Exploring the Depths

If I was being totally honest, I didn't expect the Denver Broncos to be good. I have watched Kyle Orton for three years. I think he is a totally fine, vanilla quarterback. He won't win you any games, and there's a chance he might lose some for you. If you have a great defense and a dynamic running game, he can shepherd your team to the playoffs.

I think the same thing of John Fox. In some ways, it's fitting that he was chosen to helm the disaster that is the Denver Broncos. Many analysts don't understand the fan love of Tim Tebow, arguing he's raw and will make mistakes. I completely agree. He's also exciting, talented, driven, and capable of doing extraordinary things. We saw flashes of that during the last three games of last season. Denver went 1-2 during that stretch, but every game was fun.

Denver is 1-2 so far this season, and none of the games have been fun. They've been excruciating to watch. Even though I really want Tebow to start, I don't blame Orton for all of this, but I do think he's a major symptom of what's become an organizational problem.

Consider today's game. Fox, if nothing else, has helped right the defense. That's quite an accomplishment considering that Elvis Dumervil, Champ Bailey, and D.J. Williams — three of the Broncos' four best defensive players — are injured. With that, they were able to hold Chris Johnson to 21 yards rushing, and kept the Titans in check. Aside from one good drive, and a terrible turnover on Special Teams that led to a field goal, Denver held the Titans in check.

The offense, predictably, came up with a couple plays and mustered a 14-10 lead. Then the defense pinned the Titans deep, forced a fumble, recovered, and set up the offense to lock in a victory. Denver drove down and faced a Fourth and goal at the one, opting to go for it instead of kicking a field goal. In theory I love the call. It's the kind of gutsy call you would want from your coach and you might not expect from John Fox.

Then they ran the play... a draw to Willis McGahee, who can't really run, that was stuffed to force a turn over on downs. The Titans drove 99-yards against the emotionally crushed Broncos to take a 17-14 lead, holding on to win the game by that score.

After the game, Fox defended his decision. "At the end of the day on the road, fourth and not even a full yard, I'd do it again next week," Fox said. "We've got to be able to get that and get that in. Unfortunately, we didn't."

Again, I don't fault the decision, but I question the call. McGahee is washed up. He was washed up before the season. I have seen nothing in seven games — four preseason and three regular season — to change my mind. Today he had 52 yards on 22 carries. 52 yards on 22 carries!!!! He was NOT the best option to get that hard yard. He averaged 2.4 yards per carry, which is pathetic.

But here's the problem, that might have been this Broncos team's best option. I, personally, would have thrown it up to Brandon Lloyd and prayed. But even that's not super appealing. The problem is this is a vanilla team that lacks playmakers. In reality, Denver might have been better served to put Tebow in (a bigger, more dynamic runner) to try and get that yard.

Watching this team is frustrating and depressing. I never feel like anything exciting or dynamic is going to happen and, for the most part, it never does. That sums up the Kyle Orton era in Denver and, for the most part, the Orton era with the Chicago Bears. And that's only getting worse with Fox at the helm.

We live in an era where offense in the NFL is exploding. Cam Newton, the No. 1 draft pick, threw for more than 850 yards during his first two starts. Tom Brady, of the New England Patriots, threw for 517 on Monday Night Football and threw for more than 400 yards the next week.

Orton just isn't that guy. He threw for 195 last week and 173 today. McGahee has rushed for 156 yards on 54 carries in three games. That is not dynamic. That is not ball control. That will not get it done.

I guess my point is I can accept losing, but I can't accept watching a loser. Right now, Denver is doing both. Their losing games, and their fielding a team that's a loser. That's the difference between 1-2 in Denver and 1-2 in Carolina. That's the difference between giving the fans hope by plugging in a raw talent and going with the "professional" veteran choice.

It's gonna be a long season.