Broncos major changes must start with Pat Shurmur, Teddy Bridgewater

The Denver Broncos need to make some major changes after dropping their fourth straight game, a loss to the beaten-up Cleveland Browns.

The Denver Broncos’ ineptitude has reached new heights.

A loss to the beaten-up Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football was the last straw for just about everybody in Broncos Country. Everybody, that is, except for Broncos head coach Vic Fangio.

Fangio vowed after the team’s fourth-straight loss (all to key AFC opponents) that he wouldn’t be considering any major coaching changes after this abysmal performance.

This means that general manager George Paton is going to need to pull rank.

Broncos major changes must start with Pat Shurmur, Teddy Bridgewater

If Vic Fangio won’t consider making any major changes (he also said he didn’t consider a quarterback change), then George Paton is going to have to do it for him.

The way the offense has performed over the last four weeks is simply unacceptable. The Denver Broncos are not out of playoff contention just yet, but the reality is, they have now dropped four straight games against AFC teams that could wind up being a major problem down the line if the playoffs are on the table and a tie-breaker is the deciding factor.

The offensive ineptitude is infuriating.

It’s not all on Pat Shurmur, but his scheme is simply not working and he has failed to adapt. The Broncos are an offense that needs to zig-zag down the field going east and west instead of north and south in order to put any sort of points on the board.

It feels like without a big break in the form of a penalty or something like that, the Broncos simply cannot make big plays in the passing game. It’s just not in the cards right now for Teddy Bridgewater.

Bridgewater’s inability to push the ball downfield makes the Denver Broncos absolutely hopeless over the long haul of the season. There are still 10 games left, but those 10 games are going to be nothing but painful if the Broncos can’t figure out a way to move the ball.

Bridgewater has become reckless with the football in recent weeks and is no longer playing efficient, effective ball. The Broncos’ offense is painfully inept most of the time, and the two guys most directly responsible for that are Shurmur and Bridgewater.

Shurmur’s play designs are not all bad, but his play calling and game flow are horrendous most of the time.

How is it possible that Javonte Williams, who has been a consistent source of production when called upon for the Broncos this year, has only four carries in a real game?

The inability to feature the running game this year is one thing, but it’s something else that on 33 pass attempts, only two were beyond 10 yards for Bridgewater.

Late in the game, down by 10 and with a chance to get back in it, the Denver Broncos’ offense had no urgency, taking over six minutes off the clock and not running up-tempo when they absolutely needed to.

It was embarrassing and the Cleveland Browns knew that even without their starting QB, their two-headed monster at running back, their starting right tackle, and others that they could still beat the Broncos because Denver’s offense is so inept at this point.

None of the players who are actually good are having their strengths highlighted on a weekly basis. If anything, these players are being stifled by the current coordinator and quarterback.

That simply cannot fly any longer, not with 10 games remaining.

Vic Fangio is going to need to swallow his pride and make a tough decision at two crucial positions on offense or he’s just going to look like a stubborn captain going down with his ship.

Fangio will sleep in the bed he’s made no matter what, and that could be his downfall, ultimately. Fangio doesn’t seem to be willing to make a necessary move (or moves) without some kind of disastrous injury forcing his hand.

We have all seen how long Fangio has stuck with Tom McMahon despite the history there.

It’s unbelievable that anyone would allow this kind of offensive ineptitude to continue with Denver. At least with Drew Lock, there was the excuse of him being a young quarterback. With Bridgewater, that’s not the case.

Fangio has to correct the mistake he made at the beginning of the year by choosing Bridgewater over Lock as the starter.

It may not ultimately matter for the future of the franchise, but for right now, Bridgewater is a pitcher who has been getting rocked in the fourth inning and he needs to be pulled for a relief pitcher.

Fangio, who loves baseball, can’t seem to see that analogy unfolding right before his eyes.

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Since Fangio won’t make these decisions, George Paton might need to pull rank so he can evaluate the roster he has.