Losing to the Vikings saved the Broncos from themselves
Nov 18, 2019, 6:11 AM
Another Sunday equaled another heartbreaking loss for the Broncos. This time around, it was against the Vikings, with Denver knocking on the doorstep on the final play of the game in an attempt to pull off the upset at Minnesota.
Of course, the failed pass from Brandon Allen to Noah Fant in the end zone was only part of the anguish. The bigger story was the Broncos squandering a 20-0 halftime lead, a margin that had been good enough for a 99-0 record during the past five years in the NFL, en route to the 27-23 loss.
“It’s just disappointing,” head coach Vic Fangio said after the game, echoing the sentiment felt across Broncos Country after a fourth gut-wrenching defeat of the season sent Denver to 3-7. “They’re one of the best teams in the league. We just didn’t quite get it done.”
It would’ve been a big win, no doubt. As a double-digit underdog on the road, few gave Fangio’s team much of a chance against the Vikings. So coming out of top would’ve been a huge confidence booster.
It also would’ve been a bad thing for Denver.
Losing isn’t good. It’s a rut that every franchise should avoid getting into, as it is extremely difficult to get out of once the habit develops. But sometimes, it’s necessary.
Falling to Minnesota was the only thing that could save the Broncos from themselves.
Had they won, moving to 2-0 with Brandon Allen as the team’s starting quarterback, Fangio and the coaching staff would’ve talked themselves into sticking with the winning formula. Allen would’ve been behind center for the foreseeable future, as Denver chased more wins in a season that ultimately isn’t going anywhere.
Each victory would only serve to hurt the Broncos on draft night, moving them down the board and perhaps out of the top 10. That’s no man’s land, filled with teams not good enough to make the playoffs, but also not poised to select an immediate difference maker.
But the bigger issue would’ve been that it would derail Denver’s plan at quarterback. They still need to see what they have in Drew Lock, so the last five games of the season should be set aside for the rookie. A win against the Vikings would’ve delayed that process, perhaps indefinitely, which would be a mistake.
That’s because Allen isn’t the answer at quarterback. The Broncos need to realize that sooner rather than later, avoiding the same trap they fell into with Trevor Siemian.
At the start of the 2016 season, Denver opened the season with four straight wins, looking like a team poised to defend their Super Bowl 50 title. And plenty of people were ready to anoint Siemian as the heir apparent to Peyton Manning. Some even suggested the young quarterback should be signed to a new contract before his price skyrocketed.
Everyone knows how that story turned out. The Broncos went on to lose seven of their last 12 games, finishing 9-7 and missing the playoffs. The next season, they went 5-11 and a quarterback change was on the horizon.
Ultimately, Denver discovered that Siemian wasn’t someone that could win on a weekly basis. Once teams had some film of him, they exploited his weaknesses. And he didn’t have enough talent to counterpunch.
The same will be the case for Allen. Yes, he looked decent against the Browns and the Vikings, but that was simply a mirage.
Allen is the best Broncos quarterback since Manning, but that’s kind of like being the best Nickelback album or classiest Kardashian. It doesn’t really mean much given the competition.
The reality is that Allen isn’t a franchise quarterback. He doesn’t have the skillset necessary to thrive for 10-plus years at the most-demanding position in sports.
Given how bad the Broncos have been a quarterback in recent years, however, they might not have realized that right away. A couple of wins, including a big one on the road, could’ve easily clouded their judgment.
Allen will make a fine backup, able to keep a game or season on the rails in the short term, which is what Denver should try to develop him into. But he’s not the future.
Yes, the Broncos offense has been more exciting with Allen at the helm. But that’s mostly an indictment of Joe Flacco, an acquisition that looks like a bigger mistake with each passing week.
Denver has been better of late because they’re playing a quarterback who isn’t a statue. Allen can escape pressure and make plays on the run. That’s helped the offensive line look much better and allowed the team’s young skill-position players to flourish.
The Broncos have an exciting young core with Courtland Sutton, Phillip Lindsay and Noah Fant. That’s a trio that should make them tough to defend for years to come. They just need to find the right guy to pull the trigger.
It’s not Flacco. It’s not Allen.
It might be Lock. That’s an answer that has to be determined between now and New Year’s Day.
If not, the Broncos have to draft a big-time prospect and hope he turns into a star. The search for an answer must be ongoing, without wasting time on pipe dreams and feel-good stories.
Continually trying to win with journeyman QBs is exhausting. As painful as it might be to hear, Brandon Allen falls into that category. He’s no different than Siemian or Keenum.
Thankfully, Denver might’ve avoided going down that path again. Losing in Minnesota hopefully helped the Broncos avoid talking themselves into another mistake at QB.
