In the quixotic tradition of the fictional man from La Mancha, the Denver Broncos’ sanguine quest has left them jousting with windmills.
The errant knights certainly need this break to reorganize.
According to footballoutsiders.com, the Broncos still have a mathematical, and historical, chance to make the playoffs. Their odds of being a wild card are 4 percent and winning the AFC West 1.7 percent.
The Broncos can dream the improbable dream.
Dream on.
The Debacle in Denver (the 30-6 loss to the Chiefs on Thursday night) was the Broncos’ most worthless effort at Mile High since the Patriots shellacked them 41-16 Nov. 12, 1917.
They could win four at home against the Browns, the Lions, the Chargers and the Raiders. Maybe the Broncos will steal one on the road, except they play five opponents who own winning records – Colts (4-2), Vikings (5-2), Bills (5-1), Texans (4-3), and the Chiefs (5-2) again on December 15 after Patrick Mahomes likely returns.
However, if the Broncos could prevail in seven or nine, happy days would be here again. It’s happened recently.
Everybody remembers that the Broncos won Super Bow 50 at the end of the 2015 season. They may have forgotten that those dastardly Chiefs and the Texans responded the same year from 2-5 starts to reach the postseason. K.C. and its sunshine band won 10 straight; the Texans finished 9-7 and in first place in the AFC South. The Chiefs blanked the Texans, then fell in New England.
The Broncos haven’t been so fortunate. This is their fifth season (in 60) beginning with five setbacks in seven games. Despite the calamitous 1960s, the franchise’s first futile 2-5 record was 1972. They ended with five victories in 14.
The next, with an *, was the strike-shortened ’82 season. The Broncos lost seven of nine played. John Elway should recall 1994. He was the QB. Yet, the Broncos did recover to win seven of nine (before dropping their last three games). In 1999 the Broncos started the post-Elway span with six losses in the first half of the season and were 6-10 after the second half.
Josh McDaniels, with a 2-6 start in 2010, was on the failure side in 13 of his final 16 as Broncos coach.
Guess what? In the debut season of John Fox (2011), the Broncos seemed doornailed at 2-5, but they would win six in a row with quarterback Tim Tebow. They advanced to the playoffs notwithstanding three consecutive defeats at the conclusion of the regular season. And they won a playoff game.
Miracles occur.
But the Broncos’ dull, drab, and dreary offense and (un)special teams play require a complete transformation from slug to butterfly. Coach Vic Fangio has promised changes before the trip to Indianapolis.
First, he should demote Rich Scangarello as play-caller and Tom McMahon as fake punt-caller. Scangarello has an offense right out of his Wagner (N.Y.) College season as offensive coordinator. McMahon is the same guy who was architect of the most outrageous trick punt play in NFL history four years ago this weekend.
Running backs coach Curtis Modkins has been an offensive coordinator with the Bills and 49ers. Fangio should give him the reins. He may have creative ideas – such as quick-hit screens to Phillip Lindsay. And the way you fix stupid is to elevate assistant special teams coach Chris Gould.
If Ja’Wuan James returns to right tackle against the Colts, the versatile Elijah Wilkinson should be moved to starting left tackle. In ’19 he has been flagged for holding two times, seven fewer than Garett Bolles (who collected four more violations vs. the Chiefs and is on pace for 21). Bolles should be declared inactive next Sunday.
Noah Fant, with the T(E)-Rex arms, is not ready to play in the NFL. He had one catch and three drops Thursday. Jeff Heuerman can’t be worse.
Diontae Spencer should be utilized more often as a wide receiver. He caught 81 passes for 1,007 yards in the Canadian Football League last season. Hello?!?!
Ex-Stanford cornerback Alijah Holder should be promoted from the practice squad.
And the Broncos’ offensive players — particularly Joe Flacco (who deservedly is taking flak, oh!) — must act like they are interested.
What the Broncos see over there, Don Quixote’s buddy Sancho Panza would say, are not giants, but windmills.
This column originated in the Colorado Springs Gazette.
