Broncos' elite defense has a weakness the Patriots are set up to exploit

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- In the tapestry of good play we've seen from the Denver Broncos' defense this season, opposing offenses have been able to pull at a loose thread. Denver has struggled at times taking away running backs and tight ends in the passing game.

And with the New England Patriots coming to town Sunday for the AFC Championship Game (3 p.m. ET, CBS), it could create a mess for Denver.

"Sometimes we give up too many little dunks down the field," Broncos cornerback Riley Moss said. "... I've said people who want to be the best are hard on themselves in the things you can objectively look at and say, 'That needs improvement.' Sometimes we do so many good, good things, but objectively that does need improvement."

The Broncos led the NFL this season in sacks (68), were third in scoring defense (18.3 points allowed per game), ranked sixth in defensive EPA and held opposing quarterbacks to the third-lowest QBR (49.0). But several opponents have found success by using tight ends and running backs as receivers in a variety of down-and-distance situations. As one opposing personnel executive put it, playcallers have looked to "the one place you're not going to have to deal with [Broncos cornerback Pat] Surtain."

Of the six scrimmage touchdowns the Broncos have surrendered of at least 30 yards, five were scored by tight ends or running backs (including three of four passing scores). Seven of the 14 pass plays that went for at least 30 yards came on throws to running backs and tight ends.

For a defense that surrendered just three 100-yard receiving games -- one of those to a tight end in Washington's Zach Ertz in Week 13 -- and allowed more than 73 rushing yards to one running back in the regular season (Jonathan Taylor's 165 in Week 2), that is a lot of focused impact for opposing offenses.

"Our corners are really good players -- Pat obviously the best in football in my opinion, and Riley is so competitive, he's always close -- so sometimes in the [offenses'] minds, their better matchup is linebackers and safeties," Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said. "Which [offenses] can control leverage, which is smart, but we understand that."

The Buffalo Bills had certainly taken notes. In last weekend's divisional round game, the Bills' James Cook III rushed for 117 yards (24 of those on his first carry of the game). Tight end Dalton Kincaid led the Bills in receiving yards (83) and had one of the team's three receiving touchdowns.

The Patriots also fit the profile of a potential problem for the Broncos. Three of their top six players in catches this season were running backs and tight ends, as tight end Hunter Henry was second on the team in catches (60) and finished the regular season with the most receiving touchdowns (seven). Running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson were fourth and sixth, respectively, in catches.

Joseph -- whose defense has been consistently chronicled in the advanced metrics world as having played the most man-to-man coverage snaps -- has said he prefers to think of what the Broncos do as more "a box and one," with zone concepts woven in that look like man-to-man. He said he had "not called that much pure man" all season. But that puts the Broncos' coverage players in positions where the slightest blip in how they interact with each other, especially in the intermediate area of the field, can allow a big play.

"When we do what we're supposed to do, it's not an issue," Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton said. "We just have to be on the details ... and communicate."

Asked this week if he felt like opposing offenses have tried to target the Broncos' pass defense in specific situations with tight ends and running backs more than they have against other defenses, Joseph was quick to say, "Absolutely." He added that one way the Broncos can counter that is by forcing the tight ends and running backs into pass protection.

"You can cover the back and tight end with certain [pressure] structures -- he can't leave until he blocks first -- so that's my job," Joseph said. "But absolutely ... on third downs, that's the matchup [offenses] want because they get the leverage they want. That's just football ... and we understand that."

The Broncos have minimized the scoring damage from those scenarios down the stretch. After they surrendered touchdown receptions of at least 30 yards to running backs and tight ends three times before Halloween, Travis Kelce had the only touchdown catch (a 21-yard score on Nov. 16) among running backs or tight ends until Kincaid found the end zone last Saturday.

"I feel like we've got blue-collar workers that can see what needs to be done and we do it," Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga said. "Those plays we can't let happen and we know [offenses] might come at us. We just have to make those plays, figure it out and make those plays. This is not the time for us to not be communicating, not making the right checks."