If Vance Joseph\u2019s head is spinning, it\u2019s not because he\u2019s one of the NFL\u2019s hottest head coaching candidates. Nope. It\u2019s because he has quarterback Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills crowding his brain.\n<\/p>\n
The job stuff?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been on the back burner,\u201d Joseph said on Wednesday. \u201cFor me, winning is a priority. What happens after that happens. I can\u2019t control that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Win three more games and the Broncos will be Super Bowl champions for the first time in a decade, and the defensive coordinator\u2019s calendar will undoubtedly be stuffed with more job interviews.<\/p>\n
Joseph quickly and quietly dismissed any notions that he\u2019s been distracted by future employment possibilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat you learn in the process is that the (preparation) is overrated,\u201d he said. \u201cMost of all, you realize that winning helps. I\u2019ve been focused the entire time on winning games for the Broncos.\u201d<\/p>\n
In other words, he didn\u2019t spend last week cramming until midnight for job interviews.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s more about a conversation about what they need and what I can bring to the job,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Linebacker\u00a0Justin Strnad said his coach is all Broncos, all the time.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s obviously always a difficult time when you have a bunch of interviews,\u201d Strnad said. \u201cAnd obviously, that\u2019s a huge opportunity for him and stuff like that. But once this week started, I can assure you, he\u2019s got nothing going on with that. It\u2019s all us. All ball. Because we all just want to win. So I think he does a great job of handling both.\u201d<\/p>\n
Joseph steers an aggressive unit that finished the regular season No. 1 in sacks (68) and No. 1 in red zone defense, allowing touchdowns on 42.6% of drives inside the 20-yard line. Opposing QBs posted the third-lowest QBR against Denver (49.2).<\/p>\n
Joseph\u2019s schemes and ability to concoct defensive chemistry are major reasons Denver (14-3) earned the AFC\u2019s top seed, a first-round bye, and a date with the Bills in the divisional playoffs on Saturday at Empower Field at Mile High.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Joseph took time during the bye week for preliminary interviews for head coaching jobs with the Cardinals, Ravens, Raiders, Giants and Titans. The Falcons have also requested an interview, though Joseph is off-limits until Denver\u2019s season is done. The Steelers and Dolphins might also come calling.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s flattering, but it speaks to the entire program,\u201d he said. \u201cAgain, when teams want to hire a coach from a winning program, they want the recipe. It speaks to ownership here, it speaks to the coaches, it speaks to our players. It\u2019s everyone\u2019s reward, so to speak.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, when teams are struggling and need a change, they look towards teams that are winning and how we flipped it here in the last three years. It\u2019s pretty special. So, that secret lies with us \u2026 they want that secret.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not so secret has been Joseph\u2019s ability to focus on the task at hand. Most of all, his calm demeanor has him in a good place \u2014 both in preparing for the Bills and in getting a chance to be a head coach again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the most hidden gem with V.J. is his patience,\u201d defensive line coach Jamar Cain said. \u201cI don\u2019t have patience. And I try to focus on that and try to get better at having patience.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut to see V.J. be so patient and stay calm and be the same person every day, that makes me want to be better. That\u2019s the sign of a true leader to me. There\u2019s times he could blow up, but he stays patient, stays calm, takes a deep, deep breath, talks to the guys and talks us through it.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody always wants to talk about the schematics and what he brings to the table, but (his) patience is crazy. That\u2019s one of those virtues that we all wish we had.\u201d<\/p>\n
Joseph\u2019s first tenure as Broncos head coach did not go well. He replaced Gary Kubiak, who stepped down after the 2016 season for health reasons. Joseph took over a team that had gone 9-7, but was sliding toward disaster.\n<\/p>\n
In 2017, Denver started 3-1 but finished the season 5-11, a record that included a franchise-worst eight-game losing streak. There was scant improvement in 2018 when the Broncos finished 6-10, leading to Joseph\u2019s termination.\n<\/p>\n
But now he\u2019s on the doorstep of a second chance. That\u2019s no surprise to Strnad, who is slated to become a free agent at the end of the season. Might he follow Joseph if he lands another head coaching gig?<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, I\u2019m so thankful for him, and I\u2019ll obviously get the chance to talk to him about that when the season ends,\u201d Strnad said. \u201cBut I really haven\u2019t thought about that stuff. I know, obviously \u2026 things are going to change.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are going to be free agents and things like that. But, I haven\u2019t really taken the time to think about (what happens) if Vance goes somewhere or whatever.\u201d<\/p>\n
If everything works out for Joseph, Denver special teams coach Darren Rizzi said a new team will be getting someone special. Rizzi and Joseph coached together with the Dolphins.<\/p>\n
\u201cVance as a human being is the thing that I would (promote) the most,\u201d said Rizzi, who interviewed for the Giants head coaching job last Saturday.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s a fantastic person and he\u2019s got great character.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just love being around him, and I haven\u2019t even talked about his coaching yet. He\u2019s a players\u2019 coach and they love being around him. He commands respect. I have nothing but superlatives for him. As a human being, Vance Joseph is an A-plus guy.\u201d<\/p>\n