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4 major positives for the Denver Broncos in a lost season

By Sayre Bedinger

Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) celebrates with linebacker Kenny Young (41) and linebacker Bradley Chubb (55) and linebacker Malik Reed (59) after scoring a touchdown on an interception in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) celebrates with linebacker Kenny Young (41) and linebacker Bradley Chubb (55) and linebacker Malik Reed (59) after scoring a touchdown on an interception in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio reacts before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

The Denver Broncos’ 2021 season is going nowhere fast. Even though the 2021 season was a lost year, there are positives that cannot be ignored.

The Denver Broncos‘ 2021 season is lost. A loss against the Chargers has eliminated Denver from 2021 playoff contention, but quite frankly, there are a lot of really positive things to be taken from this 2021 season as a whole.

Even with one final game remaining, we’re going to take a look back as well as somewhat of a look ahead. This Denver Broncos team is going to look substantially different in 2021 but there’s also a lot to build upon.

Changes are coming, but there’s a lot more that can stay than in previous years.

The good that cannot be forgotten about the 2021 season

1. The team has clarity with the coaching staff

Even though the Denver Broncos are 7-9, the talk going into the 2021 season was playoffs or bust for this coaching staff, led by head coach Vic Fangio, right?

Even though George Paton never said that, explicitly, that has been the rumor surrounding Fangio and his staff, and this loss has eliminated the Broncos from postseason contention.

Though the Broncos remained competitive into December for the first time since 2016, it has become abundantly clear that this coaching staff in Denver is bad for the team, bordering on incompetence in some areas.

Starting with offense and special teams, Vic Fangio’s hand-picked staff loaded with veterans of the NFL coaching world has simply not been good enough, starting with Fangio himself as a game manager and extending to offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and special teams coordinator Tom McMahon.

Everyone in Broncos Country would have loved to have seen a big turnaround from the 2020 season for those two coaches, but unfortunately, things have gotten exponentially worse.

Denver’s offense has been historically bad, at least for the franchise’s standards, under Shurmur.

The special teams have been a running joke every single week.

Frankly, this coaching staff has made the team’s decision to eventually move on an easy one for Broncos management. Will George Paton pull the plug? It would be shocking if the Denver Broncos were not among the teams looking for a new head coach for the 2022 season and beyond.

Vic Fangio stood by his coaching staff decisions for two years, and those decisions have hindered the franchise’s ability to win games and be competitive against good teams.

Fangio’s loyalty to bad coaches who are set in their ways has been a major part of his undoing.

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