Perspective: Can Russell Wilson and Coach Payton Revive Denver Broncos After Dolphins Blowout and 0–3 Shocker?

This season has not been kind to the Broncos. It is safe to say that the Broncos’ fans did not get their souls satisfied! After Russell Wilson joined the Broncos and they hired Sean Payton, fans thought change was afoot for the Broncos, who had an unremarkable 5-12 season last year. However, did the $296 million QB’s head coach who mocked his predecessor, rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett, deliver? 

Looks like it’s getting progressively worse for the Broncos who lost by 1 point, then 2, and in their latest one, by 50! What were the fatal flaws and can the Broncos recover from this defeat?

A close defeat, a blown lead, and a record loss

It is safe to say that the Raiders and Commanders were arguably winnable games that the Broncos tanked. In their season opener against the Raiders, the uninspired offense put up only 16 points and finally lost by 1 point. In Week 2, early on in the game, the Broncos managed to secure a 21-3 lead. Fans heaved a sigh of relief and thought maybe, just maybe the losing streak won’t really be a streak. Just a one-off loss. But they were about to be disappointed big time as the Broncos blew their 18-point lead and lost to the Washington Commanders 33-35.

And then the infamous game that coach Sean Payton, in a post-game interaction, characterized as “embarrassing” and “tough to watch” happened. In that historic (for all the wrong reasons) match against the Dolphins, Denver allowed the most points (70) and yards (726) in franchise history. The match also set an NFL record. It became the match with the highest points since the Commanders’ 72 in 1966.

Read more: Whose NFL Record Is More Shocking, 0–3 Broncos or 0–3 Vikings?

The questions hovering over the minds of Broncos fans’ are – can we salvage this? Or should we pack up our Denver jerseys and wait for the next season? Do the Denver Broncos stand a chance this season? Where’s the silver lining in all the dark clouds hanging over the Broncos’ camp?

A battle to avoid the bottom

When the owners hired Sean Payton, they wanted to forget the mess his predecessor had made of the Broncos. And Sean seemingly did just that. But by putting up an even worse performance. We’re not laying the blame on Payton at all. It’s only his second 0-3 start after his 2016 stint with the New Orleans Saints and he has been a coach for three decades. He has the requisite head coaching potential but definitely needs to learn from his mistakes. 

The next obvious person in the crosshair is Russell Wilson who’s a shell of his former Seattle Seahawks self. Some of the criticism was justified as he threw several interceptions and scored only 5 touchdowns in the first two games. But in the Dolphins beat down, he recorded 56 rushing yards and became the only player in NFL history with 5,000 rushing yards and 4,000 passing yards. He definitely looked much better than he did in 2022.

It is fair to suggest that the entire team dynamic needs to buck up. In the game against the Dolphins, the defense was stretched thin covering Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. And Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane had a field day, scoring 4 touchdowns each. The Broncos desperately need Justin Simmons, their All-Pro Safety to get back to the field. LB Josey Jewell’s departure due to a groin injury also put a large dent in the defense.

They have two winnable games coming up. Their next match is against a 0-3 Chicago Bears. Denver giving up 40.7 points per game for an obvious NFL-worst versus Chicago’s second-worst at 35.3 points per game. We don’t want to say it, but it looks like a battle to avoid the bottom for the two in Week 4. In the game after that, they are up against a 1-2 Rodgers-less New York Jets. If they lose any of these two matches, especially the one against the Bears, it will be game over for the Denver Broncos.

Editorial Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of EssentiallySports. 

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