Joseph may or may not work like mayor
Broncos’ coach sits in hotter seat than Hancock
They might be the two most secondguessed men in town. Your sidewalk is cracked? Blame Michael Hancock. And if the Broncos lose? It’s all Vance Joseph’s fault.
As the Denver mayor and the Broncos’ coach chatted after a recent trainingcamp practice at team headquarters, it occurred to me: In less than five minutes, a YouTube video can offer easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions on how to change the spark plugs in a car. But what’s the only way to really learn how to be mayor or coach? Trial by error, with every mistake scrutinized. Presented my idea, Hancock offered a thumbsup in agreement.
As a new leader, there’s inevitably an unforeseen crisis prompting a moment of high anxiety: “What do I do now?” Hancock said.
A new mayor is given four years to prove himself to voters. Joseph will be a much better head coach three or four years down the road.
The problem? The NFL doesn’t have nearly as much patience with a young leader on the sideline as the time we the people allot a mayor to figure out how to fill potholes and remove snow on our streets.
How many games must Joseph win in 2018 to keep his job? Seven? Eight? Is it playoffs-or-bust for Denver’s secondyear coach?
So is there any doubt which member of the Broncos’ traveling party to Washington, D.C., for the full dress rehearsal of the exhibition season is under the pressure?
It’s certainly not linebacker Von Miller.
“I sack the quarterback and tell jokes,” Miller said.
And he gets paid roughly $19 million per year. Beats working, don’t you think?
While the performance of new quarterback Case Keenum has more closely resembled Trevor Siemian’s than Peyton Manning’s during two preseason appearances, there’s nobody looking over his shoulder, evaluating whether Keenum should retain his position as the No. 1
quarterback.
As a coach, Joseph is suspect until he proves otherwise.
A week ago, general manager John Elway said: “We’ve got to get guys ready to play and open the season to where we’re playing well.” Catch the hint?
Maybe it’s not necessary for Denver to win Friday against Washington. And we all understand the NFL regular season is a long grind. But Joseph really has no choice except to emerge victorious Sept. 9 against Seattle in the home opener. While Joseph would be crazy to call it a mustwin, he must certainly understand: Lose to the Seahawks, and Broncomaniacs will be shouting that retaining Joseph for Year 2 was a mistake.
Joseph appears to be a changed man from the rookie coach we saw a year ago at training camp. He’s more vocal, more demanding, with more urgency in his every step.
But in the NFL, only two words really count: Scoreboard, baby.
Since Oct. 15, 2017, a span of more than 10 months, Joseph has led the Broncos into a game 14 times. Ten have counted in the NFL standings. Two were for practice, against Minnesota and Chicago, to prove Joseph’s growth as a leader. And how many times has Denver won in its past 14 games? Twice. Only two times.
If winning is a habit, so is losing.
The third game of the exhibition season matters because that’s when starters play the most. How long will Keenum and Miller and the top Broncos play against Washington?
“We’re not going to count snaps. We’re going to count progress,” Joseph said.
Does Denver’s rookie class, from first-round choice Bradley Chubb to undrafted Phillip Lindsay, look promising? Yes. Does Keenum give the Broncos a QB capable of commanding veteran teammates’ respect? Yes. But has Joseph and his coaching staff mastered how to prepare a team for a fast start and close out a victory in the fourth quarter? I’d like to tell you yes, but there’s no conclusive evidence.
The biggest question mark for the Broncos in 2018? It’s Joseph.