If the Minnesota Vikings ran the ball the entire game against Denver, the outcome might’ve been different.
The Vikings, who had one of the worst rushing attacks in the league, ran the ball all over Denver’s defense, totaling a season-high 175 yards on the ground. Starting running back Alexander Mattison had 81 yards, while Ty Chandler had 73 yards despite rushing for a combined 87 in 10 games prior to Week 11.
Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has coached his tail off in recent weeks. Denver has gone from allowing 70 points to the Miami Dolphins to forcing 13 turnovers in four games. However, its run defense remains an issue, which doesn’t bode well against Cleveland on Sunday, as the Browns have one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL.
“I’m impressed every year when I watch (the Browns),” head coach Sean Payton said. “They’ve always got a good run game plan. We know that heading into this game.”
Denver showed signs of improvement as a run defense when it held the Kansas City Chiefs to 62 rushing yards in Week 8. But the Broncos have taken a step back since the bye week, allowing 367 rushing yards in two games.
Outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper said the team’s issues stem from players not staying in their gaps and being where they are supposed to be.
Defensive tackle D.J. Jones mentioned that missed tackles and the team’s inability to win one-on-one battles have led to frequent struggles in containing the run.
The Broncos had 15 missed tackles against Minnesota, including six from Jones, according to Pro Football Focus.
“At times, you’re playing a single-safety defense. We should be in a single-gap look,” Payton said. “Our gap integrity wasn’t clean the way it needed to be. When that happens and teams that run the ball hit a gap where you’re not and where you’re supposed to be, you end up with an eight-yard gain instead of a two-yard gain.”
The Browns will not make Denver’s lives any easier. Cleveland’s run game never lost a step after star running back Nick Chubb suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Cleveland is third in the league in rushing yards per game 142.7. The Browns have run the ball on 47.5% of their plays, while 82 rushing attempts have resulted in a first down.
With Chubb sidelined, Cleveland has relied on running backs Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt. Ford has a team-best 563 rushing yards, while Hunt has 264 and six touchdowns on 82 attempts. Joseph praised the Browns’ offensive scheme and how well they run in the gaps.
Payton said Cleveland’s offensive line coach Bill Callahan—whom he worked with in Philadelphia in 1997—has played a significant role in Cleveland’s successful rushing attack. “Wherever (Callahan) has been, they have run the ball well,” Payton said.
It’s impressive that Denver has been able to win the last two games despite a lackluster run defense. Even though the Broncos have been able to turn the ball over at a high rate, they need to find other ways to be successful on defense and it starts with stopping the run.
“As everybody knows, going against the run, it’s not been the best I’ve been part of or the best a lot of us have been part of,” Jones said. “We’ve got to step up.”
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