Sean Payton Hoping Broncos’ Secondary Stays True to New ‘Blueprint’
rovided that veteran safety Kareem Jackson can keep his nose clean, the likely absence of Denver Broncos interim starter P.J. Locke can be mitigated. Jackson returned to Broncos HQ this week after a two-game suspension, but at least it didn’t cost his team in the standings.
Locke filled in admirably for Jackson in the Broncos’ starting lineup, perhaps even seamlessly. But Locke exited Week 10’s tilt with an ankle injury and hasn’t participated in either practice this week.
Jackson’s return makes juggling the secondary a little easier for head coach Sean Payton as he prepares for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs’ unique off-schedule skill set.
“We’ll sort through how we’re going implement Kareem in the plan,” Payton said on Tuesday. “Certainly, we view him as a starter, veteran player. He’s smart—he’s extremely smart.”
To start the season, Denver’s coaching staff had high hopes for second-year cornerback Damarri Mathis, but Ja’Quan McMillian has emerged as a ball-hawking starter at the nickel. The Broncos needed improvement on the opposite side of All-Pro Patrick Surtain II, and Fabian Moreau has obliged.
“With Ja’Quan, you’ve got an instinctive guy who just has a nose for the football,” Payton continued. “He knows the defense very well. Smart, instinctive players tend to do smart and instinctive things during the course of games. He’s one of those guys.”
Changes to the Broncos’ secondary lineup have seen a more aggressive group come together, one that’s intent on dealing in the NFL currency of forcing turnovers for an extremely grateful Payton.
“The blueprint in our league—so it’s not our blueprint, but how we coach it, and it’s significant. It’s everything,” Payton said. “It was the difference last night (Monday)—ur defensive takeaways—and honestly, it’ll be the key for us as we move forward these next few weeks. It’s just hard—the margins in our league are so close. Let’s say there are 12 possessions per team, on average. There might be a little more or less. I get a takeaway—that means I have 13 and you have 11. I get one more— I have 14, you have 10. You just start doing the math.”
Generally speaking, Payton’s new-look Broncos are thriving under the leadership of defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. Dispensing with his ostensibly passive approach as a play-caller has facilitated a massive turnaround in the Broncos’ fortunes and that of Joseph himself.
More proof in the pudding arrived on Monday in upstate New York when the Broncos took the ball away from the Buffalo Bills on four occasions and left several Riddell logos on the chests of opposing players.
