Jerry Rosburg's Power Moves Bear Fruit in Broncos' Loss to Chiefs

Jerry Rosburg's initial decisions as Denver Broncos interim head coach had a palpable effect on the team.

Despite coming into Arrowhead Stadium with a depleted roster against one of the top teams in the NFL, the Denver Broncos fought valiantly and pushed the Kansas City Chiefs nearly to the limit. However, the Chiefs, with a cadre of better players and coaches, earned the 27-24 victory, extending their winning streak over the Broncos to 15 games. 

Denver fought hard in a losing effort, but in the NFL, there are no moral victories. The Broncos have a 4-12 record. 

The Broncos have to embrace the lessons learned from this disappointing season and begin to build the foundation for the future. What did we learn from Sunday's action? 

Let's dive in. 

Tough Coaching Decisions Bear Fruit

Denver's improvement in play can be directly traced to interim head coach Jerry Rosburg doing a reboot with select players, coaches, and game-planning tactics. Having a fresh perspective and not giving into the 'this is the way we do things' mentality put the Broncos in a better position to compete.

Rosburg made several key changes upon assuming command, including the firing of special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes and O-line coach Butch Barry, and taking the play-calling duties away from QBs coach Klint Kubiak and giving them to offensive coordinate Justin Outten. Outten appeared to catch the Chiefs off guard by keeping Wilson under center and using motion to keep defenders’ eyes locked onto a singular threat.

Having Wilson playing in more run-oriented offensive formation reduced the opportunity for big-loss plays and potential turnovers in the passing game. Embracing the moniker of being a change agent during his first days in the position, Rosburg placed the team on notice by firing those two coaches.

Rosburg's work was not yet complete, though. He leveraged his years of special teams expertise by taking away the return duties of the talented yet unproductive rookie Montrell Washington and passing them on to the less dynamic but more reliable Kendall Hinton and Marlon Mack. It appears the experienced coach was willing to take the action on needed tweaks that Nathaniel Hackett was unwilling or unable to make.

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Defensive Redemption

Broncos Country could not weather another drubbing like last week’s 51-14 beat-down. The NFL gods just can't be that cruel. 

Give the players and Rosburg credit for playing with energy and purpose. Although their efforts fell short, the Broncos did compete above expectations. The defense allowed Patrick Mahomes 328 passing yards and two touchdowns with an interception. 

However, the Broncos' defense held the Chiefs to a paltry 46 rushing yards. Give defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero credit for getting back his mojo and putting in place a strategy that kept the Broncos competitive, despite playing with third-stringers at outside linebacker and on the defensive line. The lack of an effective pass rush impacted the Broncos' ability to create additional turnovers. 

Despite stumbling during key stretches of the game, the Broncos' offense did show progression and improved play. Russell Wilson took a small step forward in meeting the expectations of ownership and the fan base. It was good to see him use his legs to score two touchdowns and get his wide receivers, tight ends, and backs involved in the passing game. 

The veteran QB went 26-of-38 for 222 yards and a touchdown. But a costly interception in the fourth quarter gave the momentum back to the Chiefs. 

Wilson was not helped by a leaky offensive line that allowed the Chiefs to generate four sacks. Give the Broncos' O-line credit for creating holes wide enough for all three Broncos running backs to average 4.7 yards a carry combined and 117 total on the ground. The ability to have a credible play-action pass game was instrumental in the Broncos scoring 24 points.

Stage Set For the Future

Sunday’s contest could be a glimpse of how the Broncos could be constructed in 2023. With a new head coach at the helm, he may review the game film against the Chiefs and determine that it’s best to keep Wilson in a more controlled offense. 

Having Wilson under center may be the Broncos' path forward in leveraging his diminished abilities after more than a decade in the league. The dreams of #LetRussCook were unfounded. 

Those whims are long evaporated in the face of the cold, hard reality of Wilson's wherewithal at age 34. For the Broncos to get back to relevancy, they must find a head coach who brings offensive innovation and accountability, restock the offensive line, and add speed at wide receiver.

Fans can only wish Broncos CEO and part-owner Greg Penner luck as he takes the lead in rebuilding the organization and getting the team back into the playoffs.

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