Dalton Risner Puts Finger on Broncos' Biggest Problem Right Now

The word of the week around Denver Broncos HQ is consistency. It's mostly been asserted to describe what second-year quarterback Drew Lock has to do in order to turn the corner as a player and earn the full faith and support of the organization (and fanbase).

The 'C' word was floated to second-year left guard Dalton Risner on Thursday, and his take on the issue brought to the fore many of the reasons the Broncos have struggled this year.

"I’m not a head coach, I’m not the GM of this team, all I can tell you is that we’re a young football team, and these aren’t excuses, but we’re a young football team and some of our best players are out," Risner said.

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There's no getting around it. Keep in mind, an excuse is something asserted to justify or explain away, even down-play, an undesirable result. Sometimes, a reason can be misconstrued as an excuse and that was something Risner was trying to parse.

"Courtland Sutton, Von Miller, Mike Purcell, I could go on and on about guys that are out. Our secondary is low as well," Risner said.

Is there really anyone covering the NFL — or watching it — who wouldn't make the argument that the Broncos' current 5-9 record has a lot to do with the who's-who list of star players this team has been without all year long? Again, in the NFL, there are excuses and then there are real reasons, or factors, for an end result that a team might not have had full control over.

"When it comes to consistency, we can’t go and play the Panthers—I realized that they were a 4-9 team at the time, and play the way we did on offense and then come back and play the way we did on offense against the Bills," Risner said. "There are so many things that go into it and it’s all about consistency. It’s all about all 11 guys on the team doing their job every single play, and I truly believe that the more time we get together as an offense and the more time we get together as a team, as one—the more snaps we get, the better we will get with consistency."

There's that 'C' word again. Again, let's separate an excuse made with bad intentions and an honest reason. The Broncos are inordinately young. This team is inexperienced at many key positions on the field.

Due to the youth of the offense, especially, this team really — and I mean, really — needed the full offseason, training camp, and preseason to not only get reps and work on technique but to assimilate the new playbook of offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. Not only did the Broncos miss out on 1,400 or so reps as a result of the pandemic shut-down, but they lost their No. 1 receiver in Week 1 and the starting quarterback in Week 2.

Lock returned in Week 6 but we still don't know how much that injury to his throwing shoulder may have affected his up-and-down play at times this season. What Lock, Risner, and the entire offense need is more time on task with each other and with Shurmur.

"Drew will get more consistent, I will get more consistent, the offensive line will, our running backs, our wide receivers, and I think consistency is where you see good football teams," Risner said. "You look at the teams that are in the playoffs now and I think they are some of the most consistent teams in the league... I think consistency is exactly what we have to be better at.”

Elway used the 'C' word early this week as a call to action for Lock and the young Broncos. Vic Fangio did, as well as Shurmur. And now, Risner is hammering home the point.

The sad truth is you can't be good some of the time and expect to compete in the league. You have to be good most of the time. You have to be consistent and that's easier said than done, especially during a season in which the Broncos have had to fight a three-front war against COVID-19, the injury bug, and the NFL.

Let's not forget, the NFL robbed Denver of a true bye, strong-armed the team to play without a quarterback in Week 12, forcing it to all but forfeit in order to make an example of the Broncos during 'intensive' COVID season, and took an overly-strict approach to Brandon McManus' "close contact" situation which forced the team to play without its kicker.

2020 has been a tough year for most Americans but it's also been a crapper for the Broncos. But the silver lining is, there's nowhere to go but up and this team will get so many of its injured stars back in 2021.

You'd hope that the trial-by-fire these young players have gone through this year, having to navigate the pitfalls of a brutal and, at times, unfair season, will have toughened their skin. There's reason to believe that despite the hardships of 2020, when fans look back at this year, they could view it as a blessing in disguise because it served as the crucible that forged the Broncos into a sharper, tougher, more resilient and physical football team.

No doubt, by the time this season ends, the likes of Risner, Lock, and the whole team will be no strangers to adversity. And you know what they say; adversity builds character.

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.