Thread: Tale of two offenses: Why “something isn’t clicking” for the Broncos

The Broncos were clicking and gave every appearance of a team on the rise, but coach Vance Joseph tried to temper the praise.

“It’s only Week 2,” he said at the time. “We don’t want to be overconfident.”

It was mid-September and the Broncos were riding a two-game win streak, thanks to a rediscovered running game, a quarterback who appeared to be coming into his own and an offensive line seemingly better equipped to withstand the pressure. The defense, still fiery, had eliminated its biggest flaw — defending the run — and the special teams found the speed it coveted in the return game.

Still, Joseph urged restraint because the season was young. But it’s unlikely even he could have seen what’s happened. Since their Week 5 bye, the Broncos have appeared a wholly different team, depleted and discombobulated, inefficient and in need of answers after losing consecutive games to the Giants, who were 0-5, and Sunday to the Chargers, who were 2-4.

“We still have some issues all the way around. There is no other way to put it,” linebacker Von Miller said. “You can’t lose two games straight and not have any issues. We have issues that we need to address from the top down.”

The Broncos left for their brief vacation with a 3-1 record. They returned with an offense that has changed at its core.

In their first two games this season the Broncos amassed 66 points and relied heavily on their running game with 75 carries for an average of 159 yards rushing (4.24 per carry) per game. Quarterback Trevor Siemian totaled 60 passes for an average of 225 yards per game, and the offense as a whole converted nearly 57 percent of its third downs and compiled 48 first downs.

In their last two losses, the running game has sputtered and the laundry list of mistakes has grown. The Broncos have run the ball only 36 times for an average of 57.5 yards per game, while Siemian has passed a whopping 89 times. They have committed six turnovers (compared with four in Weeks 1 and 2), and Siemian has been sacked nine times.

rest - http://www.denverpost.com/2017/10/23...-two-offenses/

We're not clicking because we have a grossly incompetent coaching staff. During CJ's presser today he let slip that we did not have time to get a gameplan installed for the week because we were too busy worrying about the o-line...

This coaching staff is in over their heads and I think it's about time for some mid-season shakeups.

*edit* it was Charles presser sorry. He also mentioned that he'd like more carries (I think we'd all like that)

Originally Posted by Freyaka

We're not clicking because we have a grossly incompetent coaching staff. During CJ's presser today he let slip that we did not have time to get a gameplan installed for the week because we were too busy worrying about the o-line...

This coaching staff is in over their heads and I think it's about time for some mid-season shakeups.

*edit* it was Charles presser sorry. He also mentioned that he'd like more carries (I think we'd all like that)

Good grief.

Originally Posted by BroncoJoe

Good grief.

You think this is a wrong assessment? It's really disconcerting to hear a player say "we didn't really prepare a game plan because the coaches were worrying about the line". How do you explain that? Especially when the team in fact looked HIGHLY unprepared and failed to score a single point in the game in question due to the utter lack of preparedness...

I think it's a fair to question someone's job when their job is to ensure the team is prepared and ready for a game and instead doesn't bother to install a game plan for the week. That's not just some minor slip up.

I'd love to hear a detailed explanation of how I'm reading this wrong or an excuse as to why this isn't a big deal.

Originally Posted by Freyaka

You think this is a wrong assessment? It's really disconcerting to hear a player say "we didn't really prepare a game plan because the coaches were worrying about the line". How do you explain that? Especially when the team in fact looked HIGHLY unprepared and failed to score a single point in the game in question due to the utter lack of preparedness...

I think it's a fair to question someone's job when their job is to ensure the team is prepared and ready for a game and instead doesn't bother to install a game plan for the week. That's not just some minor slip up.

I'd love to hear a detailed explanation of how I'm reading this wrong or an excuse as to why this isn't a big deal.

Do you actually believe they didn't install a game plan? I mean, no game plan at all?

Perhaps whatever player you are referring to (since you got it wrong initially, then corrected) wasn't paying attention in meetings and practice. I mean, by his own words, (Charles) said “Some people probably don’t think that I (am), but in my heart, I’m always a Chief.”

Originally Posted by BroncoJoe

Do you actually believe they didn't install a game plan? I mean, no game plan at all?

Perhaps whatever player you are referring to (since you got it wrong initially, then corrected) wasn't paying attention in meetings and practice. I mean, by his own words, (Charles) said “Some people probably don’t think that I (am), but in my heart, I’m always a Chief.”

You watched the same game I did right? The same one where for the first time since 1992 we got shut out. That game? I'm sure they installed something for a gameplan, but i'm sure their genius idea was to just recycle the exact same gameplan we used in week one.

One way or another, they were VERY CLEARLY unprepared, I mean, that shouldn't even be in question. It was glaringly obvious that we were not prepared at all for the Chargers.

And it was Charles, I mistyped originally, mistakes happen. Do you really think that Charles seems like the screw around and not pay attention type of player Joe? It sounds like you are making some halfhearted excuses to try and play this off.

Originally Posted by Freyaka

It sounds like I am making some halfhearted excuses to try and play this off.

FIFY.

O-Line sucks. QB is below (perhaps well below) average. Receivers have been dropping balls. Every single big play seems to be called back because of a penalty.

It's the whole team. The coaches took over a 9-7 team that missed the playoffs. I'm not ready to throw them under the buss yet.

Please post a link to what Charles said.

Originally Posted by Freyaka

You watched the same game I did right? The same one where for the first time since 1992 we got shut out. That game? I'm sure they installed something for a gameplan, but i'm sure their genius idea was to just recycle the exact same gameplan we used in week one.

One way or another, they were VERY CLEARLY unprepared, I mean, that shouldn't even be in question. It was glaringly obvious that we were not prepared at all for the Chargers.

And it was Charles, I mistyped originally, mistakes happen. Do you really think that Charles seems like the screw around and not pay attention type of player Joe? It sounds like you are making some halfhearted excuses to try and play this off.

I think I have to be at least somewhat with you regarding the game plan. They knew going
in that they were coming up against the best pass-rushing duo in the league (and McCain on
the inside isn't bad, either). And the Broncos were throwing up (no pun intended) against
them a make-shift OL that was bad before it was make-shift, an inept TE group, and a still
relatively inexperienced QB.

I'm no coach, but it seems to me that I would have gone heavy on screen passes, draws,
and quick slants over the middle. But maybe I'm wrong . . .

Originally Posted by topscribe

I think I have to be at least somewhat with you regarding the game plan. They knew going
in that they were coming up against the best pass-rushing duo in the league (and McCain on
the inside isn't bad, either). And the Broncos were throwing up (no pun intended) against
them a make-shift OL that was bad before it was make-shift, an inept TE group, and a still
relatively inexperienced QB.

I'm no coach, but it seems to me that I would have gone heavy on screen passes, draws,
and quick slants over the middle. But maybe I'm wrong . . .

This, I would agree with. But to say they, and I quote, "did not have time to get a gameplan installed for the week" is just dumb. Clearly they had a game plan, it just wasn't the right one.

Frey - that was a damn quick delete!

Nice work.

Originally Posted by BroncoJoe

FIFY.

O-Line sucks. QB is below (perhaps well below) average. Receivers have been dropping balls. Every single big play seems to be called back because of a penalty.

It's the whole team. The coaches took over a 9-7 team that missed the playoffs. I'm not ready to throw them under the buss yet.

Please post a link to what Charles said.

It was his presser, it was on the Broncos facebook. I'm at work I can't go get it on the work computer, I watched it on my phone earlier.

Originally Posted by BroncoJoe

Frey - that was a damn quick delete!

Nice work.

It was meant as stupid humor, but you'd have gotten all butt hurt about it.

Originally Posted by Freyaka

It was his presser, it was on the Broncos facebook. I'm at work I can't go do your work right now,

I mean, you posted it. How is it my "work" ? Maybe later I'll post that the sky is yellow, cause you know, I saw it on Facebook. Plus, you clearly had time to read/view it, so how busy are you exactly?

Originally Posted by Freyaka

It was meant as stupid humor, but you'd have gotten all butt hurt about it.

I don't get butt hurt. I think you're confusing me with someone else. I just challenge stupid things that are posted.

It isn't consistent to complain that the QB is missing wide open guys all over the place, etc., AND complain that the coaches are incompetent and had no gameplan.

If they had no gameplan, why are receivers open that are getting missed?

In VJ's remarks yesterday I think, he mentioned for example that on our first 3rd down play, we got exactly the look we expected, and had Derby wide open for a big gain (1st down), but then he fumbled it.

It seems you have to give them the benefit of the doubt of having a gameplan.

Originally Posted by NightTrainLayne

It isn't consistent to complain that the QB is missing wide open guys all over the place, etc., AND complain that the coaches are incompetent and had no gameplan.

If they had no gameplan, why are receivers open that are getting missed?

In VJ's remarks yesterday I think, he mentioned for example that on our first 3rd down play, we got exactly the look we expected, and had Derby wide open for a big gain (1st down), but then he fumbled it.

It seems you have to give them the benefit of the doubt of having a gameplan.

Ok, so Jamaal Charles is a liar then? Disgruntled (I suppose I could see this, give him more freaking carries)