So much has gone wrong for the Denver Broncos this season that it’s impossible to focus on one thing. From starting the season as a 3-1 AFC powerhouse to frontrunners for a top-five draft pick at 3-9, the embarrassment that has been the 2017 season had its bar raised Sunday in a blowout loss to the Miami Dolphins.
Throughout the Broncos’ season, one of the most scrutinized positions has been at punt returner, where rookie Isaiah McKenzie has not only failed to provide game-breaking plays, but has also failed to hold onto the ball. McKenzie entered week 13 with five fumbles off of punt returns. The Broncos had made him inactive in recent weeks, but the coaching staff surprised many by activating McKenzie against the Broncos and making last week’s returned, Jordan Taylor, inactive.
Taylor had been taking punt return responsibilities in McKenzie’s absence, but for week 13’s matchup, the Broncos decided to take a gamble on a potential big play from McKenzie.
The results were expected. McKenzie returned only one punt, which resulted in a disaster.
In the middle of the fourth quarter, McKenzie fielded a punt within his own five-yard line instead of letting it bounce into the end zone for a touchback. With the field covered in Dolphins players, McKenzie attempted to break a few tackles and gain a couple extra yards. In doing so, McKenzie fumbled the ball backwards and into the end zone, giving the Dolphins their second safety of the game.
On the Dolphins’ next punt, and for reasons known only to the Broncos’ coaching staff, McKenzie was back to return it again. The baffling, indefensible decision indicates that the coaching staff was completely lost in the midst of another humiliating loss.
If there was ever an exclamation point at the end of a humiliating game for the Broncos, this was it. The fact that McKenzie, an unproven rookie who has fumbled the ball on more than a third of his touches this year was active in the place of Taylor was a slap to the face of all fans who’ve watched the Broncos this season.
To make McKenzie the team’s starting punt returner was a strange, confusing decision made by a coaching staff that is supposedly coaching for their jobs.
And finally, with McKenzie’s sixth fumble on the year, the fact that he was placed back to continue fielding punts after the inexcusable safety indicates that the Broncos’ coaching staff simply doesn’t have what it takes to continue leading this team.
The blame can partly be placed on special teams coordinator Brock Olivo, who has been on the hot seat for the disappointing play of that unit this year. Much can also be placed on head coach Vance Joseph, who took a former Super Bowl team of 2015 and instead has the Broncos at 3-9 on the year. Regardless of who is at fault for the debacle of the special teams unit, and the 2017 season in general, McKenzie has not shown enough to remain on this roster — let alone start at punt returner — going forward.
The season is not yet officially over, as the Broncos still have four games left before they conclude a historically poor 2017 season. The Broncos will need to make widespread, sweeping changes if they plan on being a competitive team in 2018.
