Vance Joseph is lucky to be here, with a second chance to prove the Broncos didn’t make a huge mistake by hiring him as coach.
What did he learn from the eight-game losing streak that wrecked Denver’s season in 2017 and put Joseph on the hot seat until further notice?
“I’m a tough guy,” Joseph said.
Give Joseph this: He’s a survivor.
But as the Broncos walked away from their final practice of spring Thursday, what will be their biggest question mark heading into training camp?
It’s not quarterback Case Keenum. He might not be a Pro Bowler. But he definitely won’t be a stiff.
And it’s OK to get excited about rookies Bradley Chubb and Courtland Sutton, two draft picks I’d be willing to bet general manager John Elway got right.
The guy I worry about is Joseph. He practices well. He stinks at games.
“I think last year was a teaching moment for me,” Joseph said.
That’s what is troubling, and this is on Elway. How does a franchise that professes to be all about winning the Super Bowl throw away a season on a rookie coach who obviously wasn’t ready to run an NFL franchise?
I’m not going to say Joseph allowed a country-club atmosphere. It was more like summer camp, right down to the T-shirts handed out.
Truth: You don’t have to be an irascible bear to win a championship, but Joseph was way too nice, way too passive, way too forgiving and way too slow to react, whether the problem was Isaiah McKenzie bobbling punts or offensive coordinator Mike McCoy installing game plans that smelled suspiciously like insubordination. That’s how a home loss to the Giants snowballed into an embarrassing annihilation at Philadelphia, and before Joseph could say “Enough!” the losing streak hit eight.
“When you lost that many games in a row, my job is to fix it quicker,” Joseph said. “Good teams don’t lose three and four games in a row, so that’s on me. I can do better there and I will do better. Hopefully, we don’t have those kind of losing streaks again. But if we do have adversity, it’s my job to fix it quicker. What I’ve learned, I don’t know yet, but I know I have to fix it quicker and that’s my job.”
When it would have been easy to throw his quarterbacks under the bus for a 5-11 record, Joseph instead took full responsibility. And you’ve got to respect that. But when Joseph talks about it being his job to find quicker fixes, why do I hear the voice of Elway? It’s as if a problem employee has been put on an action plan, but is scrambling for clues for how to ratchet up productivity before the next performance appraisal.
It’s always sunny in June, when every NFL team that missed the playoffs vows to make amends for their mistakes.
“After going 5-11, everyone is focused. Everyone wants to obviously improve,” Joseph said. “Last year was a tough year, so the guys who returned understand that. It’s hard to win in this league. Even when you start 3-1, you have to continue to work and grind and get better every day. If you don’t, you can lose seven or eight in a row. We understand that.”
For all the yada, yada, yada at Dove Valley Headquarters regarding renewed focus, energy and urgency, watching the Broncos work under Joseph is a far cry from how Gary Kubiak, Mike Shanahan and Dan Reeves went about their business. Every leader has to be true to his own personality, but Joseph seems so intent on letting men be men that his vibe feels almost laissez faire on the football field.
“You’re going to have adversity in this league. Every team last year had adversity, even Philly, who won a championship,” said Joseph, noting the tribulations overcome by the Eagles. “They lost their tackle, they lost their quarterback, so it’s my job and the coaches’ job to fix it quicker. That (is something) we have to do in this league. It’s going to be hard times. It’s not going to be all roses next year. Absolutely, it’s going to be hard times. It’s my job to fix it quicker.”
Joseph is an old quarterback. So tell me if this is fair criticism: He hangs tough in the pocket and can take a hit. But his ability to read and react under pressure is questionable until proven otherwise.
“We’ll see in the fall if I got better,” Joseph said. “It all comes down to wins and losses.”
How many victories will be required to prove Joseph’s competency? Is eight enough? Or will it require 10 wins and a playoff berth?
