ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Unlike last year, when the receiver tandem of Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick received contract extensions, the Broncos will finish their bye week without awarding any big pay days.
The Broncos figure to eventually try to re-sign defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones, who is having a terrific season, and left guard Dalton Risner, a four-year starter (the only two players remaining from the team’s 2019 draft) before they become eligible for unrestricted free agency in March.
But for now, the Broncos reached their bye week with a 3-5 record. There was optimism leading into the break because the offense showed life in rallying to defeat Jacksonville, 21-17 in London last Sunday. Still, the Broncos join the Packers and Bucs as the NFL’s most disappointing teams at the season’s unofficial midterm point.
After trading away star outside linebacker Bradley Chubb last week in exchange for a first-round draft choice and running back Chase Edmonds, Broncos management needs to further evaluate what has gone wrong.
Specifically, the offense. Not much more can be asked of Ejiro Evero and the Denver defense that ranks No. 2 in total yards (288.4) and points (16.5) allowed, although maintaining such proficiency sans Chubb will be a challenge.
As for the Broncos’ offense, though, coaches and players will be under the microscope as the Broncos reconvene Monday to begin preparations for the second half of their season, with a date next Sunday at the Tennessee Titans up next.
Nathaniel Hackett
Even if Hackett wasn’t hired to help lure Aaron Rodgers from Green Bay, the Packers’ offensive coordinator became the Broncos’ head coach choice among 10 candidates interviewed in-person because he was thought to have the best chance to fix Denver’s offense.
Instead, even after trading away a large chunk of the future to acquire star quarterback Russell Wilson, the Broncos’ offense has somehow become worse. It ranks 23rd in total offense (328.9 yards per game) and 31st in scoring (15.1), a tick better than the rookie-quarterbacking Steelers’ 15.0 points per game.
At their current rate, the 2022 Broncos will mark the franchise’s worst offense in 51 years, since averaging 14.5 points in 1971, the year Lou Saban was fired amid his ‘’half-a-loaf’’ comment for accepting a 10-10 tie with the Dolphins. Broncos’ scoring (with league rank) since their record-setting season in 2013:
2022 – 15.1 (31)
2021 -- 19.7 (t-23)
2020 – 20.2 (28)
2019 -- 17.6 (28)
2018 – 20.6 (24)
2017 – 18.1 (27)
2016 – 20.8 (22)
2015 – 22.2 (19)
2014 – 30.1 (2)
2013 – 37.9 (1)
Broncos Country was constantly trying to run previous offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur out of town citing his lack of creativity. Shurmur was Bill Walsh compared to what Broncos fans are seeing from their offense this year that is scoring 25 percent fewer than Shurmur’s offenses in 2020-21.
In recent weeks, Hackett has been asked about the possibility of delegating in-game play calling or shifting responsibilities within his offensive staff. While saying he is constantly evaluating and considering all options, Hackett has yet to make any such changes. Perhaps, touchdown drives of 75, 80 and 98 yards in the Broncos’ previous game against Jacksonville lend reason to hang tight.
Hackett does have proven success as an NFL coordinator – as a play-caller in 2017 with Jacksonville and quarterback Blake Bortles, and non-play-caller from 2019-20121 with Green Bay and Rodgers.
Still, the recent example set by Philadelphia head coach Nick Sirianni is worth examining. Sirianni was a first-time head coach and first-time play caller with the Eagles last year. At one point, the Eagles were 2-5 – as the Broncos were before their London trip.
At some point last season, Sirianni surrendered play-calling to offensive coordinator Shane Steichen. The Eagles finished 9-8 and reached the postseason as a wild card. This year, they are the NFL’s only unbeaten team at 8-0.
Russell Wilson
There are two people who are primarily blamed for the Broncos’ offensive woes. One is Hackett. The other is Wilson.
Wilson is three weeks shy of his 34th birthday and perhaps he’s not quite the same athlete he was seven years ago, when he led the NFL in passing. (See chart). Still, previous to joining the Broncos in March, Wilson was coming off four consecutive seasons in Seattle in which he posted a passer rating of between 103.1 and 110.9 while ranking No. 5, 7, 5 and 3 among NFL passers.
At the halfway point this year, Wilson is having by far his worst statistical season, ranking No. 25 with an 83.2 rating.
He had never thrown fewer than 20 touchdown passes in a season and four times threw for at least 34 scores. He is on pace for 13 touchdown throws this year.
Wilson’s yearly passing rankings (ratings):
2022 – 25th (83.2)
2021 – 5 (103.1)
2020 – 7 (105.1)
2019 – 5 (106.3)
2018 – 3 (110.9)
2017 – 10 (95.4)
2016 – 14 (92.6)
2015 – 1 (110.1)
2014 – 10 (95.9)
2013 – 7 (101.2)
2012 – 4 (100.0)
A top 10 ranking 9 of his first 10 seasons and he’s now 25th? Before putting it all on Hackett, there was the Thursday night, 12-9 overtime loss to Indianapolis where Kurt Warner pointed out numerous examples of Broncos’ receivers running open – most frequently, Jerry Jeudy – but Wilson either didn’t see them or made the wrong read.
There is one encouraging aspect about Wilson's career he has been able to carry over to Denver: An ability to rally from behind late in the game. In the three Broncos' wins they were trailing in the fourth quarter. Wilson led a game-winning, fourth quarter touchdown drive in each.
It could be it’s not Hackett or his system’s fault, and it’s not Wilson’s fault, either. It could be the two just don’t mesh well.
The others
Maybe it wasn’t Vance Joseph or Vic Fangio. Maybe it wasn’t Trevor Siemian, Case Keenum, Joe Flacco, Drew Lock or Teddy Bridgewater.
As the Broncos threaten to post their seventh consecutive losing season and seventh year in a row of averaging less than 21.0 points a game, maybe the problem has been overrating the supporting cast.
To repeat, the Broncos hired an offensive-oriented head coach and acquired a franchise quarterback. Yet the offense is worse than it’s been over the past half-century.
Injuries have been a factor in the offense’s demise, especially the season-ending losses of running back Javonte Williams, left tackle Garett Bolles and receiver Tim Patrick.
And the recent performances of receiver Jerry Jeudy and tight end Greg Dulcich is reason for encouragement going forward. Still, whether it’s red-zone problems early in the season or run-game limitations more recently, the Broncos’ offense has lacked consistency – for going on seven or eight years in a row.
The Broncos were supposed to snap their offensive slump with the additions of Hackett and Wilson. Instead, the offense has dug a deeper rut. Perhaps the bye week, as they say, came at a good time.
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