Mile High Monday: “Black Monday” needs to arrive soon for the Broncos

The Denver Broncos have essentially been eliminated from the playoffs, as they fell to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday by a score of 17-13. It was a poor effort from the Broncos offense, but the Broncos defense did enough to keep them in the game. Had they gotten any sort of support from their offense, the Broncos could have easily won this game – and stayed in the playoff mix.

I like when things get fast tracked for next season. I know, the team isn’t officially done but this coaching staff should be done and the sooner they move on the better.

I also like contemplating life and sports when driving around with the top down on my old Jeep TJ! The following is a result of those trips during the week.

Buckle up, let’s take a ride through my thoughts.

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So, When is Black Monday?

The day called “Black Monday” might be sooner this year than it has been in the past because of a new rule that allows for teams to interview head coaching candidates with two weeks left in the regular season. It’s called “Black Monday” because around eight to 10 coaches will get fired in the annual bloodbath which signals changes around the NFL for teams who need to go in a different direction.

The Broncos are one of those teams. This coaching staff, led by head coach Vic Fangio, just isn’t good enough to get the job done. Everything was set up for them this year to succeed, and they have failed to impress. Sure, the Broncos can beat up on bad teams and occasionally take down a good team, but they are not consistent and there’s no need to keep this staff in place for another run in 2022.

Entering this season, Fangio was on the hot seat. With a 3-0 start, some felt perhaps things were going to be different for him this year. Well, now with only two contests remaining we see that even in a year where he’s set up to win his staff cannot win enough games. The thought was that general manager George Paton told Fangio it was “playoffs or bust” this year, and that he wasn’t going to be fired so long as the team was in playoff contention.

Well, that shield is gone as the Broncos have less than one percent chance of making the postseason. The loss to the Raiders has Broncos fans wondering if and when changes will be made.

The early buzz was that there would be no firings in the coaching staff until after the regular season. I wonder if thats true now after loss to LVR. #Broncos @1043TheFan Why wait?

— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) December 26, 2021

Fangio is a good defensive coordinator, but just like guys like Dick LeBeau or Dom Capers before him (and countless others) – he’s not cut out to be a head coach in the NFL. The sooner Paton moves on the better.

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Back Up The Bus

Fangio does a good job of deflecting the blame in his press conferences. The Broncos will lose, but so long as Fangio’s defense looks good he doesn’t seem to care much about the loss. Yes, I’m sure he does care a bit, but it doesn’t seem like it when he throws everyone under the bus when the team ends up in the “L” column.

After the Raiders loss, Fangio was surprisingly ignorant of where the team was at in the playoffs and said it’s all about getting win No. 8. That’s not the only thing, Fangio also blamed the officials for whatever reason before a missed field goal from Brandon McManus. He also downplayed the performance from quarterback Drew Lock.

Instead of pulling the thumb, Fangio once again pointed the finger. This lack of accountability is a fire able offense. It’s the same old song and dance with Fangio. So long as his defense does good enough, and they did make plays against the Raiders, it’s everyone’s fault but his own.

Will Vic Fangio throw everyone under the bus? #Broncos @1043TheFan pic.twitter.com/t53T7jT97e

— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) December 27, 2021

It’s not a surprise that Fangio backed up the bus on the officials, Lock or anyone else but himself. If you need someone to pass the buck, Fangio is your guy. If you need a head coach who relates to his players and understands both sides of the ball – well, you know Fangio is not the answer.

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Mistakes From the Past

Denver had a potential franchise quarterback in Drew Lock, but they mishandled the situation. Instead of getting Lock a mentor after they selected him in the second round, the Broncos famously got Joe Flacco who didn’t want to have anything to do with grooming a young quarterback. Not only was Flacco washed up, he was not the type of leader or locker room presence you wanted a young passer to learn behind.

The Broncos did everything they could not to start Lock as a rookie, but injuries and ineffectiveness thrust him into the lineup for the final five games of the season. Then offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello was tasked with building an offense for Lock, essentially to save his job. Lock went 4-1 as a starter, and Scangarello built a simple but effective offense where they scored around 24 points per game in victories. Yes, Scangarello had to tell Lock where to go with the ball in his headset but that’s beside the point. The offense worked, Lock was building confidence, and the fan base was excited about Lock’s future.

Even though Scangarello did not get along with Fangio (vice versa was true), he saved his job and was not replaced initially by the old school coach. I thought when we got to the post-season press conference, Scangarello’s job was safe. That was not the case. Scangarello was fired only a few days after the season wrapped up, and he was eventually replaced by Pat Shurmur.

The move of hiring Shurmur was the beginning of the end. Lock was then saddled with a bad offensive design in 2020. Coupled with his own immaturity, 2020 was a bad year for Lock and he was one of the worst starters in the league. Then, the Broncos brought in Teddy Bridgewater to compete with Lock in 2021. Bridgewater was the perfect veteran for Lock to learn behind, but this was in Lock’s third year and after a full season where he was the starter. Lock learned a lot from Bridgewater, but it was too late.

Vic Fangios biggest mistake as #Broncos coach was moving on from Rich Scangarello and the Shanahan offense. Like him or not, when you have young QB you build offense around him. Shurmur hire has been awful. @1043TheFan predictably.

— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) December 27, 2021

This coaching staff, and this quarterback situation, has been doomed for some time. It all starts with lack of vision at the top, and the former front office was happy to just not be embarrassed instead of putting their foot down about the guy they drafted to be the franchise. I’m not saying Lock would’ve been a franchise quarterback, but at least we would’ve been certain about his ability and given the team the best chance to win with the offense that has produced big-time numbers in the Mile High City.

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I’ve Got Some Notes

I’m a proud nerd who loves that we get to see so many things from that world come to life on the big screen – or the small screen. The end of 2021 is a big one for nerds like me with a few new shows/movies that become must-see events.

This last week, on HBO Max and in theaters, the latest Matrix movie – “Resurrections” – was released. It was a fun journey back to a world that we thought was done being explored. The movie certainly took a “meta” approach with the message, mainly about the state of sequels and movie making in general. From an industry standpoint, this was an interesting examination. However, from a fan of the franchise perspective that “meta” approach hit differently.

I’m not going to get into spoilers, but “Resurrections” left me wanting more. Not just in a “Matrix 5” type of way, but in terms of the storytelling within this movie. Visually, this movie was stunning, and it does not disappoint. If you’re a big Matrix fan like myself, see this movie in the theater. If you’re a more casual fan, then watching it at home on HBO Max is probably best for you.

No notes. #TheMatrix Resurrections is NOW PLAYING in theaters and on HBO Max. Get tickets: https://t.co/2LthXmktk1 pic.twitter.com/ya2zECx1VJ

— The Matrix Resurrections – 🚫 Spoilers! (@TheMatrixMovie) December 24, 2021

What did you think of “Matrix: Resurrections” and did you see it in a theater or at home? Hit me up on social media and let me know!

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