Mile High Huddle

Rex Ryan Eviscerates Broncos Defense for Week 3 Outing: 'A Disgrace'

'This is an absolute disaster.'

Zack Kelberman

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To Rex Ryan, Week 3 served as vindication.

Ryan, the former NFL head coach-turned-analyst, interviewed for the Denver Broncos' defensive coordinator position earlier this year. He was bypassed in favor of Vance Joseph, whose unit surrendered 70 points in Sunday's embarrassing loss to the Miami Dolphins — the second-most lopsided defeat in NFL history.

On Monday, Ryan took a(nother) victory lap.

"It's just brutal. I see it as absolutely a disgrace. ... This is an absolute disaster," he said during an appearance on ESPN's Get Up. "Nobody saw this coming. This defense literally was supposed to be a top-five defense in the league — and maybe number one with the right guy running it."

Ryan added: "I'm sitting here like, 'Are you kidding me?' That could have been me there. Maybe they should have ponied up a little bit."

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Top-five? More like bottom-five. After ceding 726 total yards and 10 touchdowns — the first team to give up five passing scores and five rushing scores in the same game — the Broncos' defense now ranks 32nd in total yards and points allowed, 31st against the run, and 28th against the pass.

They can't cover. They can't tackle. They can't get off the field. Jack of no trades, master of none.

"When someone runs the ball up and down the field like those guys did, throw it up and down the field, it's not acceptable," HC Sean Payton admitted in his post-game press availability.

Acceptable enough, apparently. Payton told reporters Monday that Joseph won't be relieved of his duties nor will there be wholesale changes to the defensive staff ahead of their Week 4 contest at Chicago.

"We’ll pick ourselves up here this week and get ready to play next weekend," Payton said.

If Denver's play resembles anything witnessed in South Florida, Ryan (and many others) will continue calling it out for what it is.

A disgrace.

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Zack Kelberman
ZACK KELBERMAN

Zack Kelberman is the Senior Editor for Mile High Huddle. He has covered the NFL for more than a decade and the Denver Broncos since 2016. He's also the co-host of the wildly popular Broncos show the Mile High Huddle Podcast.

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