Broncos defense limits missed tackles to five per game since Week 1

The Denver Broncos defense has reduced its missed tackles to an average of five per game over the last six contests, a sharp decline from the 24 whiffs recorded in Week 1. According to Pro-Football-Reference.com, the unit allowed 30 missed tackles from Week 2 through Week 7, a rate that aligns with the team’s performance in the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

Former Broncos linebacker Karl Mecklenburg and cornerback Louis Wright identified three factors behind the early-season struggles: head coach Sean Payton’s arrival, a lack of tackling repetitions during the preseason, and new league protocols limiting full-speed contact. Mecklenburg described the Week 1 performance as "pathetic" and noted that the team’s tackling mechanics required two or three games to readjust.

Wright recalled defensive coordinator Joe Collier’s standard for the Orange Crush era, which capped missed tackles at three per game. "You can do a lot of stuff, but you can’t miss tackles. And three was our limit," Wright said. He attributed the current improvement to the defense’s ability to stop the run and the collective effort of the defensive line and linebackers.

The statistical improvement is visible in recent matchups. The Broncos allowed 120 rushing yards to the Cardinals at the Rams and 123 at the Giants, but held the running attack to 94 yards in the most recent game. Over the five-game stretch from Weeks 2 to 7, the Broncos have allowed 118.8 rushing yards per game while going 5-1.

Kenneth Walker III’s production against Denver illustrates the defense’s adjustment. Walker rushed for 173 yards in Week 1, but his output dropped to 36 yards in Week 7 at Seattle. Mecklenburg observed that Walker is no longer gaining the same amount of extra yards against the Broncos, noting that the Chiefs’ running back is an expert at finding gaps.

Mecklenburg compared the learning curve to a hunter missing clay pigeons before finding their rhythm. He emphasized that tackling is not automatic and requires specific practice, such as strengthening hand grip and taking correct angles. "That’s a learned thing. You have to practice it. You have to work at it," Mecklenburg said.

The Broncos prepare for a rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8. The team is currently 5-2 and has closed the gap with Kansas City, which sits at 5-1. The game is scheduled for Sunday at Empower Field.