The Brock Osweiler fanclub is close to capacity.
After his cool and composed performance on Sunday night that led the Denver Broncos to the 30-24 win, the praise can’t come fast enough. Hopefully Osweiler has some pants with a flexible waist so he doesn’t get uncomfortable.
Two games, two wins. It doesn’t get better than that, especially when the most recent victory knocks the New England Patriots from the ranks of the unbeaten (thanks John Madden). The Broncos offense has responded in major fashion to the change at quarterback. The whole team seems to have taken on Osweiler’s bravado.
But without Gary Kubiak as the head coach, Denver does not beat the Patriots. Not after getting down 14-0 and 21-7. Under John Fox, the Broncos would have fallen apart and would have been blown out of the stadium. They wouldn’t have made adjustments. They wouldn’t have believed they could win the game. They wouldn’t have had the confidence they could win because their coach wouldn’t have.
Denver would have been caught off guard and unprepared but also unable to respond and get over it.
Heap all the praise you want on Osweiler, he’s played incredibly well. Give some to the offensive line. A lot to the Denver defense. Heck, even the special teams shook off the bad start to help get the win.
But the Broncos won this game because of who their coach is and who is not. They won because of Kubiak.
He has them ready for those situations so they’re not caught off guard. He shows belief and trust in his team that it can win, no matter what. Kubiak never gives up, and the team notices that.
He and his staff can make adjustments. He finds what’s working and does it over and over. Just as Mike Shanahan was able to do.
Don’t take my word for it, the results speak for themselves. No situation is too big for this team because it’s prepared. When the Broncos face adversity they overcome it because they’re prepared. They have gone over any and every scenario possible in practice and meetings. And not just the starters, but every player on the roster. The same holds true for the coaches.
As Kubiak said in training camp, it’s about memory.
It’s no coincidence that all we’ve heard since C.J. Anderson scored the game-winning touchdown is that the moment isn’t too big for Osweiler. A lot of the credit goes to him for that. But just as much goes to Kubiak. The moment isn’t too big for him either and that’s gone overlooked.
The faith Kubiak showed in his quarterback, making just his second start, on that third-and-one from the Patriots’ 48-yard line, was massive. Kubiak called two running plays and told Osweiler to get the offense the best of the two. And he did.
Fox didn’t show that kind of trust in Peyton Manning or his offensive coaches with 30 seconds remaining and two timeouts in a playoff game.
Unlike Kubiak, the moment was too big for Fox. Hence why he could never beat a team with a winning record, won two playoff games with teams that should have won Super Bowls, was one-and-done in the playoffs twice, and eventually quit.
Hence why Denver was caught off guard by the crowd noise at the Super Bowl and the game was lost after the first snap.
Hence why Jack Del Rio still hasn’t made the adjustment to put Chris Harris on T.Y. Hilton.
Hence why Manning took a knee.
As we’ve heard since John Elway fired, er, mutually parted ways with Fox, he wants his team to go out “kicking and screaming.”
By all means, become a card-carrying member of the Osweiler fan-club. His first two starts could not have gone any better (thanks John Madden).
But without Kubiak as the head coach, Osweiler and this team don’t have this success.
The Broncos don’t beat the Patriots.
They don’t go out “kicking and screaming” yet again.
Perhaps it’s time to create another fan-club.
