An 18-week schedule in the NFL creates a plethora of connection points where the season deviates from its intended path. Aaron Rodgers tearing his Achilles four games into the season, the New England Patriots crashing, CJ Stroud flying out the rookie doors, Frank Reich being fired after 11 games and two rookies leading the entire NFL in passing yardage are great examples of unexpected plot points. However, the Broncos were an M. Night Shyamalan pitch that came to life.
From starting 1-5 to subverting expectations a second time by releasing expensive defensive players Frank Clark and Randy Gregoy before embarking on a five-game winning streak, the NFL writers assigned to Denver have plagued us all with a whiplash. The Mile High City has had more ups and downs this season than a ski lift operator. Bad elevator jokes aside, the Denver Broncos bounced back from a start that would make a grown man cry The tears of Knowshon Moreno. At the start of the season they were strictly first half team who never fully returned after halftime.
The nadir of the Broncos’ depressing start to the season was their 70-20 bombing at the hands of Mike McDaniel and the Dolphins. Denver was criticized for not being prepared and for fielding one of the worst defenses in decades.
But as painful as that experience was, only BountyGate compares to the hits Sean Payton received after Zach Wilson and Nathaniel Hackett turned in an inspiring performance to avenge Payton, referencing the Jets offensive coordinator’s only season at the helm as ‘one of the worst’ coaching jobs he’s ever seen. Even Kevin James should be ashamed of having any association with Payton.
Since then, the Broncos have turned around, transforming themselves into one of the most advantageous defensive first teams in the league while racking up wins. However, the Broncos didn’t tell anything that fit the story we expected from them. These Broncos are not double agents. They are double agents.
Russell Wilson left Seattle intending to become the deus ex machina of an aerial attack that would propel him to the upper echelon of quarterbacks. Russell Wilson’s inaugural experiment of putting him in Hackett’s Aaron Rodgers offense and expecting similar fireworks ultimately revealed its limitations. Wilson’s high release prevents him from hitting balls over the middle, but his line of sight is restricted. Too often he basically lost throwing to the middle of the fieldbut he also didn’t seem willing to put his boots on the ground and come out of the pocket.
DangerRuss emerged as the dominant character last season by becoming an obstacle to his own offensive production. This year, Wilson has looked less like Donovan McNabb of the Chunky Soup era and has declined noticeably. Wilson and Sean Payton haven’t unlocked a top-5 passing attack analogous to the one he deployed with Drew Brees in New Orleans in over a decade. If we’re finally honest with ourselves about Denver, we have to admit that the offensive personnel was never built to be a heavy hitter. Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf are ethereal threats on the field compared to the weapons Wilson and Payton have.
Instead, these Broncos are a middle-of-the-pack unit that doesn’t rely on gadgets and whistles to create plays in pieces. This type of game calling for shenanigans can go wrong in the wrong hands.
For his part, Wilson has a 20-to-4 touchdown interception ratio. More importantly, the Broncos dominate turnover battles. Their plus-13 turnover differential since Week 7 leads the league and their expected points plus turnovers over the past six weeks are almost equivalent to what Dallas and San Francisco totaled as league leaders last season. The running game gets their offense going and Wilson checks and throws. He checks it to allow receivers to gain yardage after the catch, and throws it downfield when the window opens.
Next week’s showdown against the Houston Texans presents Denver’s latest challenge in a subversive season. The defensive turnovers that the Broncos defense has capitalized on are also a fickle faucet that can turn off at any time. Chances are they can’t count on that against Stroud, who has a blowtorch behind the line of scrimmage, lighting up any nearby defense and scoreboard.
The defense was the impetus, but Wilson will eventually have to put together a throwback game that reminds everyone why Denver paid him over $250 million. The winds changed a little slowly for comfort in Denver, but at least they put themselves in position for a furious playoff push.
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