Vance Joseph kept his job after his Broncos defense had a historically bad performance in Miami last week. Sean Payton was asked the day after the “embarrassing” 70-20 whipping whether he was considering changes to his coaching staff, including defensive coordinator.
“No, and that would not be something that I’d shared on a conference call if that were ever the case,” the Broncos head coach said. “So no, to answer your question.”
On Thursday, Joseph did what he had to do: He pointed the finger at himself for the Broncos allowing 10 touchdowns and 726 yards and missing 24 tackles.
“Well, it obviously wasn’t good,” Joseph said, via Troy Renck of Denver7. “When your unit plays that way, my first thought is that it’s me. I have to do a better job coaching and getting guys ready for the challenge. It was a tough day. As a coach and an experienced coach, when those things happen, it’s always, in my opinion, me first. I will fix it quickly. I have to.”
It will help when star safety Justin Simmons (hip) and outside linebacker Frank Clark (hip) return. Simmons returned to limited work Thursday, while Clark said he hopes to return in Week 5.
It also helps that the Broncos play the Bears on Sunday.
Chicago ranks 31st in points per game (15.7) and has allowed 13 sacks.
“Obviously, that was a tough game to watch just as a competitor but also as a leader trying to find different ways to help and to change the game around,’’ Simmons said. “That’s not the standard that we hold ourselves to. I’m not up here throwing a fit and cussing and showing a bunch of emotions, but it hurt and that was embarrassing to just be a part of and by no means does that fall under the spectrum of one person, though. Coach Joseph, I believe in him. I believe in his staff. I believe in the players that we have in the room, and one game does minimize or maximize what a selective group is made of.”
Joseph and the Broncos get a chance to back that up Sunday.
