Denver Broncos Are DOA
Jan 11, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos running back C.J. Anderson (22) is tackled by Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker Erik Walden (93) near the line of scrimmage during the third quarter in the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
The machine with no heart.
That’s been the common theme of the Denver Broncos for three seasons. All with the same crushing, sudden ending.
And it continues yet again with Denver’s 24-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Unprepared.
Terrible game plan.
Lack of heart.
The players have changed. The philosophy has changed. One thing has not.
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The head coach.
No emotion.
No fire.
No heart.
Only two players played with emotion, fire and heart for the Broncos: C.J. Anderson and Omar Bolden. The rest of that team could learn a lot.
Fox’s team lacks the ability to show up in the big moments. What exactly do his teams do during the week before these critical games?
Yet again we heard the same nonsense from Fox after the game. “We probably went to that well too many times. … Hindsight, we probably could have done something different and didn’t.” That says everything about the Broncos right now.
Broncos Country may not like him much, but give it to Bill Belichick: His teams are always prepared, have the game plan that gives them the best chance to win and make adjustments.
Jan 11, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos head coach John Fox on the sidelines during the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts in the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
This has nothing to do with Jack Del Rio and Adam Gase doing interviews over the bye week. The team was off already. No one was at Dove Valley to begin with, and the point of the bye week is to get away from football. Josh McDaniels interviewed as well and it didn’t impact the New England Patriots whatsoever.
This is about the lack of preparation the week before the big games. Again, what exactly does Fox and his coaching staff do? Denver was caught off guard by how loud the Seattle fans were at the Super Bowl. They were caught off guard by a one-dimensional team.
Let’s give credit to the Indianapolis Colts. They are clearly the better team and they showed it by a mile.
They also have the better head coach who got his team ready for the moment. Chuck Pagano had his team prepared, in the best situations to have success and made adjustments needed to win these types of games.
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A lot of people will blame Peyton Manning. Fair. He looked old and injured.
But he also got no help from his offensive line. He got no help from his receivers (how many drops?). He got no help from the game plan. He got no help from the defense. He got no help from the coaches.
Aqib Talib got burned over and over again by T.Y. Hilton and Del Rio still wouldn’t make any adjustments.
As to whether this will be Manning’s last game? It has the same feel as Champ Bailey two years ago against the Baltimore Ravens. What’s next? The team we see next season may look completely different.
The first person to go is Fox followed by his coaching staff.
Of all the things that have changed with the Broncos over the last three seasons, that’s the one constant. Fire Fox and get rid of this coaching staff.
Denver is in desperate need of a coach who has emotion. Who has heart. Who will pump blood into this machine that clearly doesn’t have it when it needs it most.
As to who that is, I have the guys I would love to see but that’s a story for a different time. Whoever it is, John Elway should pay however much money it takes.
After that, the Broncos must make over the offensive line. Manny Ramirez better have played his last game in Denver. The only player you keep right now is Louis Vasquez.
On defense, a new philosophy would do wonders for that unit. There’s a guy who just resigned his post in Pittsburgh who would look mighty awesome calling plays for that Broncos defense with those pass rushers.
I don’t know about the rest of Broncos Country, but I have had enough of seeing this team disappear in the big moments.
I’m sick of seeing this team play with no heart in the big games.
Until the Broncos feel the same way, nothing changes.
Jan 11, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) and offensive coordinator Adam Gase on the sideline during the fourth quarter in the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports