This is not the Godfather all over again… and other post-Chargers hot takes
Nov 30, 2021, 6:35 AM
• Give the Broncos credit. They said all the right things going into, during and coming out of their bye week. Talk of pushing the reset button. Of having a second season. All their goals were still ahead of them, blah, blah, blah. It was understandable for Broncos Country to respond with one collective eye roll.
• But they beat the Chargers! And did so impressively. So what does it all mean? Is it like Pacino in The Godfather. Every time as a Broncos fan you think you’re out, they keep pulling you back in? I prefer to quote The Who. “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”
• Good. They won. Now what are you going to do with it? This team started 3-0 and then showed that was fools gold. Then, they hammered Dallas. Only to fall flat against Philly. So what’s their encore for this Chargers’ win?
• Honestly, they don’t even need to go out to Kansas City and beat the Chiefs. After losing 11 in a row by an average score of 31-17, I’m not expecting that. But hang tough? Be competitive? Lose close? Show the gap between the two teams isn’t Grand Canyon-sized? That would give me some belief the Broncos could go on a run over their final five games. A belief they could go 4-1 and win 10 games and make the playoffs.
• Big if.
• Fact is, I don’t trust this team and neither should you. They have earned no bank. You should sit back with your arms crossed giving them a skeptical eye. They need to win you over. One victory over the Bolts isn’t nearly enough.
• As far as Vic Fangio’s job security goes. I still believe it’s tied to making the playoffs. Ten wins and a playoff spot would change a lot of people’s opinions about Vic if they were able to pull that off. A lot of really good things that we haven’t seen around here over the last five years would need to occur for 10 wins and the playoffs. Enough to convince fans, and most importantly, George Paton, that Vic is the right guy.
• Same goes for Teddy Bridgewater, who clearly had the controversy of the matador “tackle” in the Philly game on his mind as he dove for the pylon on that touchdown run. Also battling back from a painful leg injury to come back into the game and gut it out. Did he perhaps win some Broncos’ fans back with his performance?
• Drew Lock. Ugh. That time he was in the game featured a fumble and an incomprehensible interception. There was just this chaotic feeling surrounding him that is so different than when Bridgewater is in there. It’s like playing a record at its normal 45 rpm and then for fun as kids we’d play it at 78? That’s the difference between the feeling when Teddy is playing QB versus Drew.
• It’s pretty obvious Drew needs a fresh start somewhere else.
• Folks feeling better about the Patrick Surtain selection now? It’s funny how in our fantasy football-dominated world of stats the impact that a cornerback can make is diminished. Great defenses (like the one that won the Broncos their last Super Bowl) need great players. And those great players make a huge impact in ways that don’t show up on the stat sheet like a wide receiver or a quarterback. Oh well, hopefully a couple of easy PS2 interceptions – one for a pick six – caught the fancy of some Broncos fans.
• Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon are the Broncos’ best offensive players. The offense needs to go through those two guys.
• Kudos to the Broncos offensive linemen. In both the Dallas and Chargers games, the line was shorthanded to start the game and became even thinner during those games, but guys stepped up. Show of hands. Who knew of Quinn Bailey before you saw him out there in the huddle replacing Calvin Anderson at left tackle?
• K.C. the biggest game since the Super Bowl? Yeah. Which is kind of sad isn’t it?
• But also kind of exciting?
