“If everything seems under control, you’re not going fast enough.”
– Mario Andretti
When I lost a job earlier this year, all I could think about was how quickly the moment would come that I didn’t have a paycheck to rely on. No matter how much I tried to focus on all the other needs of the situation, such as resumes, referrals, recommendations, and the rest, I always found myself returning to obsess about that looming lack of pay. When something surprises you that way, it is hard to immediately get your head back on straight, especially with a tight turnaround and tough circumstances on the horizon. Referring to Mr. Andretti, everything did NOT seem under control, and it was all still moving WAY too damned fast.
I have to imagine the Denver Broncos can relate with a lot of those sorts of emotions after their unanticipated shellacking Monday night against the hated Kansas City Chiefs. There weren’t very many phases of the game to point to with pride, an emotion head coach Sean Payton voiced well in saying, “there was dirt on a ton of people’s hands” when discussing the game this week.
There won’t be much time to shake that dirt off this week in a short week leading up to the Broncos first home game of the season, a contest against the only team that beat them in Denver last regular season, the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags put up a hell of a win against Cleveland in their Week 1 contest, though Cleveland also looks like they might be toppled by a peewee squad who had a little depth. It’s hard to tell just what sort of a contest this next game is shaping up to be, though it doesn’t project to be easy, for sure.
While that all sounds a little bleak out of the gates, there are several factors pointing in Denver’s favor for Week 2. Bo Nix has yet to win a season opener as the Broncos starter, and yet he’s put up the impressive records that have followed since. Beyond that, he had an exceptional game against Jacksonville last season. New play caller Davis Webb should also have some of the dust knocked off after his first go at handling the reins, and the running game ought to better gel with a week’s worth of tape now watched to get on track. I’d also expect their shiny new wide receiver tandem to see a lot more play than they got in the first game.
On the defensive side of the ball, the roster stacks up like one that should have never allowed all the yards they did to Kansas City, and so ought to be coming out for Week 2 with a lot of pride to be playing for. There were moments you weren’t sure all of the D had been taught how to tackle in Week 1, with 28 missed tackles in the game. I’d expect some ferocity out of this next game. In post-practice interviews all week, the guys on the defensive side of the ball have looked plain pissed. Would hate to be a Jaguar on offense this week.
The Broncos have had all the right things to say after starting out their season on the wrong foot. Getting themselves back to .500 against a tough team in a short week would go a long ways towards alleviating the slight sense of terror starting to grip many Broncos fans extra early into the year. It a tight turnaround, but they need to get themselves back in that saddle. Going too fast? Too bad. Feel a little out of control? Welcome to the party, pal.
