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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – It seemed all offseason, at least from the perspective of the locker room, the talk surrounding the Denver Broncos defense was more about what they lost that what they kept. It was frustrating for a team that returned their core, a team that returned 11 of their 13 main contributors, a team that returned their leaders.

What many discounted was the ability to “plug-and-play” on a defense built on trust, in a system that’s tried and true. The coaches trust the players to do their job, and the players trust their teammates to do their job. So when talented players such as Todd Davis and Jared Crick are plugged in, they simply have to execute their own assignment, something they are very capable of.

On Wednesday, the head coach of the Denver Broncos next opponent, Marvin Lewis of the Cincinnati Bengals spoke with Denver media and offered his own take on how the personnel changes have affected the defense.”

“Those guys are cloned,” he said of the changes, implying nothing has really changed at all. “They were playing at a high level last year, and they’ve picked up basically where the left off. I don’t see a lot of change.”

“I think they’re very confident, there’s no question about that,” he added of what the defense has taken from last season. “They’re good athletes, they play hard and downhill and they’re fun to watch that way. They’ve done it a little differently now with a little dime (six defense backs) defense in there and using T.J. Ward up in there some in some situations, so that’s the adjustment they’ve made.”

Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton also offered his opinion of how, if at all, the defense has changed.

“We feel like they’re really talented,” he said. “There are a couple of personnel changes, but they core of who they are is still there. They play at a high level. They’re really good.”

“I think the thing that stands out is the pass rush, obviously,” he added. “They’ve done a great job getting to the quarterback. They have eight sacks in two weeks, and you see that stand out. They play tight coverage; they make you make contested catches and throw into tight windows, I think that’s the big thing that they do.”

Much of the “disrespect” that the Broncos felt was being thrown their way all offseason surrounded the fact that many did not believe they could replicate the body of work they put on the field last season. It appears, through two games, that they might do just that.

Other notable quotes from Lewis and Dalton

Lewis on Trevor Siemian

“I think he’s been very, very effective. He’s been efficient with the ball; his timing has been outstanding. His interceptions that he’s had have been kind of the unconventional kind, but otherwise, he’s delivered the football very accurately.”

Lewis on where Von Miller ranks amongst the league’s pass-rushers

Right now he has to be at the top. I think he’s playing exceptional, again. He had a great season a year ago. He’s picked up, in the first two football games of the year, where he’s left off. He’s very good. There are not many like him around.”

Dalton on if the Denver defense is dirty

I wouldn’t use that word. I think they play hard. I think that’s the biggest thing. They’ve had a lot of success.