Predominantly Orange
FanSided

Denver Broncos: Reasons for and against firing Vance Joseph

By Sayre Bedinger

CARSON, CA - NOVEMBER 18: Head coach Vance Joseph of the Denver Broncos argues with the officials after a last second field goal was called back due to a Los Angeles Chargers timeout at StubHub Center on November 18, 2018 in Carson, California. The Broncos would make a last second field goal to win the game. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA - NOVEMBER 18: Head coach Vance Joseph of the Denver Broncos argues with the officials after a last second field goal was called back due to a Los Angeles Chargers timeout at StubHub Center on November 18, 2018 in Carson, California. The Broncos would make a last second field goal to win the game. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 25: Head coach Vance Joseph of the Denver Broncos works on the sideline during the second quarter of a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on November 25, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 25: Head coach Vance Joseph of the Denver Broncos works on the sideline during the second quarter of a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on November 25, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /

Why Joseph should NOT be fired

Through Joseph’s first two seasons as head coach with the Broncos, the team is 11-18. That being said, the Broncos are almost unbeatable when they have gotten above average play from their quarterback position, which means that among 18 losses, the quarterback play has more than likely been poor.

Let’s list some reasons Joseph should not be fired:

  • Four different starting quarterbacks since the start of 2017
  • Barrage of critical players injured
  • Horrendous 2017 NFL Draft class
  • Unfair expectations due to 2015 team?
  • Improvement from 2017 to 2018
  • Increased and successful usage of young players in 2018
  • Hiring of Tom McMahon as STs coordinator
  • Team’s response after 3-6 start

Undoubtedly, there are more reasons under a microscope the Broncos could give to keep Joseph around as head coach, looking at some individual decisions within specific games. I think at this point, the biggest thing he has going for him is the improvement the team has shown this season combined with John Elway’s own expectations.

What did Elway expect from the team this season? Did he expect them to be able to make the playoffs after picking fifth overall in the NFL Draft?

If Elway’s expectations were playoffs, he has no choice but to fire Joseph. If his expectations were for the team to simply show improvement and get young players involved, then Joseph has done his job and the Broncos are on the right trajectory.

Joseph was also undoubtedly involved in the 2017 NFL Draft, but the lack of impact from that rookie class clearly affected the Broncos’ ability to perform at a reasonably high level in 2017, their second year removed from a Super Bowl appearance.

There are also comparison games happening, and perhaps rightly so. Many Broncos fans are comparing Joseph’s success to the perceived success of Kyle Shanahan because Shanahan was the number one choice to be the head coach of the team according to a large portion of the fan base (including myself).

Especially now that Shanahan has beaten Joseph in a heads-up matchup, fans want to compare the two coaches and the fact that Joseph was over-matched by a team with less talent on its roster.

But have the expectations been unfair from the beginning? Joseph took over a team that was depleted two years removed from its Super Bowl win and needed a complete reset at the quarterback position.

That’s a fair question at this point and it would be fascinating to know what Elway’s expectations were for this season, and how Joseph has measured up to those expectations.

Home/Broncos News