Broncos call Week 1 tackling issues 'tough to watch' ahead of pivotal AFC West rematch with Chiefs

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos definitely have a firm grasp on what they need to do better this time around against Kansas City — tackle.

It's that fundamental.

The Broncos had 25 missed tackles, according to Sportradar, in a 31-10 season-opening loss at Arrowhead Stadium, where Kenneth Walker III rushed for 173 yards. Denver's 27.2% missed-tackle rate was the fourth worst among all teams in the past five seasons.

“That game wasn’t close to our standard,” said Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, whose Broncos (5-2) host their AFC West rival on Sunday. “It was embarrassing how we played. It's tough to watch, but you have to go back and watch it to fix the things that happened in that game.”

Joseph's fixable takeaway from that game was improved effort in some areas.

“They played more desperate than we did,” he said of the Chiefs (5-1). “That’s troubling. Week One, big game in division, and the (running) back was really good. That part I realized after watching (the film) 10 times. We missed some tackles, but he made us miss a lot of times, too, so it proves what kind of back Walker is."

Entering Week 8, Walker is second in the NFL with 701 yards on 120 attempts — a 5.8-yard average.

Cornerback Patrick Surtain II attributes some of the tackling issues to it being the opener and the Broncos being “a little rusty.”

“Wasn’t how we wanted to end,” added Surtain, who's been sidelined by an ankle injury he suffered at San Francisco but has been a full participant in practice this week. “But you learn a lot from those type of games, and I think honestly it made us better as a team.”

The Broncos have allowed just 15.7 points over their three-game winning streak.

“In the NFL, you’re going to have ups and downs,” Surtain said. “That’s part of the game. It’s all about how you bounce back. We learned a lot from that (Chiefs) game. It wasn’t an easy film watch, but sometimes we need those lessons, we need those self-criticisms.”

Given their loss at Kansas City, the Broncos realize losing another would make it difficult to retain their AFC West crown.

“There’s so much season left, but it would be easier to win the division if we won this game," Broncos coach Sean Payton said.

Don't think Denver hasn't been brushing up on what Seattle did on Sunday night to slow down the Chiefs. The Seahawks limited Walker to 36 yards rushing in a 20-3 win. The Chiefs were 3 of 11 on third down.

“It was definitely personal for those guys and they played that way,” Joseph said. "It wasn't perfect when you watch the game as far as schematics. It was about effort. It was about being physical and getting the back to the ground, forcing the Chiefs into a game they didn’t want to play.

"That’s part of it, stopping the run and making them one-dimensional. That’s your goal every Sunday.”

Of course, there's Patrick Mahomes to contend with, too. He's thrown for 1,474 yards and nine TDs, along with four interceptions, in his return from a knee injury.

“He has that never-quit mindset,” Surtain said. “You've got to play all four quarters against a guy like that because he’s always ready to make a play.”

Notes: Safety Talanoa Hufanga (ankle) didn't practice Thursday. Receiver Jaylen Waddle (chest), running back RJ Harvey (knee), left tackle Garett Bolles (hip), and defensive lineman Zach Allen (hamstring) were limited.

AP Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow contributed to this report.

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