No offense, but the Broncos nevertheless have no offense.
The Orange Mush is averaging below two touchdowns per game no matter who’s the quarterback.
So, go ahead, fickle-faced fanatical, fixated folks, and anoint Brock Osweiler as the next King Super QB in Broncos history.
In their Super Bowl years the Broncos scored 31, 39, 42, 36, 45, 58 and 71 offensive touchdowns — an average of 46 per regular season.
With four games remaining the Broncos are on pace for 31 touchdowns — the same as the 1977 team and 40 behind 2013’s version.
Good thing there’s the OC2 defense.
In eight of 12 games the Broncos’ offense with Mannweiler has scored 0, 1 or 2 touchdowns. Brock Osweiler’s offense produced a season-high four touchdowns (the last in overtime) against New England; Peyton Manning’s offense managed three touchdowns in three games.
Brock Montana got two touchdowns and one touchdown in his other starts. Manning had zero in three games.
Good thing the NFL still allows field goals.
The Broncos are averaging 1.9 touchdowns, 1.8 field goals.
They tied the Patriots last season for first in the league in offensive touchdowns per game (3.3). This season they are wallowing at the bottom with San Francisco, St. Louis, Dallas and Cleveland. They, too, have changed quarterbacks.
For those who have conveniently forgotten, in the earlier confrontation between the Broncos and the Oakland Raiders, Denver put up zilch on offense against its ex-defensive coordinator. The Broncos relied on four field goals and a 74-yard pick-six play by Chris Harris.
Jack Del Rio knows Osweiler better than any of the Broncos’ coaches. He watched the quarterback up close in practices, exhibitions and OTAs from 2012-14.
Imagine what Del Rio will dial up for Os — or O’s? — on Sunday afternoon.
Then, there’s Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
Everybody in town wants to argue the merits of whether Manning — if and when he is healthy — or Osweiler should be the quarterback. It doesn’t make a difference if the rest stay the same.
Who is responsible for this anemic offense — the offensive line, the running backs, the tight ends, the wide receivers (hello, Demaryius, I’m talking to and about you), the quarterback, Gary Kubiak?
Sure, injuries have stacked up in the line with Ryan Clady, his replacement Ty Sambrailo and guards Evan Mathis and Louis Vasquez. C.J. Anderson is hurt again, and Ronnie Hillman isn’t feeling so hot himself. Emmanuel Sanders has played through pain, and Owen Daniels seems to be on the limited practice schedule each week, and Vernon Davis was concussed in San Diego.
Sure, the Broncos have new coaches and a new system on offense.
Who designed this offense — Mike Shanahan, Bill Walsh, Dan Reeves, Gary Kubiak or Rush Limbaugh?
Sure, the Broncos are relying on their defense. But, nine important defensive players have been injured and/or suspended, and they have a new coaching staff. Yet, they are No. 1 in the league and the best in Broncos history since the original Orange Crush. They aren’t making excuses or performing poorly with backups.
The Broncos had better get their act together on offense, or they will lose two of their final four and end up as the No. 3 seed in the AFC, and be forced to play Kansas City or Pittsburgh the first weekend of the postseason, then — should they avoid another home loss in the playoffs — the Bengals in Cincinnati and, heaven please forbid, the Patriots in New England.
If they don’t reach the Super Bowl with this anodyne offense, both starting quarterbacks could be gone — Peyton to retirement or to the New Orleans Saints, Brock to the Texans as a free agent — and it will be Trevor Siemian and some QB to be named later vs. the world.
What to do? The Broncos’ offense must color outside the lines — breaking through the rigid boundaries and becoming more creative risk-takers.
I’ve been saving the good news, though.
The ’77 original Orange Crush did get to the Super Bowl with 31 touchdowns. The 2000 Super Bowl-winning Baltimore Ravens had only 29 touchdowns from their offense in the regular season.
And the Seahawks of 2013 scored 30.
It’s a rare achievement, but possible. And both Seattle and Baltimore did score three touchdowns on offense in the Super Bowl.
TD3 is the goal, Broncos.
No offense, no chance.
Woody Paige: woody@woodypaige.com or @woodypaige
