Last week reminded us that the Broncos are in deep trouble this season. Once again, interceptions were thrown, penalties called, runs stuffed and hands wrung.
The blaring alarm comes from offensive statistics that look bad, are bad, and seem impossible to comprehend for a team not wearing leather helmets and playing on black-and-white TVs with rabbit ears.
No one disputes the premise that the Broncos offense stinks. Where does the blame lie?
Quinn Meinerz (77) of the Denver Broncos prepares to take the field before the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
There are plenty of accomplices, but the line starts behind the offensive line. As the Broncos logged 14 three-and-outs and one touchdown in back-to-back losses, no group has been more disappointing when framed against expectations.
After a muggy practice in August, left guard Ben Powers sat on a bench and set the standard.
“We know this organization cares about having a dominant offensive line,” Powers said. “We take a lot of pride in that. We have to do every bit of our job to carry this team where it wants to go.”
Instead, the promising five has dragged the offense into the dumpster, the first two weeks a series of elementary mistakes and missed blocks. According to Pro Football Focus — its grades are not foolproof but provide a fair barometer — the Broncos rank 31st in run blocking and 30th in pass protection.
This comes as no surprise to former Pro Bowl guard Mark Schlereth and Super Bowl 50 champion tackles Tyler Polumbus and Ryan Harris. They know way more than I do about the trenches, so I asked them for their assessment after watching the film.
“Well, obviously this past week was atrocious for everyone. We have seen a lot of bad football the last eight years and that might have been the worst,” said Polumbus, who works as a midday talk show host at Altitude Radio. “I am glad I didn’t have to go against those dudes on the Steelers. They are really good. But the O-line was terrible.”
Why?
Schelerth, who hosts national and local talk shows and calls NFL games for Fox Sports, was blunt.
“Every play seems to have a physical breakdown, but more importantly a mental breakdown,” he said. “I know you will get your butt kicked physically sometimes. We have all been there. But to not know what to do when a safety enters the box, to come off blocks and chase ghosts, it shows a lack of understanding of what they are trying to do globally.”
Or, as Harris put it, “In general they are choosing to be tired, people are on the ground too much, and they are not sustaining blocks.”
Alex Highsmith (56) of the Pittsburgh Steelers sacks Bo Nix (10) of the Denver Broncos during the first quarter at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
The Broncos rank 27th with 163 rushing yards, but 60 have come from quarterback Bo Nix on scrambles, save for one designed run. Denver sits 30th in passing yards per attempt (5.0) and is tied for the league lead with four interceptions.
We knew Nix was going to experience more growing pains than Kirk Cameron. But we did not expect the offensive line to play like rookies.
PFF views the group, except for Mike McGlinchey, dimly, ranking Quinn Meinerz 60th and Ben Powers 63rd out of 65 qualifying guards. Luke Wattenberg (33rd) is last among centers, and Bolles, who has been dealing with a lower left leg injury, ranks 63rd out of 68 tackles. ESPN’s win rate percentage is kinder, grading Powers ninth in run blocking and McGlinchey 20th in pass blocking. McGlinchey, however, hurt his knee against the Steelers and will be sidelined for four weeks, replaced by first-time starter Alex Palczewski.
“It’s about execution. You see it on tape, whether it is someone missing a block or movement happens,” Meinerz said. “We have to continue on the front five, pointing thumbs in, and we have to fix this (expletive).”
Meinerz’s play has been the most surprising. The Broncos gave him $45 million in guaranteed money as part of a four-year contract extension this offseason. He has not resembled the mauler he was in 2023 when he earned Pro Bowl alternate honors.
“The first three run plays against the Steelers, Quinn had busts in all of them. I thought he was bad, just too many plays where he whiffed or got beat. I don’t know if he feels like he has to block three guys in one play or what. That happens sometimes when you get paid and try to do too much,” Schlereth said. “He’s a big, physical cat who can move people. We have seen him do it really well. But he has got to play way, way better.”
Harris pointed out that Meinerz is still young — just 25 — and continuing to learn.
“He needs to get to a point where he uses anticipation as much as he’s reacting to what is happening in front of his eyes,” Harris said. “You have to anticipate where the movement is coming from.”
There comes a point where the answers are in the mirror. The Broncos invested heavily in this group over the past two seasons — $126 million guaranteed to Meinerz, Powers and McGlinchey — to help create an offensive identity. Right now, the Broncos don’t know who they are since they don’t do anything well.
“We take it personally,” Powers said. “It’s on us.”
The bad news is that the Broncos have been awful. The good news is that this group has talent. They showed it last season. It starts in meetings, Harris explained, “by holding each other accountable.”
“This is on the players and the coach (Zach Strief) too. You have to find a way to talk about the scheme and make it fun if you can. With (Broncos former offensive line coach) Rick Dennison we had chalk talk. And you would get asked to go to the board and draw up the protection against the blitz,” Harris said. “And if you got it wrong, you got it with a sock.”
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton watches the action against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
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Offensive linemen are famous for sticking together, believing in each other, living in the shadows. The Broncos have to do this on the practice field — where the eye in the sky doesn’t lie — and translate it to Sunday against Tampa Bay’s blitzing defense.
“Despite what we have seen, I have a lot of respect for everybody on the line. They are really good players. None of them got their money because they were bad,” Polumbus said. “They have the ability to get better.”
For Schlereth, it starts with the run. He won two Super Bowls in Denver on the strength of Terrell Davis leaving tire tracks on opponents’ chests. The lack of balance remains striking with Denver ranking 26th in rush attempts. Worse, they remain alarmingly predictable. They have run 32 plays under center and 25 of them were runs, according to Next Gen Stats. It’s the equivalent of tipping pitches.
As the Broncos contend with a forgettable September, many are asking the same pointed question: Can the Broncos offense show signs of life?
The answer is yes, and it starts up front with the grunts.
“It is fixable. There’s an old Neal McCoy song, ‘Small Up and Simple Down,’” Schlereth said. “(Coach) Sean (Payton) has to make it as simple as possible. He’s always been a guy who has used multiple formations and multiple personnel groups. At this point, it doesn’t look like the line can handle that. So find things they do well, and they will start playing faster and they should start playing a lot better.”
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