Sean Payton didn't return to coaching in the NFL to give up 70 points. That's just what happened to his Broncos team at the hands of the Dolphins in Week 3. Needless to say, Denver has a lot of improvement to do this week if they want to win their Week 4 matchup against the Bears.
The good news for Payton and his staff is that Justin Fields does not have the talent or weapons at his disposal that Tua Tagovailoa enjoyed last week. The bad news is that the Broncos defense could cut the number of points they gave up last week in half and still surrender 35 against Chicago.
Denver can start to correct last week's mistakes by keeping the ball away from the Bears' struggling offense.
Broncos problems to fix: Get the ground game going
FIelds and the Bears don't boast a high-octane offense but it would still be in Denver's best interest to win the time of possession battle to protect their defense. The best way for Payton's offense to achieve that goal would be to find a way to grind out significant yards on the ground.
Javonte Williams had some limited success against Miami last week, but the game getting out of hand limited him to just 11 carries. Doubling his touches would be a good place for Denver's offense to start.
It's crucial for the Broncos to account for Chicago middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds if they want to succeed on the ground. Williams can make people miss on interior runs, but Edmunds has the tackling ability to snuff that out. If Denver can win up front they have a strong chance of moving the ball against the Bears.
Broncos problems to fix: Denver has to find a way to stop the run
MIami's running back duo of De'Von Achane and Raheem Mostert ran roughshod over the Broncos' defense last week. The pair combined for five rushing touchdowns and three passing scores during the scoring bonanza.
Chicago's two-headed monster of Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson don't possess that kind of big-play ability, but the Bears' coaching staff will try to feed them early and often to see if Denver's defense will repeat their disastrous performance from a week ago.
That makes it crucial for the Broncos to play with more physicality at the point of attack. Chicago will try to give FIelds the chance to test them with a variety of designed quarterback runs. If the Broncos let Fields get to the second level it's going to spell disaster for their hopes of getting a win.
It's no surprise that the Broncos need to improve their defense after giving up 70 points last week. It all starts with defending the run at a reasonable level. They aren't going to go from porous to perfect in the span of a single week, but significant improvement is possible.
Broncos problems to fix: Pressure Justin Fields into mistakes
Tagovailoa had enough time in the pocket to do whatever he wanted against the Broncos defense last week. Putting Justin Fields under more pressure will be a top priority for coordinator Vance Joseph's defense this week.
New acquisitions Randy Gregory and Zach Allen are two Broncos that need to be under a microscope. Neither qualifies as an edge-rushing superstar but both have the talent to produce quality results against Chicago's offensive line. Rookie right tackle Darnell Wright is one player the Broncos should test both mentally and physically during this week's matchup.
Look for Denver to try to slide Allen inside on obvious passing downs to rush the passer from the interior. The team's ability to do that does depend on stopping the run. If the Broncos can't force Chicago into clear passing situations they won't be able to get the best out of Allen.
The other thing the Broncos need to do is have the courage to blitz in a variety of ways. Fields is a quarterback that's prone to mistakes. Bringing some exotic pressure against him could help the Broncos secure vital turnovers in this game. Denver will not leave a single strategy unexplored when it comes to pressuring the quarterback this week.
