NFL.com Scoffs at Notion of Broncos Being 'Wolf in Sheep's Clothing'
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Just when the Denver Broncos thought they were paddling in safe waters, free of embarrassment, Nathaniel Hackett leaped out of the water to drag them back to the depths of ridicule and incompetence, just like Friday The 13th's monster Jason Voorhees. The Broncos continue to outdo themselves weekly, destroying their reputation and infuriating the fan base.
Only five weeks into the season, it's clear that Denver has an insurmountable number of problems to solve to be competitive in 2023. By no means did the New York Jets play good football on Sunday, but all they had to do was not play worse than Sean Payton’s squad.
Mission accomplished.
Although the Broncos lost, they remain in the 28th slot in NFL.com's Week 6 power rankings. Here’s Eric Edholm’s take on Denver’s continued incompetence.
Broncos Rank: 28
There were plenty of things worth pointing fingers at after the loss to the Jets, but it starts with Sean Payton. After all, Payton put the focus on himself with preseason comments that clearly played a role in fueling the Jets on Sunday. Was it arrogant? Meant to shield his players? Whatever it was, it has backfired tremendously in Payton’s 1-4 start in Denver. That the Broncos reasonably could be 3-2 (and unreasonably, 4-1) is no solace when one loss came by 50 points. There have been too many self-inflicted errors to call this team a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The offense went ice-cold most of the second half against New York, and the run defense was chewed up once more. Back to square one.
If Broncos Country didn’t believe that Payton was a part of the problem before, it sure does now. Payton put a massive target on the Broncos' back with his training camp comments about Hackett, his predecessor in Denver and now Jets offensive coordinator.
Payton hailed Hackett’s tenure in Denver as “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.” And yet, Payton’s coaching in Week 5 vs. the Jets rivaled any lackluster and uninspired game Hackett led a season ago.
Jaleel McLaughlin was electric early on before Payton decided that he'd seen enough and once again abandoned the run game, leaving the Broncos' dynamic rookie running back with only nine carries. A playmaker like him needs more touches, especially when guys like Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton are non-factors.
The second-half collapses have become a staple in the Broncos' campaign for the continuing collapse of a once proud franchise. The worst part of Denver's 1-4 start is how winnable the majority of the games have been.
The lack of discipline on both sides of the ball puts the Broncos behind the eight-ball before they even take the field. The Jets also played a sloppy game, but head coach Robert Saleh has a better command of his team.
In a game with more fumbles (eight) than third-down conversions, and the Broncos come out the other side with a loss, the blame falls on the team's lack of mental fortitude. That falls on coaching.
If Payton wants to save his legacy, he’ll have to coach this Broncos squad to a victory against a division rival and defending Super Bowl champs on a short week in Arrowhead Stadium. The Kansas City Chiefs have owned the Broncos since Week 2 of the 2015 season, and if that continues on Thursday, jobs will be lost, and players will be traded.
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