Broncos Missed Tackles Drop to 30 in Six Games Since Week 1

The Denver Broncos have missed only 30 tackles across their last six games, a sharp decline from the 24 missed in the opening week of the season, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com. The defensive unit under head coach Vance Joseph enters Week 8 with a 5-2 record, having allowed an average of 118.8 rushing yards per game over the past two months.

This week’s schedule features a rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field. The two teams met in Week 1 at Arrowhead Stadium, where the Broncos allowed the Chiefs to rush for 220 yards on 38 carries. Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid led Kansas City to a 31-10 victory in that contest.

Louis Wright, a former Broncos cornerback, described the Week 1 defensive performance as horrible. He noted that the team needed to establish physical contact to set a tone for the rest of the season. Karl Mecklenburg, a former Broncos linebacker, used the word pathetic to describe the early tackling issues, comparing the soft hits to two-hand touch.

Both Wright and Mecklenburg identified three primary factors for the initial struggles. They pointed to head coach Sean Payton’s approach, the reduced volume of full-speed contact in the preseason, and new league protocols designed to enhance player safety. Mecklenburg described the adjustment period as a form of sticker shock that typically requires two or three games for defenders to regain their mechanics.

The statistical trend shows improvement beyond just missed tackles. The Broncos held the Arizona Cardinals to 94 rushing yards last Sunday. This followed games where the team limited the Los Angeles Rams to 120 rushing yards and the New York Giants to 123. These numbers compare to the 173 rushing yards Kenneth Walker III recorded in Week 1.

Walker’s production has decreased as the season has progressed. He rushed for 36 yards in Week 7 against the Seattle Seahawks. Mecklenburg observed that Walker is not gaining extra yards as easily as he did earlier in the year. Wright acknowledged that Walker remains one of the top running backs in the NFL, noting his expertise makes him a difficult target to tackle.

Mecklenburg drew on his 12-year career to explain the physical demands of tackling. He recorded 1,104 solo tackles for the Broncos from 1983 to 1994 and earned six Pro Bowl selections. He compared the skill to hunting, stating that a hunter who does not practice with clay pigeons before the season will miss shots initially. He emphasized that proper angles and leg drive are not automatic for even experienced players.

Wright recalled advice from former defensive coordinator Joe Collier, who set a limit of three missed tackles per game for individual defenders. Wright, who earned five Pro Bowl selections from 1975 to 1986, said that while defenders can execute many other plays effectively, missed tackles were a critical metric to control.

Mecklenburg added that hand strength plays a major role in securing a tackle. He recounted an offseason where he used lifting straps to build raw strength but struggled with grip on the field. After removing the straps the following year, he missed fewer tackles. He described the process as identifying and correcting specific physical weaknesses.

The current Broncos defense appears to have adjusted to these physical requirements. Wright noted that stopping the run is essential for winning games, a task that relies heavily on the defensive line and linebackers. The team’s recent performance suggests they have found a rhythm that limits the damage from opposing rushing attacks.