Broncos Players Deserve More Blame than the Coaches

The Denver Broncos aren't executing in critical situations.

The Denver Broncos’ struggles have been debated ad nauseam. The entire NFL community, from other teams’ general managers to fans, have weighed in and come to the conclusion that it is Nathaniel Hackett who is to blame. 

From poor decisions at the end of games to the lack of mental focus by the team, there are many reasons to make the head coach the culprit. Hackett is the leader of the team and needs to shoulder the criticism.

However, Hackett is not on the field executing the plays — that is the players' brief. So far, the Broncos' players have failed in that simple endeavor. If the Broncos are to win on Monday night at the Los Angeles Chargers, the players need to make plays when it matters most.

Looking at the Broncos' three losses, multiple plays ended in failure because a player didn’t do his job correctly. The questionable call to kick the field goal at the end of the game in Seattle is one example. 

Regardless of whether that was the correct call or not, Brandon McManus needs to make that kick. He has pleaded with coaches to kick long field goals many times, and when he has gotten his chances, he has not delivered.

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However, the Broncos would not have even been in that situation if Eric Saubert had not dropped a pass in the end zone or Eric Tomlinson had gotten both feet in bounds for a sure touchdown. That game was all but won well before that fateful decision to kick the field goal. The players that had to come through when needed most and they simply did not. It cost the Broncos a win.

The loss in Las Vegas is another issue with players not doing their job to secure a win. Obviously, the Melvin Gordon fumble that was scooped up and returned for a touchdown was a massive turning point in the game. 

The Broncos were starting to have their way with the Raiders, and that costly fumble turned the tide. Gordon has to hang onto the ball, which is something he has been unable to do. 

It isn’t just that single play that is an example of the players not showing up when needed. Missed tackles were an epidemic that game. Had many of the Broncos' defenders not whiffed on multiple tackles, the Broncos could have emerged with a win, even with the fumble.

Last week’s game on Thursday night showcased a multitude of mistakes made by Broncos' players. Dropped passes were only one issue, but it was huge. 

The pass-catchers need to make those receptions. Plain and simple. 

There is no excuse for dropping passes, especially at the Broncos' current rate. The game could have been an easy win, but it went down to the wire. 

Finally, Russell Wilson not seeing KJ Hamler open in the end zone on the final play in overtime was another massive error by a player. Wilson has to make that play and win the game.

Hackett deserves his fair share of blame, and oftentimes, incompetence at the top trickles down to the players, which stretches further to the field of play. That said, when a player makes it to the NFL, he is there because he is the best of the best. 

When you're the best, you have to prove it every day. The Broncos must do their job, and there is no excuse for making errors in plays that should be routine for players at this level.

As Vince Lombardi once said, football is a game of inches. A single play can be the reason for victory or defeat. 

The Broncos are 2-3 and the butt of jokes because of this simple but relevant fact. If the team is to turn this season around, it has to figure out how to win the close games. 

The first step is to make a play when it matters most. Nobody knows precisely when that play will occur, so it is important for each player to do his job on every single down. If the Broncos can deliver on this task, they will start winning games.

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Follow Thomas on Twitter @ThomasHallNFL.

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