Everyone who watches the NFL, or at least knows what the abbreviation stands for, knows of the Broncos. They are the defending champions with the league’s gnarliest defense. They stand alone. And remain lonely, lacking supporters for their title defense because of uncertainty at quarterback.
Much of last season was mesmerizing — when their opponents had the ball. The Broncos liked the walls closing in, relished the boulder chasing them down as they dived to safety and dispatched a villain with a whip. The Broncos, of all teams, were Raiders of a Lost Art.
The Broncos’ formula — the Orange Rush conjuring up images of the Orange Crush — was unusual for a number of reasons. For one thing, the Broncos long have been identified by one player in their most memorable years: the quarterback.
John Elway won two Super Bowls, and Peyton Manning claimed one. And before Manning exited after last season he spent the previous three seasons turning the NFL and Broncos record books into his own personal resume.
Much of the outside disrespect, as the Broncos defensive players label it, comes from not knowing who the quarterback is. Watching coach Gary Kubiak handle the situation last week made me think — against conventional wisdom — the Broncos again will be all right. Kubiak deftly navigated the situation a year ago, pumping up Brock Osweiler’s confidence on a week-by-week basis while keeping a carrot in front of Manning’s nose to cross the finish line after he recovered from his foot injury. It was masterful, particularly when you consider the egos and stakes involved.
This summer, Kubiak isn’t comfortable but likes his three candidates: veteran Mark Sanchez, second-year quarterback Trevor Siemian and rookie Paxton Lynch. Externally, this has been characterized as nothing short of whistling while walking past the graveyard. At Dove Valley, the unusual makes sense because it worked last year as the Broncos molded their team around a historically great defense.
Kubiak had no issue going conservative, turning a punt into a highlight. The Broncos need more this season. And he boasts credentials to pull it off. Kubiak enjoys teaching and grooming players. It was a driving force in why Elway wanted his good friend in charge after parting ways with coach John Fox.
Kubiak describes the quarterback position as an open competition. He approaches it that way. Ask anyone who has played for him, and they say he will keep an open mind. Kubiak’s strengths as a leader pour out of his news conferences: he is candid, transparent, compassionate, yet stern and demanding. He logs the hours. Points out his own mistakes, and expects improvement from himself and those around him without making life miserable.
When Manning and Brock Osweiler departed within days of each other, the Broncos were in trouble. The depth chart suggests they still are. But Kubiak remains the equalizer. He played the position, coaches the position and has this wonderful habit of doing what’s best for the team. It won the Broncos a Super Bowl even if it likely lost Osweiler, whose close allies wanted him to leave after his benching against the San Diego Chargers. That is a trade anyone in this sport would make: a ring for quarterback drama the next offseason. Where do you sign up?
In 1999, in my previous life covering the Broncos, I watched Mike Shanahan, the master of creating mismatches and devising offensive plays, face a similar issue. Elway retired. Bubby Brister was the starter, and Shanahan, just before the season, made a startling pocket change, elevating Brian Griese. The players voiced displeasure. They loved Brister. And they weren’t about to rally around Griese. They started 0-4 and never recovered.
There is a lesson here, one Kubiak recognizes. The Broncos need the best fit for the team, not for the scheme. The Broncos are built to win another title. For that to happen, Kubiak must exercise remarkable patience in finding a quarterback, knowing it might again take more than one starter to secure a second ring.
