‘Nobody is worried about the Broncos getting the lead’

The biggest problem the Denver Broncos face right now is that the offense is a threat to NO ONE (except possibly its own defense).

Of all the things wrong with the offense, at the core is the fact that no team believes - or plans on - Trevor Siemian marching down the field and putting the ball in the end zone.

And this leaves the Broncos’ defense vulnerable to teams playing it safe - running the ball, throwing short passes, and being completely satisfied with punting because the Broncos’ offense poses zero threat of winning. (pun intended)

“Run the ball, eat the clock, not take any chances in the passing game, don’t turn the ball over, do what you have to do to get the win,” said The Afternoon Drive’s Les Shapiro. “And that’s a problem.”

It’s a problem, Shapiro asserts, because it shows that nobody is worried about the Denver Broncos offense and Trevor Siemian “coming back from a deficit” - which negates to a great extent how much the Broncos defense can truly dominate and control the game.

Coach Vance Joseph hinted at this issue in his comments Monday afternoon:

“When you don’t score points, it’s hard for our defense to cause havoc because everything is being played close to the vest,” Joseph said. “It’s hard for our defense to control a game without having a lead. If we get a lead, this defense will show up big time.”

But the Broncos have to get a lead first in order for the defense to be able to use its aggressive M.O., notes Shapiro.

“And all these teams are showing the Broncos they’re not worried about getting a lead themselves because they don’t believe the Broncos offense is good enough to come back,” Shapiro says. “And what does that tell you? It tells you there is a problem at quarterback more than anything.”

Shapiro states that Siemian needs to be able to lead his offense in spite of the running game, in spite of the offensive line.

“Good-to-great quarterbacks cover up for deficiencies, and good-to-great quarterbacks bring their teams back from a deficit,” Shapiro added. “Opponents aren’t worried about that with the Broncos.”

This is a clear deficiency by the quarterback, and no matter what you choose to blame it on - being young, not getting enough protection, not having a supporting running game, or just not being good enough - the fact is that Siemian is responsible for running the offense and must shoulder some blame for the dysfunction that has been this offense of late.

MHR’s own coach, Shasta, noted in another thread that Mike McCoy can help this situation by drawing up plays that “embrace” the quarterback’s weaknesses:

“Trevor missed some throws yesterday. No sugar-coating it. ...McCoy recognized this, maybe a bit late, and began calling more routes/formations that gave Trevor quick step and throw options—particularly to Devontae Booker/Jamaal Charles and the TEs. This is what you have to do ...and you don’t wait until the 4th Quarter to do it.

It’s time to embrace the weaknesses rather than pretend that they aren’t there. That’s what good teams do, because they all have weaknesses.

The Broncos O-Line is not good in pass protection and marginally good in specific run plays. Don’t punish the big guys for what they have demonstrated they can’t do. Instead attack teams with what they can do.

...A defense wants to load the box to stuff the run and take away the Broncos’ short game? Fine. Spread the D wide with motion and formation shifts included, and create a consistent scrum of crossing/rub routes in the passing game, often with a leak play to the RB out of the backfield.

...The OLine can’t hold their blocks, so don’t ask them to. Get them on the move in both the running and passing game. And in the passing game sprinkle in a steady diet of quick hitters using stack formations, high/low concepts, late motion breaks, and designed throws to the RBs either in the flat behind the scrum or in the middle after "draining the pool."

This is supposed to be one of McCoy’s strengths as an OC, and he needs to start showing it.

It’s either that...or put in a different quarterback soon.

Which one should it be Broncos Country?