The Denver Broncos’ defense was an absolute disaster last night against the Chiefs, letting Kenneth Walker rush for a mind-boggling 173 yards, including a 60-yard fourth-down touchdown run. That’s a whopping 7.5 yards per carry, folks. And get this: even a hobbled Patrick Mahomes, rocking a knee brace, managed to scamper for 23 yards, snagging a 15-yard first-quarter touchdown himself.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
This wasn’t just bad, it was historically bad. The biggest reason for Kansas City’s rushing clinic? A jaw-dropping 28 missed tackles by the Broncos’ defense. Yeah, you heard that right, TWENTY-EIGHT. According to Next Gen Stats, that’s the most missed tackles by any defense in a single game since at least 2018. Think about that for a second. That’s more missed tackles than they had in their abysmal 70-point loss to the Dolphins back in 2023. It was truly embarrassing, a pathetic effort from what’s supposedly a top-ranked defense. Those missed tackles also gifted the Chiefs 247 yards after contact, again, the most allowed by any defense since at least 2018. Eight different Broncos defenders each whiffed on multiple tackles throughout the night. It’s a total mess.
Same Old Story, Different Season
Honestly, this isn’t even a new problem for Denver. Their struggles against the run have been a constant headache. We saw it in the AFC Championship Game when the Patriots carved them up for 141 rushing yards. Then in the Divisional Round, the Buffalo Bills gashed them for 183 yards on the ground. And now, in Week 1, with what they called their “run-it-back” defense, the results are just as awful. They gave up a staggering 220 yards on the ground to an Andy Reid-coached Chiefs team. Every single big play Kansas City made was a direct result of shoddy tackling. Mahomes’ touchdown run saw two defenders completely whiff in the backfield. Kenneth Walker wasn’t just running, he was slashing through defenders, shrugging them off with ease. That 60-yard touchdown on fourth down? A direct result of a missed tackle by cornerback Riley Moss. Even Rashee Rice’s touchdown came after two Broncos defenders completely missed, letting him scamper right into the end zone. The lack of effort, the poor tackling, it was glaring all night long.
Where the Blame Falls
If you’re looking for where to point the finger, start with the guys in the middle. Veteran linebacker Alex Singleton and nose tackle DJ Jones, both team captains, are supposed to anchor that defense. But frankly, they just haven’t been good enough, not lately. We saw it in the playoffs, and what did the Broncos do? They re-signed Singleton and raved about how important he was to the team. They even brought back Justin Strnad, and guess what? The run defense results haven’t changed one bit. And DJ Jones? He’s supposed to be a run-stuffing nose tackle, but the Broncos’ run defense is still a glaring weak point. This was the theme in the playoffs last season, and we saw it two years ago against the Bills. It’s not getting better.
This is Week 1, folks, and these early trends are screaming alarm bells for the Broncos. If they can’t shore up their tackling and run defense, especially with their “captains” failing to perform, it’s going to be a long season in Denver. They need to figure this out fast, or opposing teams are just going to keep running all over them.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mile High Report.
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