The Broncos keep finding ways to win with their defense, and Sunday was no different in Denver’s 30-16 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. What changed this time was that the offense finally gave the team some breathing room, while the defense still did its usual job of tightening the screws and making life miserable for Arizona.
That’s an even sharper feat considering the Broncos did it without cornerback Pat Surtain II and safety Talanoa Hufanga. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph kept the machine humming anyway, and his personnel choices again paid off against the Cardinals.
Sean Payton pointed to the work of Ja’Quan McMillian, who “almost had a couple of [picks] tonight,” according to a piece by Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post. But one of the biggest boosts came from safety Taylor Rapp, who has been elevated from the practice squad twice over the last two weeks and delivered in a major way on Sunday.
Rapp gave the credit back to Joseph. He said the coordinator has “Ph.D.” level knowledge of the game, per Gabriel, and explained that Joseph teaches the defense in a way players can absorb and apply. Rapp also said Joseph’s communication is “second to none.”
Arizona still had one weapon that caused problems. Tight end Trey McBride finished with 10 catches for 111 yards and a touchdown. Outside of that, though, the Broncos took away just about everything else.
The Cardinals managed only one touchdown across five red-zone trips, according to Gabriel, and they were 5-for-17 on third down. Jacoby Brissett was hit 13 times, with defensive tackle Zach Allen repeatedly making himself a problem in the pocket.
The biggest exclamation point came on a goal line stand that turned into a drive backward for Arizona, capped when linebacker Alex Singleton finished his 19-tackle day with a sack.
Surtain could be back as soon as Sunday when the Kansas City Chiefs come to town, and Hufanga is also working to return. Until then, Payton said he’ll be “thankful for the depth,” which has helped keep the Broncos afloat while the offense has battled its own issues.
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Paytons tone after the win mattered as much as the box score, because the Broncos have been navigating a matchup-driven season where confidence can swing quickly from one week to the next. With Kansas City looming, the support from inside the building leaves Nix in a much different spot than a few hours earlier, and it sharpens the attention on how Denvers offense will look when the stakes rise again. [Read more 🡒]