Mile High Monday: It’s time for the Broncos to move on from Pat Shurmur

The Denver Broncos fell apart against the Kansas City Chiefs. In a primetime match on “Sunday Night Football,” the Broncos defense showed up, running back Javonte Williams showed up, but quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and the passing game failed to make any plays.

I like that we have further clarity on this situation. After the win over the Los Angeles Chargers, there was a thought that head coach Vic Fangio and most of his staff could stay for 2022 – if they beat the Chiefs. That’s no longer the case.

I also like contemplating life and sports when driving around with the top down on my old Jeep TJ! The following is a result of those trips during the week.

Buckle up, let’s take a ride through my thoughts.

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Get Him Out of Here!

Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur is not good at his job. His offense is stuck in the past, and he’s rarely shown creativity or ingenuity as a playcaller. The time to move on from his is now. It’s actually past time to do that, but here we are yet again complaining about Shurmur’s awful game plan.

The Broncos could not score a touchdown when the game was at hand. In garbage time, with the Chiefs leading big, the offense finally scored (thank you Javonte Williams), but it didn’t mean much. For most of the game, the Broncos offense was inept.

Yet, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater played a terrible game. Yes, Bridgewater’s interceptions didn’t help Shurmur call the right plays to get them more scoring opportunities. Yes, the Broncos ran the ball – finally – but at the end of the day none of that matters. It’s a results-based business, and with Shurmur running the offense this team has gone nowhere.

Around the NFL, we’ve already seen two offensive coordinators lose their jobs. The New York Giants decided to move on from Jason Garrett a couple of weeks ago. This week, the Carolina Panthers decided to move on from Joe Brady. We’ll see if the spark can be there for either team the rest of the year, but it’s not about that – it’s about looking towards the future. That future for the Broncos does not include Shurmur.

the Panthers have fired OC Joe Brady…the Giants have fired OC Jason Garrett….I'm just sayin. You never root for someone to lose their job, but if it's not working it's not working. Past time for #Broncos to move on from Pat Shurmur. @1043TheFan

— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) December 6, 2021

I’d like the Broncos to be more creative on offense in the future. They need a better quarterback, to be sure, and expect them to be in the trade market to land one of the top names in the NFL like Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson. In addition to that move, the Broncos need to find the right offensive coordinator and the right “fit” for the quarterback they get. At least they need to find someone who embraces the new NFL and creative playcalling, while also fitting his system to the quarterback and continuing to run the ball with Williams.

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Not What He Used to Be

Broncos starting safety Kareem Jackson just isn’t the player he used to be. Early in the game, Jackson was out there missing tackles or getting dragged around by Chiefs players. I don’t mean to throw shade at Jackson, because he was a great addition by the Broncos a few years ago in free agency. However, Jackson is no longer the cornerback who plays like a safety or a safety who can play like a cornerback. Instead, he’s an in-the-box safety who gets burned in coverage and misses too many hits as he goes in for the “kill shot.”

Jackson likes to bring a physical presence to the field, but that doesn’t matter if he’s ducking his head and letting players get through him for a first down like he did on Sunday night. He likes to talk a big game, and he used to be able to back it up but no more. Jackson is a liability for the Broncos defense, yet he’s still in the starting lineup when he’s healthy.

Not a great series from Kareem Jackson here….

More Caden Sterns please. #Broncos @1043TheFan

— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) December 6, 2021

The Broncos should turn to Caden Sterns as their starter. The rookie safety from Texas is a playmaker who can stand up against the run or in coverage. Sterns has shined when Jackson has been out with injury. Even though Jackson is back, the Broncos should put him on the bench behind Sterns.

With the season lost, and this team unlikely to make it to the playoffs, it’s time for more young players like Sterns to get valuable playing time. Jackson has been a great pro for most of his career, but this year it’s just not happening for him. It’s sad, but this is something that happens to every player in the league. Whether you want to blame “Father Time” or this coaching staff, the film shows that Jackson isn’t playing at the high level we used to expect.

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Yeah, No Kidding

It was a bit of a surprise this past week when ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported that Ben Roethlisberger was telling those around him that this was his likely his last season in the NFL. Roethlisberger hinting at retirement wasn’t a surprise – it was a surprise that many were taken off guard by the report.

Roethlisberger should’ve retired after the 2020 season. He fell apart last year as the season went on and is clearly in need of hanging up the cleats. Roethlisberger is going to the Hall of Fame as soon as he is eligible, and there’s nothing more for him to prove. Anyone paying attention could see Big Ben was done a year ago.

If you look closely, you can see the exact moment Ben Roethlisberger decided he was going to retire pic.twitter.com/UNiid1jDrS

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) December 4, 2021

The Steelers don’t have any answers behind Roethlisberger. Mason Rudolph, the primary backup to Roethlisberger, is a terrible quarterback. The Steelers may have thought he could be the future at the position, but they’re fooling themselves. He’s a bad quarterback who does not inspire confidence from his teammates, many who probably don’t like him.

Dwayne Haskins was a first-round pick for Washington in the 2019 NFL draft but was quickly dumped when he couldn’t show flashes. The Steelers picked him up as a developmental quarterback early in 2021, but Haskins couldn’t beat out Rudolph in training camp for the no.2 job behind Big Ben.

This means you should add the Steelers to the list of teams interested in trading for guys like Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers. That means the price tag for either one goes up. A historic franchise like the Steelers, with a great/young running back, a bevy of wide receiver talent and a strong defense is going to be enticing for any veteran quarterback like Wilson or Rodgers looking for a clean start.

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Right on Target

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is ever expanding with TV shows on Disney-plus. The latest in the MCU is the series “Hawkeye” which follows the Avengers star Hawkeye and his protégé Kate Bishop. It’s a street-level show which doesn’t have the larger-than-life, cosmic feel that some Marvel blockbuster movies have.

That change-of-pace is refreshing for MCU fans such as myself. Sometimes galaxy-spanning stories can lose their impact because we’re here on Earth. Those stories are fun – and necessary – in a universe like the MCU, but it’s also fun to see what happens with crime lords and problems at the street level.
The chemistry between Hawkeye and Bishop is off the charts. Jeremy Renner, playing Hawkeye, does a great job

blending humor and action with Hailee Steinfield as Bishop. I’ve enjoyed the first few episodes of this show and the twists and turns therein. I won’t give anything away, but if you like MCU movies then you should take some time out to watch “Hawkeye” every week.

This holiday season, fun doesn’t get any bigger than Marvel Studios’ #Hawkeye! Episode three is now streaming on @DisneyPlus, with new episodes every Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/sgD0HFIsL8

— Hawkeye (@hawkeyeofficial) December 4, 2021

What do you think of the “Hawkeye” series so far? Hit me up on social media and let me know!

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