FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Justin Simmons is no stranger to the Denver Broncos. However, Sunday will feel different for the Falcons safety, who spent the first eight years of his career with the Denver Broncos.

Simmons still calls Denver, Colorado, home for his family. This game will be an emotional return, and he'll use the visiting locker room, run out of a different tunnel and stand on the opposite sideline for the first time.

"You see guys all around the league go back to places where they played," Simmons said, "and they embrace the challenge of working through whatever it is, the physical aspect, the emotional aspect of it. So, yeah, I'm really looking forward to it."

Simmons was named a second-team All-Pro player four times and a Pro Bowler twice during his eight seasons with the Broncos, who selected him in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. The Broncos released Simmons in March of this offseason, and he later signed with the Falcons in August as a free agent.

"No bad blood on my end. I have nothing but love," Simmons said of the Broncos. "They'll always be in my heart as a great organization. And then at the same (time), knowing where I am now, really looking forward to going in there and finding a way to win a football game."

The environment will be familiar to Simmons, so too will the Broncos' defensive personnel. Denver's defense is one of the best in the NFL and ranks No. 8 in points allowed (177), they give up 17.7 per game. Their pass rush is one of the strongest in the league, ranking No. 2 in sacks (35) and pressures (105). Both of the Broncos' starting outside linebackers, Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper, rank among the top 15 players in sacks with 7 and 6.5, respectively.

The Broncos have already accounted for more than 83% of their sack production from last season when they had 42 all year. Simmons attributes that jump to another year under defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. Joseph was Simmons' defensive coordinator last season and his head coach in 2017 and 2018.

"Now, Year 2 of it, you see the guys are buying in and they're playing really well — I think that's the biggest difference there," Simmons said. "He's one of the best I've been around. I know I won't be directly competing against that but, as a team, I'm looking forward to playing against him."

Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins is the one who will have to deal directly with the Broncos top-ranked defense.

"You always try to get better at that balance of when should I extend the play, when should I stay in the pocket a tick longer, when should I look downfield longer and then, when do I need to just get the ball out to avoid the critical error," Cousins said. "That's something every game you're studying and you're trying to get better at doing. But with a rush like Denver's, you're certainly aware of your decision-making needing to be decisive and quick."

As focused as Cousins is with the Broncos' defensive front, he's just as mindful of the secondary, which has also been effective. Simmons led the Broncos in interceptions in each of the last seven seasons, but now cornerback Patrick Surtain II is the main ball-hawk. Surtain has recorded three picks, including one for a touchdown, and leads the league in yards after an interception (128).

This isn't anything new for the fourth-year cornerback, who already has the reputation as arguably the best young corner in the game. Simmons watched Surtain get named to back-to-back Pro Bowls and even joined him at the event last season. But, Surtain has taken his game to another level so far in 2024.

"I think the No. 1 thing for him as a player is, he's so patient. He's known for erasing the other team's best player," Simmons said of Surtain. "Whatever that looks like for them and their game plan, Drake (London) or (Darnell) Mooney or whoever he's on, it's gonna be a great matchup."

Simmons will get the chance to see former teammates like Surtain on Sunday, but, more importantly, he's focused on getting a victory while wearing opposing colors.

The Falcons want to get a win for him, too.

"(Raheem Morris) joked around saying, 'they shipped him out of there,'" fellow safety Jessie Bates said. "I'm sure he'll be excited, and I'll be there right next to him trying to get him going and having fun going to get us a win in his so-called hometown."