Broncos Are Once Again in the Throes of an Identity Crisis

The Denver Broncos are floundering at 2-2.

Through four weeks of the season, the Denver Broncos are yet to forge an identity outside of coaching incompetence. While the Broncos are currently 2-2, it feels worse than the first month of the Vance Joseph and Vic Fangio-led teams. 

That doesn't bode well for Denver going forward.

The most significant factor in Denver’s identity crisis thus far is the seemingly unbuttoned nature of the offense. Head coach Nathaniel Hackett has made some questionable decisions as the offensive play caller. 

Running an option route with full back/tight end hybrid Andrew Beck instead of Russell Wilson stands out as far as Hackett's play-calling foibles, and so does playing for a 64-yard game-winning field goal instead of trying to make up more ground on a 4th-&-5 to give kicker Brandon McManus a better shot. 

Penalties have also played their part in derailing Denver's drives. False starts and holding calls consistently put Wilson and company in long yardage situations that they, more often than not, can’t convert. It either ends in a quick swing pass to the running back, who is immediately tackled, a drop by a wide-open receiver, or a sack. 

Lovely.

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The Broncos can’t even hang their hat on the running game, which will now feature Melvin Gordon, Mike Boone, and the recently-acquired Latavius Murray, due to Javonte Williams tearing multiple knee ligaments in Sunday’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Every time Gordon is on the field, Broncos Country gets an overwhelming sense of anxiety due to him coughing up the football, which he's done four times already this season alone. 

Boone is a relative unknown as he hasn’t seen many meaningful snaps outside of preseason. It's not exactly the explosive group fans envisioned.

As for the Broncos defense, they've been a significant bright spot for the team. Coordinator Ejiro Evero’s group gives the Broncos faithful something to take pride in. 

Through the first month, Denver is again superb in red zone defense, ranking atop the league. Patrick Surtain ll looks every bit like an All-Pro cornerback coming off his biggest test yet against Davante Adams, who was held to four receptions for 48 yards for zero touchdowns and a 67.7 passer rating when Surtain shadowed him in coverage. 

As a unit, the Broncos' defense has tallied 11 sacks and six forced fumbles so far, which is impressive, considering they mostly play from behind. This unit has been the selling point for the franchise since 2016, and that trend continues this year. Sadly, none of the defensive triumphs will get recognition if the offense can’t stay on the field or give the ball away like Halloween candy as it has been.

The Broncos are searching for their identity as a team. It's impossible to pinpoint what this team is or even wants to be. 

It's been four weeks, but if the trends of being underprepared or outcoached continue through the bye week, Hackett will be on the hot seat. GM George Paton can’t spend more than a season on a head coach who is so obviously in over his head while other first-year head coaches like Mike McDaniel and Kevin O'Connell are finding early success, especially when his expertise is on offense, and yet, that is what is cataclysmically failing the Broncos. 

The Broncos are on pace to be a faceless, middling team for another season yet again.

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