Vance Joseph wasn’t coaching on his terms and Denver’s run defense paid a price.

In his first season back in Denver, the Broncos defensive coordinator thought it was best to do things that were similar to what players did under the previous regime. Joseph’s plan, however, backfired. The Broncos gave up the third-most rushing yards in the league (137.1), the most yards per attempt (5.1) and 56 rushes for 10-plus yards, according to Next Gen Stats.

Their performance against the Dolphins — 726 total yards allowed, including 350 on the ground — left a stain that was hard to wipe away.

In the offseason, Joseph knew a philosophical change was needed. He wanted to steer away from shell coverages and instead encouraged his defensive linemen to play with more aggression. Through eight weeks, that shift has paid off.

Denver has been one of the best run defenses in the NFL, making Sunday’s matchup against the Ravens rushing attack, spearheaded by quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry, highly anticipated.

“I truly think, in this day and age in the NFL, if you’re not playing on your terms, you’re losing,” Joseph told The Denver Post. “Last year, we (weren’t) doing that and it didn’t help our team win.”

The Bronco’s success has been more than just a change in mindset. They added reinforcements in the trenches to fit their new approach. They traded for former Jets defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers during the draft and signed run-stopper Malcolm Roach to a two-year deal. Meanwhile, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto spent the offseason improving as a run defender so he could be more than a pass-rush specialist.

Denver tailored the defense to fit the vision of its leader, and the results have been impressive. Through eight games, the Broncos have given up 106.4 rushing yards per game — seventh-best in the NFL — and four yards per carry.

The Broncos have held opponents under 100 rushing yards four times, with each of those efforts resulting in a victory. They had six games with fewer than 100 rushing yards allowed the entire 2023 season.

“We brought in some guys who play an attacking style, which I think, personally, a lot of top defenses play that way,” Allen told The Post. “It’s been a lot of fun. And when you stop the run, go get opportunities to rush the passer.”

Allen has been one of the league leaders in QB pressures (fifth with 38), but he has played the run well, too. He has 17 run stops, according to Pro Football Focus. Edge rusher Jonathon Cooper and inside linebacker Justin Strnad, who replaced Alex Singleton after his season-ending injury, have also played integral roles with 10 run stops apiece.

Now comes the real test for all of that progress: The Baltimore Ravens.

Over the years, Baltimore has had one of the best rushing attacks. Since 2018, the boys in black and purple finished first in rushing yards three times, and they are on track to do the same this year. Jackson has had a major hand in that, collecting 5,579 rushing yards in seven seasons.

“I don’t think anyone runs the ball as good as those guys because of Lamar,” Joseph said. “It’s like (former Falcons quarterback) Michael Vick back in the day…(those) offenses were always top five in rushing because he added 60 yards.”

Jackson has missed the last two days of practice due to a back/knee injury, but Ravens coach John Harbaugh told reporters in Baltimore that the 2-time MVP was resting on Wednesday. Joseph is planning on Jackson being available. “I think Lamar’s going to play. It’s midseason. Maybe he’s a little beat up. But he’s always answered the bell,” he said.

In the offseason, the Ravens basically added a jetpack to a rocket with the signing of Henry — a four-time Pro Bowler — to a two-year deal. In his ninth season in the NFL, Henry hasn’t lost a step. He has played on an MVP level, rushing for 946 yards and nine scores on 145 carries.

The former Titan has had four games of at least 100 yards rushing. The Broncos, however, have allowed a player to top 100 rushing yards in a game just once: Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker (103 yards) in the season-opener.

“It’s a testament to him,” Roach said of Henry’s longevity. “I’ve seen him train before in Dallas and it was a sight to see. There’s no surprise why he has so much success.”

Joseph said the Ravens have done a solid job executing “The Henry offense,” which is a steady diet of power runs, outside zone and toss plays. The numbers don’t lie: Henry has 77 carries for 632 yards and five touchdowns on outside zone runs, according to Next Gen Stats.

Stopping Henry or Jackson has been problematic over the years. It’s even trickier now that they share the same backfield. Jackson and Henry have a special ability to break loose for explosive runs. Jackson is first in the league with 20 rushing attempts for 10-plus yards. Henry is right behind him with 19.

The Ravens are an even greater challenge whenever they use read-option plays that make both Jackson and Henry a threat to run. The Broncos could assign a “spy” to cover Jackson specifically on each snap. Such a player would have to be able to put pressure on Jackson and not let him get settled in the pocket.

“The key part is having enough scheme to cover that extra gap because of (Jackson),” Joseph said. “So if you don’t have something to take away that extra gap, that’s the problem.”

Against Baltimore’s offense, it might take more than just stacking the box with eight-plus defenders. Numbers have shown that the Ravens have been effective in running against stacked boxes this season. On 79 run plays against stacked boxes, they have totaled 63.4 yards per game, according to Next Gen Stats. Henry has 377 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in those situations.

And if the Broncos put more defenders at the line of scrimmage, they could be vulnerable to giving up explosive plays in the passing game. Jackson is fifth in yards (2,099), second in touchdowns (17) and first in passer rating (115.4). Jackson has done a solid job at spreading the ball around. The Ravens have had nine different players catch a touchdown pass.

“Some (teams) fill the box, but that sets up a lot of opportunities with the passing game when you’re committed to stopping the run,” Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II said. “It allows the play (action) pass, (bootlegs), RPOs (and) all those things that feed off the run to have success in the passing game.”

On Sunday, an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. The Broncos defense has transformed into one of the best in the league, and they look forward to keeping that status against the Ravens.

“They’re the No. 1 ranked offense in the NFL, so it’ll definitely be a great challenge for us to see where (how) we match up against them,” outside linebacker Baron Browning said. “I think we’re all up for the challenge.”

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Originally Published: October 31, 2024 at 7:32 PM MDT

The Denver Broncos are relatively healthy entering Week 9’s tilt vs. the Baltimore Ravens. The Broncos had two players who didn’t practice on Wednesday, while the Ravens had five.

One of those five players was Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is listed with a back/knee injury designation. It would seem to be good news for the Broncos, if the injuries Jackson is nursing are significant enough to cause him to miss practice, but Ravens head coach John Harbaugh’s comments threw a wet blanket on those hopes.

“Rest day,” Harbaugh said on Wednesday. “He’s been playing great. We got a lot of football in front of us here. We got a game, quick game, another big game coming up. So, that was warranted today.”

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Jackson is once again playing at an MVP level and being the savvy veteran that he is, the Ravens know how to manage him when he gets banged up in-season. A rest day here and there during the practice week can make all the difference.

There’s no reason to expect anyone other than Jackson under center for the Ravens on Sunday, so the Broncos will be gearing up to that end. With starting safety P.J. Locke still nursing that thumb injury that cost him Week 8, he didn’t practice on Wednesday, nor did Broncos right tackle Mike McGlinchey, who’s listed with a knee.

Like Jackson, McGlinchey’s inactivity in Wednesday’s practice is probably more about giving him a veteran rest day than it is a glaring injury, although it is a situation to monitor. McGlinchey’s knee ailment caused him to miss four games this season on injured reserve.

The Broncos didn’t specifically list McGlinchey’s absence as a rest day, though. And that is conspicuous, considering that defensive end Zach Allen was listed as limited with a ‘rest’ designation.

We’ll continue to monitor both teams’ practice reports as the game week marches on.

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On October 26th, Meow Wolf Denver hosted the second night of its Halloween Danceportation series, the theme of which was “Emo Nite Halloween Takeover.” Known for blending interactive art installations with surreal storytelling, Meow Wolf’s venue is a labyrinth of strange landscapes, alien cities, and mind-bending rooms — the perfect setting for a costume party that pulls guests into a night of classic emo hits, immersive art, and live music.

READ: Meow Wolf Denver’s Danceportation Featuring J.Worra was a Night of Hidden Magic

As the party began, approaching the building felt like stepping into another dimension. In every direction, people dressed as favorite characters and nostalgic icons — from Shrek and Fiona to obscure pop culture figures — gathered, making it feel like a massive costume-themed festival before you even entered the building. With each step, reality started to bend away, preparing visitors for the world awaiting them inside.

Once inside, it was clear this was no ordinary Halloween party. Everywhere you looked, costumed figures roamed in all directions, and the opening chords of Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” echoed through the main hall. This song would kick off a playlist filled with hits that defined an entire generation and set the tone for the night ahead. Characters on stilts wove through the crowd, interacting with guests, while friends gathered to sing along, laughing and reminiscing over the familiar lyrics. It was surreal but fitting, a sense of nostalgia amplified by the strange, dreamlike surroundings.

One of the early highlights of the evening involved the elevator — but this was no typical ride. Guests were packed shoulder-to-shoulder with figures dressed as both beloved and fearsome characters. As the elevator climbed, the excitement grew, almost like it was transporting everyone to another world. When the doors finally opened, they revealed a fully immersive experience: a gritty, graffiti-covered cityscape filled with interactive games and alien influences. The first sight upon stepping out was a “Rat Battler” arena, where partygoers could face off in a head-to-head showdown controlling their own warrior rats. Fueled by the backdrop of My Chemical Romance, it felt like an edgy, underground competition, the perfect embodiment of the night’s throwback vibe.

Moving beyond this gritty world, guests were drawn deeper into Meow Wolf’s surreal maze, with the angsty emo anthems serving as a siren call. Each room in Meow Wolf has multiple pathways and countless hidden corridors, allowing people to pick their own adventure and discover something new at every turn. For those who followed the sound of music, a spiral walkway led to a stunning area hidden within a giant tree. Emerging into this open room, guests found themselves surrounded by glowing plants and intricately painted walls, with shadowed, alien-like insects crawling along the walls. The surreal environment felt like a dreamscape, perfectly blending eerie Halloween ambiance with emo nostalgia.

Nestled within the forested setting was a DJ stage, where a crowd gathered to shout along to their favorite emo songs. Above them, the venue stretched multiple stories high, with faces peering down from balconies that felt like they had reached the sky. It created a layered, almost otherworldly experience, as if guests wandered through a strange, organic festival within an alien planet. Nearby, friends gathered in cozy, cocooned conversation pits, laughing and taking photos, while others moved between levels, exploring the layered jungle-like room.

Throughout the night, each new corner revealed a different environment, each room its own unique theme and detail. Smaller side rooms held DJs spinning tracks for intimate crowds, and the alien movie theater became a fan favorite. Here, the 2002 Scooby-Doo movie played on a big screen, creating a moment of comfort amidst the night’s high-energy chaos. The dim lighting and quirky atmosphere offered a cozy retreat where people could sit, relax, and relive a childhood favorite before diving back into the party.

Another standout room was the “Glass Church,” an enormous, stained-glass-inspired installation designed to feel like a surreal, cathedral-like dance hall. Here, another DJ took over, creating an ethereal, otherworldly vibe that was mesmerizing and slightly eerie, perfectly fitting the Halloween theme. Each room in Meow Wolf’s labyrinth seemed crafted to resonate with different tastes, and the attention to detail made each environment a visual feast. From cityscapes to alien jungles, there was no shortage of fascinating spaces to wander through and explore.

The night’s music roster was packed with crowd-pleasers. Alongside a lineup of DJs, live performances from bands like Bury Mia, Astral Planes, Caroline Reilly and Thurston provided moments of raw, live energy. The crowd went wild when special guests like Kellin Quinn from Sleeping with Sirens and Forrest Kline from Hellogoodbye created moments of excitement that were all the more amplified by the themed setting. Decadon and High Zombie closed out the evening with “Grave Sets” that served as the night’s final thrill. The music felt like the heartbeat of the night, pulsating throughout the rooms, tying everything together in a festival-like vibe. It was easy to get lost in the art and let the music serve as a soundtrack for the night’s adventure.

The crowd itself was a massive part of the experience. Seeing so many people embrace the immersive atmosphere and come dressed in intricate costumes added an infectious energy to the space. Characters from every genre mingled, laughed and shared drinks, creating a sense of camaraderie that’s hard to find outside such an event. At one point, guests dressed as the “Green Monkeys” from Legends of the Hidden Temple gathered for an emo karaoke session and belted out “Dirty Little Secret” by The All-American Rejects. These spontaneous moments brought the party’s playful energy to life and made it feel like a community gathering as much as a Halloween celebration.

As the night wore on, it became clear that Meow Wolf’s Emo Nite Halloween Takeover was a truly unique experience. Each detail, from the music selection to the intricately designed rooms, created a space where people could lose themselves in the past and present at once. The combination of familiar emo tunes and eerie, surreal surroundings made it a one-of-a-kind Halloween event, perfect for fans of both alternative music and immersive art. For anyone in Denver looking for a Halloween celebration that blends nostalgia, art and otherworldly experiences, Meow Wolf’s Danceportation nights are not to be missed. It’s a place where the strange and familiar meet and where stepping outside reality feels as natural as the music itself.

All photographs courtesy of Zack Hartman