Troy Aikman Slams Broncos' Impotent Offense Under Nathaniel Hackett
The Denver Broncos' offense again stepped on a rake under the primetime lights on Monday Night Football, falling to the Los Angeles Chargers in overtime, 19-16 Denver's defense had another strong showing, only to be undermined by offensive ineptitude.
Have you heard that one before?
Troy Aikman’s color-commentary quote is a reality check to Broncos Country.
“It’s not been very good,” Aikman said of the Broncos’ offense. “But why is that? It’s because everyone across the board — it’s not just Russell Wilson — it’s the protection up front. It’s their inability to consistently be able to run the football. It’s their inability to consistently be able to beat defenders with routes. So, you combine all that, and you get an offense that is not scoring many points and is not playing very good football.
“They’ve got too good of players for it to consistently be this poor. At least I think they do. Maybe they don’t.”
As a result of its offensive ineptitude, Denver fell to 2-4 on the season and also dropped a spot in NFL.com's power rankings. What does Dan Hanzus think of this headache of a football team? Let's dive in.
Denver Broncos Rank: 24
“It began with signs of progress. Russell Wilson completed his first 10 passes, including a 39-yard touchdown strike to tight end Greg Dulcich. Then, as has been the case all season, the Broncos and their maddening offense went into a deep sleep. The 19-16 overtime loss to the Chargers -- Denver's second straight OT setback -- underlined a hard reality: The Broncos have the worst offense in football, with no clear path to improvement. "They've got too many good players to consistently be this poor," ESPN's Troy Aikman said after another fruitless Denver possession in the fourth quarter. "At least, I think they do. Maybe they don't." We feel you, 8.”
A solid start to a game is not something Broncos Country is used to. However, the overwhelming incompetence on the offensive side of the ball is something the Broncos have long been accustomed to.
After opening the first quarter by going 10-of-10 for 116 yards and a touchdown, Russell Wilson went 5-of-18 for 72 yards and zero scores. Fans are divided on who to blame: Wilson, head coach Nathaniel Hackett, or the offensive line.
The answer is all of the above, folks. After hitting Dulcich for a 39-yard touchdown, Wilson seemingly avoided throwing his way even when he was wide-open on third down directly in front of him. Wilson's play was off for most of the night, and while it is not entirely his fault, he hasn’t elevated the team like a franchise quarterback is expected to.
Coming into the season, Denver’s offense was considered a “sleeping giant” that needed a quarterback to get off the ground. Courtland Sutton has been the most significant bright spot at the skill positions.
Jerry Jeudy has been a giant disappointment, which is disheartening for a former first-round pick. Wide receiver is a quarterback-dependent position, but he's often underperformed when he's had opportunities to make a play.
Jeudy's immaturity further buries him, from an offseason arrest in the offseason to having Twitter spats with Shannon Sharpe. Tweeting nasty things and then deleting them later isn’t taking the high road.
Albert Okwuegbunam isn’t even a part of this team as far as Hackett is concerned, and it might be a reality very soon. Javonte Williams is on season-ending injured reserve, and Melvin Gordon is untrustworthy, leaving the Broncos to lean on Latavius Murray and Mike Boone. This is not the group of playmakers Broncos Country was promised by the coaching staff, and fans have every right to be frustrated.
Watching Denver try to catch a win every week feels like watching Wile E Coyote attempt to capture the Road Runner. Halfway through the game, you can hear the ACME anvil fall from the sky to inevitably crush Denver’s hopes of ever finding the strength to win.
It's hard to see the Broncos winning against a hot New York Jets team that just beat Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in Lambeau. The Broncos will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of their first Super Bowl team on Sunday.
Let's hope the Broncos don’t further embarrass themselves in front of these legends.
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