Denver Broncos’ miserable season
Jerry Jeudy, a receiver for the Denver Broncos was intent on picking a fight with NFL Network’s Steve Smith before the game on Thursday and then dancing behind him on the sideline.
That might not have been the biggest deal, but it was instructive. It encapsulated the 2023 Broncos.
It’s difficult to like the Denver Broncos. They can’t be watched. Both before and after the game, they appear to have little interest in being a respectable squad.
The Denver Broncos did what they always do and lost the game against the Kansas City Chiefs after Jeudy was distracted by Smith before the game. The Chiefs defeated the Broncos 19-8 despite playing poorly, dropping them to 1-5 on the year. Jeudy had two catches for one yard at the half. For the sixteenth game in a row, the Chiefs defeated the Denver Broncos. Jeudy is most likely somewhere scrolling through social media in search of another opportunity to pick a fight with a legendary Bronco since that is what he has excelled at this season.
Denver residents are growing tired of the Denver Broncos. Why is clear to see?
The Broncos lose to the Chiefs yet again.
The Broncos appear to follow a routine. After disparaging the coaching staff from the previous season, Sean Payton was defeated by Nathaniel Hackett, the head coach at the time who is currently the offensive coordinator for the New York Jets. Jeudy was about to scream at Smith when he showed that everything he had claimed about him was true.
It’s no secret that the Broncos are excellent talkers. Having trouble walking the talk.
Denver didn’t have its worst game of the year on Thursday. In the red zone, the squad made some defensive plays. The Broncos briefly engaged in combat. At halftime, they were still down 13-0.
On Thursday, the offense utterly failed, as opposed to other weeks when the defense has been the major issue. At the half, Russell Wilson had only thrown for 37 yards. Denver had 94 yards at the half, and Travis Kelce, a tight end for the Chiefs, had 109 of his own.
Particularly Wilson had a bad night. In the first half, he threw an interception straight to linebacker Nick Bolton. In the second half, he threw another that was tipped at the line. Wilson didn’t do much on a night when the Denver Broncos’ defense helped the team stay in the game against Patrick Mahomes. He gained 95 yards in total. Wilson hasn’t been all that horrible this season, but his performance on Thursday will only serve to reinforce those who think he’s the issue.
Late in the game, the Broncos started to come back. With 6:07 remaining, Courtland Sutton scored, and Javonte Williams rushed for the two-point convert. After that, Denver was down 16-8. When the game was already over, Mahomes turned serious and put together a drive. Within the two-minute warning, Harrison Butker made his fourth field goal of the contest to increase Kansas City’s lead to 11 points. When running back Samaje Perine of the Denver Broncos fumbled, the game was over.
Had their offensive had a little better night, the Broncos might have managed the upset. That wasn’t meant to be, which is expected of the Broncos this season.
Broncos‘ issues run deep
The Broncos are in poor condition. One of the worst trades in NFL history was the Wilson transaction. And in some strange way, the Payton trade might be even worse. Nothing is being helped by Payton. There were a few strange calls. The Broncos currently have fewer victories than they did at this point in the previous season under Hackett, whose staff was named one of the worst in NFL history by Payton.
The Denver Broncos’ biggest issue is that it appears a lengthy reconstruction is in store. Wilson’s contract and the significant salary-cap hits that would result from releasing him are unaffected by whatever the Broncos decide to do with him. Due to all the draft picks the Broncos forfeited to acquire Wilson and Payton, Denver lacks the youthful, inexpensive depth that serves as the cornerstone of any competent club. There isn’t exactly a winning culture here. Since the 2015 season, Denver hasn’t made the playoffs, and this season, they’ve plummeted to the NFL’s bottom. They won’t be able to escape this for a very long time.
Payton seemed to be looking for scapegoats. Before the deadline, some of them, including Jeudy, might be traded. Although their performance on Thursday was better than it has been generally, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph shouldn’t feel secure. If Wilson performs poorly for the remainder of the season it’s unclear what the Broncos will do with him.
Nothing good can be said about the Denver Broncos as they stand right now. The best news for Denver is that the Nuggets’ season will shortly begin, allowing supporters to permanently tune out the 2023 Broncos.
