The 2023-24 Denver Broncos were supposed to be different. They were supposed to be playoff contenders. They were supposed to be better.
Technically they hit on two out of the three, which is not terrible, but for a team that threw a boatload of money at a starting quarterback last season and benched this season and at a head coach who was brought in to change the culture, at the end of the schedule they are in the same spot at last year. Sitting at home watching the playoffs on the couch.
Following a trio of losses to start the season, including an embarrassing 70-20 thrashing by the Miami Dolphins, and five losses in their first six games, the Broncos looked to be getting things back on track with five straight victories. However, it was too little too late as the team trailed the more elite teams in the AFC playoff race.
So what exactly went wrong in the Mile High City?
.@SuttonCourtland's catches this year had us like 🤯 pic.twitter.com/GY4Ngmv5nz
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) January 17, 2024
QB Controversy
For fifteen of seventeen games, the ball was in the hands of Russell Wilson, and rightfully so, given the amount of money and the haul that they gave up for him a season prior. While his QB Rating was the second worst of his career, total yards and average yards were the lowest, his completion percentage and touchdown total wasn’t terrible, all things considered.
Is Wilson the championship-winning, Pro Bowl quarterback he once was? His stats say no, but he is far from finished. If the Broncos’ offensive line could provide better protection for both Wilson and their running backs, they may not finish in the bottom half of the league’s offensive standings.
However, during the season’s final two weeks, games that had the Broncos won would have given them a mathematical chance at a playoff spot, so the team decided to go a different direction. Whether you believe it was for football reasons or financial ones, the decision created controversy within the locker room and unnecessary negative attention.
It’s obvious that Jarrett Stidham is not the quarterback that the Broncos need (or want) as QB1, but apparently neither is Wilson.
ESPN Insider: #Vikings, #Bucs 'Logical Fits' for #Broncos QB Russell Wilson
READ: https://t.co/QcSwEyBIgT pic.twitter.com/gQXhWgq2qo
— Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) January 17, 2024
Red Zone
Averaging 21 points per game, the Broncos ranked 19th in the league in scoring. Whether this fell on Coach Sean Payton, Russell Wilson, or any of the offensive targets, the team as a whole struggled to get into the house, especially when they were knocking on the front door.
“Our tight red zone was awful,” Payton noted. “Inside the ten, first, and goal-to-go, that wasn’t good enough.”
Considering that the Broncos lost four games by five points or less this season, had they been able to capitalize on those short trips to the endzone, they could have very well been looking at a positive record this season and perhaps challenged the Pittsburgh Steelers for the final Wild Card seed.
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop
While there will most certainly be player change taking place during the offseason, the Broncos may also want to consider bringing in a fresh face as their Defensive Coordinator. After his first stint with the Broncos as their head coach for the 2017 and 2018 seasons, Vance Joseph was brought back for the 2023 season with a new role.
It would be unfair to pin the 70 points given up to the Miami Dolphins completely on Joseph, but there is something to be said for the playbook and playcalling that led to the team giving up an average of 370.8 yards (ranked 29th) and also gave up 24.3 points per game (5th worst in the league).
When it comes to some of the more detailed stats, the Broncos lacked any defensive pressure on opposing quarterbacks. With just 42 total sacks on the year, the Broncos tied with the Atlanta Falcons for third worst in the NFL. As for forcing misthrows and turnovers, the Broncos defense was far less than stellar, finishing the year with just 11 sacks and 11 interceptions.
Keeping Joseph on board does not make much sense. He has made his way around the league for various reasons (not exactly good ones) and did not prove much in his second run with the Broncos. Yes, familiarity and continuity are important, but that’s only provided if it is effective, which Denver’s defense and Joseph’s decision-making certainly weren’t.
Pro Bowl ✅
Second-Team All-Pro ✅@jsimms1119's best plays in 2023: pic.twitter.com/X1YgOIvETw— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) January 16, 2024
Conclusion
While the Broncos’ record was a definite improvement over last season, they clearly have a ways to go before becoming the playoff contender that they teased fans they were going to be heading into this season. With little in the cupboard for high draft picks and cap space, the Broncos’ front office heads into the offseason with lots of work to do and hopes that they can find a few diamonds in the rough and castoffs that can reinvent themselves for next season.