Are the Broncos coaches on their way out already?

It has been a tumultuous five weeks for the Denver Broncos. The losses have piled up. Trevor Siemian lost his starting job to Brock Osweiler. The defense has faded in the face of untenable scenarios. Vance Joseph’s leadership has been called into question.

After the Denver Broncos loss to the New England Patriots, many in Broncos Country have been looking for someone to blame. With Ian St. Clair out for the week, the Mile High Report Radio podcast had Captain Bronco fill in, and we took a shot at which coach is deserving the blame.

The low hanging fruit on this has to be Brock Olivo. The debacle that was Sunday night against the Patriots points to a lack of leadership and accountability. Isaiah McKenzie had one job, catch punts. He couldn’t do it, but he kept running out there to return punts. Dion Lewis returned a kickoff for a touch down. Why would that ever be allowed in Denver. Just blast it out of the back of the end zone. On kickoffs, of which there were plenty, the Broncos just kept running it out, when taking a knee was the right choice.

It was awful to watch, and Olivo certainly deserves every ounce of criticism he has received. The sputtering offense has looked marginally better with Brock Osweiler under center. That is not even close to enough to get Mike McCoy off the hook. The offense is uninspired, and motionless. It seems strange that McCoy was brought in as an offensive guru, but has been unable to put a scheme in place that maximizes the potential of the players on the field.

McCoy coaches an uninspired group, and this lackluster attitude permeates the team. As the offense and special teams continue to put the defense behind the 8-ball, the popular target for fans has become Joe Woods. The longing for Wade Phillips is incredibly nostalgic, but perhaps unwarranted. The defense is currently struggling. Is that scheme, or is it something else? The Denver Broncos struggle to stop tight ends. Is that different from when Wade Phillips was in town, or is that Joe Woods’ fault?

Woods is being blamed for the last two big losses by many on Twitter. The talent is being wasted, but I’m not ready to put this on Woods. The fact is, the run defense is better. That is a product of the addition of Domata Peko, and adjustments made by Woods to help stop the run. The defensive struggles are more a product of the issues on offense and special teams.

The defense is constantly cleaning up messes. When they produce a three and out, and then a muffed punt gives their opponent the ball in the red zone, there are bound to be cracks.

Ultimately, every coach deserves some of the blame, including Woods. The players shoulder the blame as well. And of course, Vance Joseph, the leader of men, has failed to lead. Truthfully, the Broncos troubles are top to bottom. Not one area of the team can be pointed to as a success. That falls on management, coaches, players, everyone.

Heads will roll at the end of the season. Brock Olivo should be gone when it’s all said and done. But wholesale change? I’m not there yet. I could be, though. Let’s see what happens against Cincinnati.