Broncos' Lack of Coaching Experience is Costing Team Big Time
There's no way to sugarcoat it: The 2-5 Denver Broncos do not have the makings of a playoff team. Despite having a top NFL defense, the injuries continue to plague the Broncos, and, more importantly, the offense is one of the worst in the NFL — as evidenced by the team's 16-9 loss to the New York Jets.
The Broncos' play calling continues to be poor, only this time, more of the blame must be laid at the feet of head coach Nathaniel Hackett.
It was one thing not to put everything on Hackett when Russell Wilson was starting, and there had been reports that the 11th-year quarterback had wanted to run more plays like that of Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. That doesn't make Hackett blameless, but it does indicate that if Wilson is wanting to run such plays, the Broncos need to stop doing that.
However, it's another thing when you call those same plays with Brett Rypien, who is in no position to be asking coaches to run plays like that. Therefore, the decision to do that against the Jets falls at the feet of Hackett and his coaching staff.
The problem the Broncos' coaching staff — mainly on offense — seems to have is there is nobody in the room with extensive experience to give advice about what needs to be done to manage the team better, adjust play calling, and find ways for the players to have success, even if the talent is lacking.
Take the Minnesota Vikings, for example. First-year head coach Kevin O'Connell has Mike Pettine as an assistant head coach. Pettine has extensive NFL experience, including a head-coaching stint. Though Pettine's head coaching stint was a failure, he still has the wisdom gleaned to share with O'Connell.
The Broncos might have been well served by retaining Mike Munchak as an assistant head coach, even if they weren't interested in having him coach the offensive line. Munchak, like Pettine, didn't have a lot of success in his first head-coaching stint, but he could have provided valuable advice.
As for the Broncos' current group of coaches, quarterbacks coach Klint Kubiak has the most NFL experience of anyone on the offensive staff. There's nobody on the offensive staff to give advice about what might be done to improve playcalling or find ways to better utilize the players the Broncos have available.
Defensive assistant Dom Capers has extensive experience, and Bill Kollar is still there in an advisory role, but that's on the defensive side of the ball. It may explain, in part, how Ejiro Evero is having success as Denver's defensive coordinator (though it may not be the only reason).
And while Hackett isn't getting the job done, a midseason head-coaching switch isn't going to happen if the Broncos don't have anybody they're comfortable with taking on the interim job. Furthermore, just about any interim coach will find himself in over his head, particularly those who lack coaching experience in the NFL.
Like it or not, the Broncos are likely stuck with Hackett for the 2022 season — but that doesn't mean they are stuck with him after the season. One thing is clear, though: The Broncos really need an experienced coach in the locker room to provide stability.
Whether that's hiring a coach who's had moderate success in a previous stint, or hiring a young coordinator and pairing him with a former head coach to be his top assistant, there needs to be that individual who can give advice and share the lessons he's learned through the years to benefit the Broncos.
If you go with the former, scratch Sean Payton off your list because the New Orleans Saints own his rights through 2023 and will demand a first-round pick in 2023 as part of any trade package. The Broncos don't have that draft capital to offer. Furthermore, there's no guarantee Payton even wants to return to coaching.
For experienced head coaches, the Broncos could always talk to Dan Quinn again. Denver could also look at Munchak, Leslie Frazier, Jay Gruden, or Mike Zimmer. If the Broncos hire a younger coordinator, Munchak and Zimmer would be ideal candidates to be brought on board as the top assistant.
Of course, there's always the chance that Hackett and his staff get things turned around after the bye. However, all the long nights spent at Broncos headquarters might not bear fruit if somebody doesn't question the playcalling.
But it's looking more like Hackett will be one-and-done as head coach. The Broncos need stability more than anything else, which means they need somebody with experience to establish that stability.
Follow Bob on Twitter @BobMorrisSports.
Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.
Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!
