Is offensive coordinator or offensive talent bigger problem for struggling Broncos?
Kiz: Joe Flacco gets hot under the collar about as often as penguins at the South Pole. So when Flacco bashed the conservative play-calling by offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello after Denver’s heartbreaking 15-13 loss at Indianapolis, you know the frustration level in the huddle must have been high. Who — or what — should get the primary blame for an offense averaging a pathetic 15.6 points per game?
O’Halloran: It’s too easy to start with general manager John Elway, whose roster on offense is riddled with holes, or Scangarello, whose first-time NFL playcalling adventures have been rocky. Coach Vic Fangio should not be allowed to skirt blame for the Broncos blowing home leads against Chicago and Jacksonville and Sunday’s loss to Indianapolis. Remember, the offense is scoring challenged, but it drove down the field to lead the Bears with 31 seconds remaining, the Jaguars with 1:32 left and the Colts with 1:48 left. The Broncos’ defense couldn’t hold on. I wonder if Fangio, the career defensive coach who is confident his play-calling will close any game, is telling Scangarello to be too conservative.
Kiz: What we have here is a total system failure. Too many blown draft picks and too much emphasis on West Coast offensive principles that require too much precision for the Broncos’ meager talent to execute consistently have resulted in a huddle that doesn’t trust the play call Flacco relays from Scangarello. I’ve heard it suggested Denver needs to stop changing its OC and QB on a regular basis. No, no, no! What the Broncos need to do is throw out this hot mess of an outdated offensive philosophy and join the 21st century.
O’Halloran: “Total system failure” is one of my favorite sayings. And it applies to the Broncos’ offense. This is a copycat league, and Elway wanted to have an offense that was equal parts old school (Mike) Shanahan and new school (Kyle) Shanahan. That led him to Scangarello, formerly on Kyle’s staff in San Francisco. Nice idea, but the right personnel isn’t on hand (selected by Elway) to make this offense work.
Elway traded for Flacco because he was a veteran quarterback who fit a system that no longer fits a high percentage of QB prospects entering the pro ranks. News flash! The NFL has changed since Elway retired more than 20 years ago, and offenses have evolved since the Broncos won Super Bowl 50. The biggest problem here? Well, the Denver offensive line stinks. But even worse, Elway stubbornly refuses to change with the times.
Everything about this awful season circles back to Elway … and rightly so. He picked the players and was heavily involved in the hiring of Scangarello. So where does the disconnect start? To me, it’s all about the lack of aggressiveness, which Flacco forcefully pointed out after Sunday’s game. At 2-6, even with Brandon Allen in for Flacco (neck injury), Fangio should tell Scangarello during their game-plan meetings this week that things need to be done to create a pulse and maybe, just maybe, exceed 25 points.