The disastrous 2022 Denver Broncos

Back in March, I briefly spoke about a trade that the Denver Broncos made with the Seattle Seahawks to acquire quarterback Russell Wilson.  Expectations for the 2022 season were sky high.  But instead of progressing closer to the playoffs and chasing another Super Bowl, the Bronco fans were given one of the worst seasons in Denver Bronco history.  Things have been horrendously bad.  Week after week, the Broncos found a new way to lose.  A few times on Monday mornings, I would go in to work and remark, “Another Monday; another embarrassing Bronco loss.”

On Christmas Day, Denver played the defending Super Bowl champion L.A. Rams.  It’s been a disappointing season for the Rams too (both teams came in at a record of 4-10), but L.A. – behind backup quarterback Baker Mayfield – dismantled the Broncos.  The Rams led 31-6 at halftime.  When the game finally ended it was a 51-14 shellacking. 

After the Broncos showing on Christmas, I knew it was time to begin writing about Denver's train wreck that is the 2022 season.  Then I learned that yesterday, 12/26, Nathaniel Hackett was fired as head coach.  Hackett was a first time head coach, and it showed.  In week 1, down late in the game, rather than try to convert a 4th down, Hackett thought it would be a good idea to just attempt a 64-yard field goal (!) instead.  It didn’t work.  Denver lost the game, and this was just the start of the woes.  But to sum it up, unfortunately for the likeable Hackett, he will go down as perhaps the worst coach in Broncos history.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also bring up the Broncos offense.  For a franchise that is used to putting up lots of points behind John Elway and Peyton Manning, this year’s offensive output has been terrible.  Sports Illustrated.com has an article that presents it well.  Back on December 9, Thomas Hall wrote, “How bad is the Denver Broncos offense?  In a word, abysmal.  It is easily the worst offense in the history of franchise.  The offense is scoring 13.8 points a game, which places it dead last in the six decades that Broncos have been in existence.”

(From https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/news/broncos-offense-worst-team-history)

In conclusion, it’s been difficult to write today’s blog, because it’s been a horrendous year for the Denver Broncos.  They have been a laughingstock.  I once heard a sports commentator sum up an ugly playoff loss by remarking, “This one has been a root canal without Novocaine.”  Apt words for the 2022 Broncos.  Week after week, it was seemingly a new low point.  However, I remain optimistic for the future.  While glaring issues remain, it seemed to me all along that Hackett was the leading culprit.  If nothing else, there is no where else to go now, but upward.  

Kevin