Hey, Broncos Country: Now that your favorite NFL team has won five games in a row, are you ready to issue an apology to Russell Wilson and Vance Joseph?
Let me make it easy for you. I will go first.
When this football team was 1-5, I was ready to run Wilson and Joseph out of this dusty old cowtown. My reasons were strong. But I was wrong.
After giving Cleveland a 29-12 beatdown in their most complete performance of this NFL season, the Broncos have established a winning identity that can carry them all the way to the playoffs.
The quarterback and defensive coordinator who many (me included) wanted to run out of Denver are now leading an improbable run to the playoffs. During a turnaround nobody saw coming, Wilson and Joseph have gone from zeros to heroes.
“I’ve never doubted,” Wilson said Sunday. “I’ve never doubted our football team and where we could go.”
That identity has been established by the two people who not long ago were designated Persona Non Grata No. 1 and No. 1A in Broncos Country.
Joseph has reshaped a defense that was the hapless victim of 70 points in Miami by establishing a persona as nasty as pro rasslin’ villain Ric Flair: Hit hard, flex and let the penalty flags fall where they may.
With evangelical belief not seen around here since the height of Tebowmania, Wilson has rescued a lost season by becoming such a throwback of an option quarterback that I might have to give serious consideration to putting him on my Heisman Trophy ballot.
“The best thing about us … is it’s about us,” Wilson said. “It’s about us being together.”
That might sound corny, but it doesn’t make it any less true. When the team could’ve folded, Wilson held it together.
During this five-game winning streak, the Broncos are playing bully ball that’s more 1970s than disco. Wilson is averaging a meager 179 yards passing per game, but there’s no arguing against a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 8-0.
It’s not Wilson’s fault that general manager George Paton was dumb enough to give him a $245 million contract extension before he won a single game for Denver. Wilson is now an old gunslinger who has learned how to live another day, or at least until the fourth quarter, when there’s still enough magic in his bag to pull out a victory.
“We’re pretty damn confident in our abilities,” said tight end Adam Troutman, whose sliding touchdown catch in the end zone after a vintage Wilson scramble staked Denver to a 24-12 lead early in the fourth quarter.
While the Broncos would be wise to draft a quarterback in 2024, I also now expect Wilson to be back in a Denver uniform next season, because he and coach Sean Payton have found a way to not only peacefully co-exist, but embrace the beauty of winning gritty not pretty.
Since surrendering 10 touchdowns to the Dolphins, Joseph has given the defense an extreme makeover. Denver moved on from the mistakes that were Randy Gregory and Frank Clark as edge rushers, with Jonathon Cooper stepping up and Baron Browning getting healthy.
“Our defense has been lights-out. One of the best defenses in the world. Those guys have been unbelievable,” Wilson said. “Vance Joseph has done a great job with those guys, getting those guys ready every week.”
Ja’Quan McMillian has been a revelation, not to mention the feistiest slot corner this team hasn’t seen since the prime of Chris Harris. Fabian Moreau has patched a huge hole at cornerback, while P.J. Locke proves the Broncos are better at safety in the absence of Kareem Jackson. While members of the secondary wore “Free KJack” T-shirts during warm-ups, the fact of the matter is Denver is 3-0 in the games he has missed due to suspension for dirty hits.
Rather than whine about being penalized for hitting too hard, the Broncos should embrace their bad-boy image. As everyone from Ronnie Lott to Ray Lewis can attest: In the NFL, it is often better to be feared than to be loved.
“I am really proud of this team and how we have fought to keep it rolling,” said Justin Simmons, whose early season injury hurt worse than anyone could’ve imagined.
How far can these Broncos go?
Well, they play their final regular season game at Las Vegas in another 40 days and 40 nights.
And fewer than 40 nights later, there’s another little football game scheduled in Vegas on the second Sunday in February.
Although I did predict a 10-7 record for the Broncos prior to the season, I can’t say I saw this wild-and-crazy path to the playoffs unfolding.
Super Bowl?
Yes, it sounds preposterous to me.
But who are we to doubt Wilson and Joseph?
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