DENVER – Tight ends and running backs, tight ends and running backs, that’s what you heard about for the last 11 days, and that’s what’s worked against the vaunted Denver Broncos defense.

The Atlanta Falcons and San Diego Chargers handed the Broncos a two-game skid primarily by forcing their linebackers into coverage. Most expected the Houston Texans to come out with a similar attack on Monday Night Football in the Mile High City.

They didn’t. Instead, it appeared the Texans set out to go right at the group known as the “No Fly Zone.”

Why?

“I have no idea,” All-Pro corner Aqib Talib said with a laugh.

“I guess that’s a changeup?” Added linebacker Shane Ray.

“Maybe they thought we would prepare for the same thing everybody else is doing,” Talib threw in. “They was wrong.”

They were wrong, in their game plan and their execution. Quarterback Brock Osweiler gave Houston just 131 yards on 41 passing attempts, leaving the game with a greater yards per carry average (5.6) than yards per pass (3.2). The 3.2 yards per completion was good enough for second-worst all-time in the NFL by a passer who threw the ball more than 40 times.

Houston’s top target, DeAndre Hopkins, brought in just five catches for 36 yards on 12 targets. Just two catches for nine yards on five targets. When covered by Chris Harris Jr.

“Actually, we talked about that. Me and Chris talked about it early,” Talib explained of the Texans apparent plan to attack them. “We said, ‘They’re coming at us, so it’s our game, we’re on the island today.’ We saw what they were trying to do early.”

It was far from successful, as the Texans put just nine points on the board, but safety T.J. Ward defended the game plan.

“If that’s your best position then that’s what you have to work,” he explained. “Their best position is their receivers. Some team’s best position is their tight ends, like San Diego. You have to pick what you want to do. Just because teams have had success with their tight ends and running backs doesn’t mean everybody can have success doing that. You have to have the personnel. If you don’t have the running backs and tight ends, you can’t do running backs and tight ends type of things, you have to throw to your receivers.”

There was just one problem.

“Their receivers were not good enough today, and neither was their quarterback,” Ward added. “Or their [offensive] line, or their whole team.”

Those are the facts. The Denver Broncos were simply the better team in just about every facet of the game on Monday night, and it resulted in a 27-9 blowout.

“We had to welcome Brock back the right way,” safety Darian Stewart concluded. “I thought we did that.”