensive coordinator on his past experiences vs. Reid. Teams are always evolving, and Reid has been one of the consistent coaches always on that cutting edge.
“I take each game by the month at a time. I’m looking at what I’ve done over the last month, also, and he has to do that also. Teams do change," Joseph said. "Pat hadn’t played in two weeks, so what are we doing without Pat? So that’s Andy’s concern also. It goes both ways. That’s why I don’t go back too much on certain opponents, obviously, because it matters what happened in the last month."
Joseph strives to self-scout and stay hyper-aware of any tendencies he's putting on tape, especially going against a savvy and perceptive opponent like Reid. Fortunately, the Broncos had three extra days this week — a mini-bye — to prepare for the Chiefs.
"I’m checking my numbers all the time as far as what I’m doing on certain downs and distances versus what, and versus what formation and personnels, so I’m keeping Andy kind of guessing also," Joseph said.
Takeaways Will be Key
The Broncos rank first in the NFL in sacks, red-zone efficiency, and third-down defense, and top-10 in total yards, rushing, and passing. Plus, Denver is only allowing 17.3 points per game, which ranks third.
The one fly in the ointment of Joseph's ongoing defensive masterpiece this season is the relative lack of takeaways. The Broncos only have eight takeaways this season, which is the only key metric that ranks in the bottom-10 of the league.
Now, the Broncos' takeaway fortunes have begun to change in recent weeks, but it's not as if the floodgates have opened. If the Broncos are going to vanquish the Chiefs, Joseph's defense will have to limit Mahomes and company, which is hard enough, and if they can take the ball away and give Bo Nix and Sean Payton an extra possession or two, that would be the cherry on top of a fourth straight home win over Kansas City.
“There’s a reason this team has won for a long period of time, and it’s talent, it’s coaching, it’s a program, it’s a GM, it’s ownership," Payton said on Wednesday. "That’s where we’re aspiring to go.”
If the Broncos can defeat the Chiefs, it would make for their eight straight win of the season, giving them a 9-2 record entering their Week 12 bye. This game is more than a measuring stick; the Broncos have a chance to truly seize control of the AFC West, and signal a changing of the guard.
BREAKING: Saints Block Alontae Taylor Trade to Bears as Team Receives ‘Unexpected Offer’ for Cornerback
Alontae Taylor almost got shipped off to the Chicago Bears prior to the deadline
Unbeknownst to fans, a team other than the Indianapolis Colts were close to trading for Alontae Taylor. Dennis Allen and the Chicago Bears were interested in the cornerback, but the trade fell through. Although the compensation would be nice, the New Orleans Saints must be thrilled he’s on their roster after Taylor’s performance against the Carolina Panthers.
Every year, you have reports of deals that almost happened around the trade deadline, and this year was no different. NFL insider Ian Rapoport detailed the fallout of the trade deadline. He noted how Taylor was close to being dealt for the Colts before they traded for Sauce Gardner, which was known, then Rapoport revealed how close Taylor was to moving to the Windy City.
“In fact, sources say the Bears were deep in talks for Taylor before a deal ended up falling through,” Rapoport wrote. He went on to point out Taylor's obvious connection to former Saints head coach turned Bears defensive coordinator. Clearly, Allen was in a mood to reunite, because after this trade fell through, Chicago quickly scooped up C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The results have been better than anyone expected.
The Bears were a great landing spot for Alontae Taylor, but he fits better on the Saints
Taylor has proven to be impactful in Allen's scheme, so there's no doubt Taylor would’ve thrived in a reunion. In addition, the Bears have a clear need in the secondary, so he would see meaningful snaps. Regardless of all this, the Saints are still the perfect team for him. That was evident in his performance in the Saints 17-7 win against the Panthers.
Taylor had six tackles, a tackle for loss, and an interception on Sunday. What makes him so impactful is how he produces in multiple areas. Taylor obviously plays a big role in pass coverage but frequently makes plays as a run defender and a pass rusher.
This makes him the perfect player for Brandon Staley’s defensive scheme. Staley allows Taylor to play all over and maximizes his role by letting him do different things. His role could be completely different in three consecutive snaps. This keeps the quarterback guessing and puts Taylor in his best role to succeed.
The Saints nearly traded Alontae Taylor twice, but in retrospect, it may have been the right move to keep him. He would have thrived in the Bears system, but he’s playing his best football in New Orleans currently.
