Denver Broncos fans expected to see a new and improved offense at their preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings. What they saw was the same lackluster offense of the previous two years, and a beyond-disappointing 42-28 loss.
Is it too early to allow our hearts to sink to the floor? Yes.
Why the Denver Broncos Offense Must Improve
Quarterback Case Keenum managed one completion in the two series he played, and the offensive starters totaled a paltry nine total yards in two three-and-outs. Denver did score 28 points by game’s end, but only seven of those points came from first and second-team offenses, after a 20-yard scoring drive following an interception.
Head coach Vance Joseph didn’t want to push his men too far and allowed each starter two series of play. He was just as disappointed as everyone else. “We didn’t move the ball at all,” he emphasized “So, disappointing obviously. You want guys to go out there and at least have a decent drive, but we didn’t do that.”
Number two quarterback Paxton Lynch played seven possessions, mostly with the second-team offense. The entire group struggled and Lynch finished the game 6-of-11 for 24 yards, a sack, and an interception. When Lynch was in the game, the Broncos didn’t go more than five plays per drive (but six of the possessions went for three or lower plays).
Chad Kelly fared much better with third-teamers than Keenum and Lynch, finishing with 14-21 for 177 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. The fans chanted his name and were clearly desperate for him to take over, despite his one interception. That was still better than what his two counterparts had accomplished. Again, it was just one game, but he showed a lot of spark last year too.
Some Areas for Improvement
Working through a variety of formations and player combinations didn’t reap many benefits, but we need to remember it was only one game. There are still three more to truly test every option.
Getting a first down needs to happen much quicker. Against Minnesota, their first down only came with less than six minutes remaining in the first half
Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave needs to create more suitable matchups and a much better run-pass balance. He spent a large portion of the off-season discussing these with Joseph, but his plans haven’t panned out yet.
Just like the last two seasons, all three quarterbacks need better protection. Ill-timed penalties have to be eliminated and uneven play behind center must end. As Keenum said, “You can’t have negative plays, can’t have the penalties. Those things set you back. We never got into a rhythm, never got that first down and got going”.
As mentioned by Jeff Legwold of ESPN, cornerback Chris Harris Jr. had said during training camp that he visualized a re-vamped offense with Keenum as QB1. He envisioned the offense “putting up at least 30 a game.” Fans hoped and believed to see this early in the season. It can still happen. The offensive coaches know what their unit needs to do, and it’s reasonable for us to expect improvements on the horizon.
