The Broncos need to turn Drew Lock and the offense loose
Aug 9, 2021, 6:00 AM
In 1998, the Broncos were the best team in the NFL. As the defending Super Bowl champions, Denver started the season 13-0 and cruised to a second-straight title.
Most of the credit for this success was given to the Broncos offense. After all, that’s where the stars of the team resided.
Denver’s roster was stacked with offensive talent. John Elway, Terrell Davis and Shannon Sharpe are all in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Rod Smith and Tom Nalen should be.
And head coach Mike Shanahan was an offensive genius. There was a reason he was dubbed “The Mastermind.”
That season, the Broncos scored 501 points, second in the league. They also produced a 2,000-yard rusher, only the fourth time that had happened in NFL history.
But in reality, Denver was far from one-dimensional. Their defense also did its part. And they did it by playing complimentary football.
Defensive coordinator Greg Robinson turned up the heat. He blitzed from all angles, an approach that resulted in 47 sacks and 39 forced turnovers. The Broncos defense also scored a pair of touchdowns.
It was an aggressive brand of football. The defense was in attack mode at all times.
Robinson was able to play this way because Denver’s offense was so good. He could gamble because the other side of the ball could overcome any blunders his group might make.
If the Broncos got burned for a big play, Elway and Company could answer. They were the ultimate safety net for Robinson’s defense.
They wanted to get the ball back for the high-powered offense as quickly as possible. They wanted to set Elway, Davis and Sharpe up with a short field. So Denver’s defense was turned loose. And the routs were on.
It was a genius approach, one that netted great results. The Broncos played to their strength and won big.
This year’s team will do the same. This time around, however, Denver will play to their defense.
They have a defensive-minded head coach in Vic Fangio and that’s the side of the ball where Denver has spent most of its money. It’s clearly the strength of the team.
That’s why many believe Teddy Bridgwater will win the Broncos quarterback battle. He’s the “safe” option, one that won’t put the defense in a bad position.
This makes sense on the surface. But it’s not good complimentary football.
Instead of playing it safe on offense, the Broncos should take chances. It’s their best formula for big-time success.
Denver has a lot of young talent on offense. Jerry Jeudy and Noah Fant are stars in the making. Courtland Sutton and Melvin Gordon are proven playmakers. And Garett Bolles anchors an underrated offensive line.
Limiting those types of players seems silly. It’s a wasted opportunity.
And it’s also why the mission to turn Drew Lock into a robotic QB is foolish. Trying to get the third-year gunslinger to play game-manager, mistake-free football is throttling back something that could be special.
Instead, the Broncos should turn Lock loose. Let him make plays. Let him maximize all of that talent around him.
Will it backfire at times? Without a doubt. But if Denver’s defense really is a top-five group, they should be able to overcome the mistakes. They should be able to pick up the slack, just like the offense did back in 1998.
And when it works, the Broncos will be tough to beat. If their offense makes plays, their defense will be in a prime spot to dominate. With a lead, Von Miller and Bradley Chubb can go after the quarterback, allowing a talent-laden secondary to pounce.
That’s a formula that can end the Broncos four-year string of losing seasons. That’s a recipe that can end Denver’s five-season streak of missing the playoffs.
The goal isn’t to be mediocre. The mission is to be a contender.
In order to get there, Denver needs to truly play to their strength. That means turning their offense loose, not throttling it back.
It’s a gamble worth taking. Just ask anyone who watched the ’98 Broncos.
