Spirited Broncos show that there’s reason for hope next season in Denver
Jan 2, 2023, 6:00 AM
This article is brought to you by Mercedes-Benz of Loveland
Another week, another moral victory for the Broncos. But this one feels different.
Sunday’s close loss to the Chiefs isn’t being used as an excuse for a bad head coach. No one is spinning it as a sign that the Broncos are on the right track and just a play or two away from being competitive.
Denver is 4-12. They’re in last place in the AFC West. They’re about to send a top-five draft pick to Seattle.
Having a chance in the fourth quarter to beat Kansas City doesn’t change any of those things. They’ve still lost 15 straight games to their division rival.
But the game did offer a glimmer of hope for next season. It did show that there are some pieces in place for next season.
“We have a lot of talent in that room,” interim head coach Jerry Rosburg said after the game. “These players have been getting ripped. One of you asked me about what I see there. I see a bunch of talented players that need to come together and need to play with fundamentals and need to understand complementary football.”
Russell Wilson showed that he might not be cooked after all. Despite being under duress all day, the much-maligned quarterback threw a touchdown, ran for two more and made some plays to keep drives alive. With Justin Outten calling a game that had some rhythm, it was evident that Wilson can still be effective.
But he wasn’t the only standout. Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy had flashes. Sutton’s acrobatic catch between two defenders was a sign of old times; it was pre-injury Courtland, even if it was called back on a highly questionable offensive pass inference call.
“This is a hard game to officiate,” Rosburg said, being diplomatic. “That does not mean I can’t have my disagreements. (That call) was unfortunate. Highly unfortunate.”
They weren’t the only playmakers to show up. Albert Okwuegbunam shined for the first time all season. The tight led the team in receiving yards and snared a nice 25-yard touchdown down the middle of the defense. It was what many expected out of Albert O in a season that instead went awry.
“I have been in Albert O’s ear all week long because I think he is a highly talented individual,” Rosburg said. “I haven’t seen him much on the field this year. I am just curious as to why because he is a good-looking athlete. You may have seen me in the tight end drills earlier in the week. It was for a reason. He is a big, talented guy, and he needs to play and play well.”
It wasn’t just the offense that had its moments, however. The Broncos defense also made big plays.
Justin Simmons had an interception in the end zone to squelch on Chiefs drive, his sixth pick of the season. Denver forced four three-and-outs against K.C.’s high-powered offense. And they got off the field late, giving Wilson and company one more chance.
It wasn’t a dominant performance. But after last week’s meltdown against the Rams, a game in which the Broncos lost 51-14 and never forced a punt, it was a stark improvement.
But perhaps the most-encouraging takeaway from the game was the spirit with which the Broncos played. It wasn’t that they gave effort; that’s expected from a professional team. It’s that they seemed to play together. They had each other’s backs.
“These players deserve and need to win a football game,” Rosburg said. “We need to close this thing out. We are planting seeds here. We want this thing to grow. As I said the other day with Uncle Walt Whitman ‘Oh captain, my captain!’ I may not see this bloom, but it will be rich at some point in time down the road where these things come to fruition.”
None of this means anything in the standings. It doesn’t take any of the sting out of a brutally disappointing season. But it does provide hope for 2023.
Whoever replaces Hackett as the next permanent head coach of the Broncos at least has something to work with when he walks in the door. Denver isn’t as big of a dumpster fire as their record would appear.
Is that a moral victory? Is that a hollow consolation prize?
Perhaps. But the Broncos weren’t an embarrassment on Sunday. They weren’t a total mess
Coaching matters. Rosburg demonstrated that in Kansas City.
So the right hire can right this ship quicker than some might’ve thought.
***
