Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
Scangarello Hopes Increased Confidence of Young Broncos Will Open up More Chunk Plays
For most of his rookie campaign as the offensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos, Rich Scangarello has caught a fair amount of flak from the critics. Scangarello has largely been held responsible for the team's sputtering offense and he has been accused of being pedestrian and lacking the key killer instincts to finish off opponents.
A large amount of blame definitely lies at the doorstep of the relatively young coach, but not all of it. It has become apparent since Joe Flacco left the starting line-up that the Scangarello-designed offense requires a more mobile quarterback at its beating heart.
Somewhat by accident, the untried Brandon Allen now is charged with manning the controls, at least until Drew Lock becomes the priority. Scangarello has proved his diligence in his coaching role by being ahead of the game in preparing his stable of QB’s, including his starter Allen, to be ready to step in and play if they were needed.
“Honestly, it’s pretty common," Scangarello said on Thursday. "I think in the NFL, you always have your stable of guys. You’re always preparing the starter, you’re always preparing the backup because he’s one play away and you’re always preparing that third guy—practice squad guy, whoever that is—because his day can come.”
While this is fairly standard NFL practice, it’s how prepared and comfortable Allen looked in his Week 9 debut, coupled with his ability to extend plays, that has raised expectations that he can get his team on a winning streak.
Key to giving his QB the best chance to succeed will be generating more valuable chunk plays out of the previously static offense. Scangarello pointed to rookie tight end Noah Fant’s long score against Cleveland as a perfect example of how they can help the cause.
"That play by Noah could have been a 12-yard completion and we would have had to go 50 more yards to finish it with a score," Scangarello said. "Maybe you don’t score in the red zone and you’re kicking a field goal and we’re talking a different narrative. I just really feel like you get guys in a position to be successful, they learn to get confident, they take advantage of that and that’s what leads to great offensive play in the long run.”
This Sunday’s opponent — the Minnesota Vikings — will present an altogether different problem when the Broncos try to push the ball down the field for big plays against their stellar defense. But, it’s a challenge that the coach is all too aware of and prepared for.
“I’ll say this, we played them last season [with San Francisco] and they’ve got a lot of players who have been together and they’re playing at a very high level," Scangarello said. "Their front-seven is very talented, they have a lot of team speed, they’re able to play with their safeties a little bit deeper—probably a little bit more than they have in the past just because they can attack you with their front seven.”
Opening up the playbook is only part of the strategy for Scangarello as the Broncos offense will need the vital element of execution if it is to find any future success.
All too many times in tight spots, the Broncos have left points on the field, particularly after long drives, and it has ended up coming back to haunt them when games have come down to the wire. Maximizing opportunities in the red zone after good drives from now on is something Scangarello is fully aware of.
“That’s what makes great offenses obviously," Scangarello said. "It’s just hard in the NFL to earn it.”
Early indications may well be that Scangarello intends to open up his play-calling even more while aiming to create a more progressive and aggressive offense. Getting the ball further down the field, looking for vital chunk plays, might get the ultimate road test if he chooses to go all-in this Sunday.
Follow Keith on Twitter @KeithC_NFL and @MileHighHuddle.
