Despite the record, Broncos Country needs to exercise some patience

The need for heads to roll is understandable. When a team finishes out of the playoffs, perhaps even amassing 10-plus losses in a season, it feels right to hold someone accountable.

That’s why the calls for change when it comes to the Broncos make sense. Despite the team’s upset win in Houston last week, they’re most likely headed for a third-straight losing season, something that hasn’t happened in Denver since Richard Nixon was President. As a result, most people believe that someone must take the fall for the franchise reaching this abyss.

John Elway has certainly come under fire in recent weeks, as the Mile High City has started to turn on its favorite son. Even a résumé as decorated as No. 7’s doesn’t buy a free pass forever; eventually, being the architect of the teams that have struggled every season since Super Bowl 50 will have consequences.

Rich Scangarello has been in the crosshairs, as well. In a town that has been fortunate enough to watch some of the best offenses in the history of the NFL, being in charge of an attack that is among the least-productive in the league is going to draw criticism. Fans in Denver aren’t going to stomach watching an anemic offense for very long.

Even Vic Fangio hasn’t escaped the white-hot lights of harsh reviews. The first-year head coach has been a stabling influence after Vance Joseph, but the results on the field haven’t been much better. Ultimately, the buck stops with him, so the Broncos 5-8 record is his responsibility.

While there are certainly plenty of reasons to be critical of all three, running any of them out of town at this point would be a mistake. That move would amount to nothing more than making a change simply to make a change, a short-term salve on a long-term wound.

At this point, the best thing for the Broncos is stability. This is a franchise that has changed either its head coach, offensive coordinator or quarterback, and sometimes a combination of the three, in each of the past five offseasons. Denver hasn’t held over the same key personnel from one season to the next since they retained everyone after losing Super Bowl XLVIII; that was the 2013 campaign.

Peyton Manning left. Gary Kubiak and Wade Phillips departed. Case Keenum rolled into town. Joseph was shown the door. Joe Flacco was acquired. On and on it went, a revolving door of coaches and quarterbacks.

Given that fact, no one should be shocked that Denver has gone 25-36 since winning the franchise’s third Lombardi Trophy. That kind of turnover isn’t a recipe for a success.

Sometimes, it’s necessary, however. Joseph had to go after posting a 11-21 record in two seasons. There was no reason to waste another season on Keenum after he proved to be nothing more than a journeyman. And Mike McCoy and Bill Musgrave were offensive coordinators that weren’t a fit for the Broncos.

But Denver isn’t in that position this year. Despite their current record, as well as the fact that their destined for another losing season, they don’t need to make a change at any key spot.

Elway certainly deserves some criticism, but he’s also worthy of some praise. The general manager’s past two drafts have positioned the franchise to rebuild on the fly, stocking them with young players that should be the team’s core for the next five-plus years. Drew Lock, Courtland Sutton, Bradley Chubb, Dalton Risner, Noah Fant, Phillip Lindsay and others provide the Broncos with an impressive young nucleus.

Scangarello’s offense has definitely sputtered at times this season, but it’s also shown flashes of greatness. Their performance against the Texans was incredibly encouraging, as was their first-half showing on the road against the Vikings. The offensive coordinator has produced results, albeit inconsistent ones, despite breaking in two quarterbacks who had never thrown an NFL pass and suiting up a ton of first- and second-year players on a weekly basis.

Fangio has rubbed plenty of people the wrong way during his first season in Denver, something that was highlighted in Jason La Canfora’s article a few weeks ago. But he’s also done a lot of good things. Despite the fact that his team is likely out of playoff contention, Fangio has managed to keep them focused on the task at hand and playing hard. Does he need to work on his people skills a bit? Sure, but that’s a fixable problem.

For the first time in nearly four years, the Broncos seem to be trending upward. They have a quarterback who will finish the season and be set in stone as the starter the next year. They have a head coach and offensive coordinator who are learning on the job, but they’re getting better with each passing week. And they have a general manager who has learned from his past mistakes, adjusted his approach, and netted much better results.

As a result, the best course of action is to see what this group can do in 2020. Does Elway put together another strong draft class, while luring in some prime free agents? Do Fangio and Scangarello continue to grow into their new roles? And does Lock emerge as the franchise quarterback that he appears destined to become?

Those questions are impossible to answer right now. But it would be foolish not to wait at least one year to gain some clarity on every front.

A change at general manager, head coach, offensive coordinator or quarterback would result in a step backwards next season. Given that the franchise finally seems to be moving forward, that would be a mistake.

Ride out the current momentum. See where it ends up. And then make a decision about any potential changes.

The Broncos best bet for being a playoff team in 2020 is for Elway, Fangio, Scangarello and Lock to remain in place. If things don’t pan out next season, then it would be an appropriate time to make a change.

But for right now, the status quo is the best option in Denver. Keep the current people in place, giving them a fair chance to see what they can produce.

Follow @jamesmerilatt