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Why Sean McVay has found tremendous success as a first-time head coach and Vance Joseph hasn’t

Zac Stevens
Zac Stevens
October 11, 2018
Why Sean McVay has found tremendous success as a first-time head coach and Vance Joseph hasn’t

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Zac Stevens

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Jack Double Magnum

Jack Double Magnum

October 11, 2018

One thing I’m worried about with Vance Joseph and this coaching staff & the disappointment we’ve seen so far is what impact this is or could have on the rookies & first year players. Would Bolles be further along? Would Isaiah McKenzie have been able to bounce back mentally/confidence wise with a different coaching staff after last year? I’m really excited about our rookie class but I’m honestly worried that this coaching staff is completely incapable of developing a young player at this point. All the rookies that have contributed this year have all been from their advanced maturity & leadership skills. We didn’t draft players this year like in the past where there was going on be as big of a learning curve. I just haven’t seen this staff develop a single player yet and it’s concerning for the future of this franchise IMO what impact this staff has going forward in a downward spiral

Dags

Dags

October 12, 2018

You make some great points Zac, and I completely agree. In a recent pod, you and Ryan talked about the value of a head coach getting “his guy” at QB. While I have seen many indications of poor coaching, there is is no doubt that Vance has not been given much help from his QBs. I have heard it said that Case was not VJ’s guy, but rather was a choice made for him by the organization.

Perhaps it’s unfair for us to pass final judgement on Vance’s coaching abilities before we see what he can do with better play from under center. That may not have to come from the “cream of the crop” in the draft or a high dollar free agent. In many cases, the cohesion between the head coach and the QB is more important than the skills on paper.

(Not trying to fuel the hype train here but hear me out)
VJ’s QB may already be on the roster. Regardless of where he was drafted, Vance Joesph said that Chad Kelly was his favorite QB in the draft – his guy. In the preseason, after the first team offense played anemic football, Chad Kelly entered the game and everything started clicking. While much of this could be dismissed as strong play against 2nd and 3rd teamers, the team’s engine just ran smoother with Kelly on the field. Maybe some of that added success could be attributed to a better connection between the head coach and his QB.

I’m not calling for a QB switch yet, but this is definitely a factor to consider if Case’s struggles continue. I certainly think the possibility needs to be thuroughly explored before showing Vance Joseph the door. Thoughts?

MisterSplit

MisterSplit

October 12, 2018

Thank you for this article Mr. Stevens!!! This is why subscribe to BSN Denver. I left a comment how VJ might be getting the short end of the stick when it comes to a qb. Here you come lay down the law with this article. Literally gave me goosebumps bc I’m reading it and like yes yes yes and uh huh. Duh I’ve been saying this for 2 yrs now when they wanted to fire him last yr! Definitely room for VJ to grow as a coach with decisions and clock management etc. But that comes with being on the job. Those mistakes are bound to happen. I just feel like get this man a qb like the other teams have done for they coaches and if he fails then fire his @$$! But once again thank you for everything you guys do. Saving the podcasts for when I hit the road. Truck driver here keeping America moving! #Let2IN (let in 2 cars or trucks) while on your way to work or home! Go Broncos!!!!

MisterSplit Replying to MisterSplit
Zac Stevens

Zac Stevens

Author
October 12, 2018

Hahah I LOVE it! Thank you SO much! These comments mean a ton.

I think you summed it up great — This isn’t a defense of Joseph, per se, it’s just stating the facts that he may not be set up to succeed. I think it would be fair to see what he does with competent QB play and if it works out then great, if not, then moving on would certainly make sense.

Let in 2 cars or trucks! haha.

3 and Outstanding

3 and Outstanding

October 12, 2018

Sure the quarterback has to perform, but the playcalling has to allow the quarterback the opportunity to do so. I made this statement on this weeks question of the week. Which was then completely dismissed. It bears repeating here though. Stats don’t lie. Keenum is not a pocket passer. His rating goes up significantly outside of the pocket. Those are facts. Whether its Musgrave, or Joseph calling those plays, they simply are calling plays that are not playing Keenum to his strengths.

It’s all great and wonderful to try and open up play action for Keenum, but that only works when the run game is being featured as a threat. As we saw against the Jets that is just not the case. Keenum had 51 passing plays called. Some of the more mind-boggling of which were play action when the run had been completely abandoned by that point. We can point at the QB and say that he needs to make those plays. That does not excuse the plays that are being called from the sidelines. The play calling has to set the quarterback up for success. It’s a two-way street.

Part of being an effective coach is understanding your quarterback’s strengths and limitations and building a game plan around those things. That is not something we have really seen from this Denver team this year. Keenum has the tools to be a good quarterback. We have all seen it. When you put him behind center, spread offense with a 3 step drop and expect him to deliver dimes in the pocket he struggles. He holds the ball way too long, he looks uncomfortable, and he looks like a deer in headlights. When he is allowed to bootleg, or move around he makes the amazing passes we all know he is capable of.

If I can see that from my couch, watching it on tv why can’t the coaches see it from the sideline when they work with the guy week in and week out? I want VJ to be successful. I want Denver to ball out and make the playoffs. I would love nothing more for them to go on a tear and win out the rest of the season. You and I both know that is not realistic with the team playing the way they are right now. Maybe it’s not time to move on from VJ, but he is partly responsible for this team’s record over 2 seasons and that shouldn’t be scapegoated, or ignored. His job is to make sure the gameplan and the personnel are ready on gameday. That is not being done and that is on him.

3 and Outstanding Replying to 3 and Outstanding
Zac Stevens

Zac Stevens

Author
October 12, 2018

Those are all good points, however, I don’t think the coaches are completely sabotaging all four QBs they’ve had.

Can all of the coaches coach better? Certainly! Can they call better plays at times? No doubt!

But there isn’t much the coaches can do to help QBs hit wide open passes and not throw interceptions when there are other receivers on the play that are wide open.

This article isn’t to completely dismiss Joseph of blame, it’s to point out that simply blaming him likely won’t change much until the QB play drastically improves.

Zac Stevens Replying to Zac Stevens
3 and Outstanding

3 and Outstanding

October 12, 2018

I guess we will see this week if anything changes.

As for Keenum. I don’t think you can be an effective QB in the NFL if you can’t pass the ball from the pocket. Outside of Michael Vick and maybe Cam Newton you just cannot get away with not being as effective on a 3 step drop. I don’t think Keenum is the right guy, but I also know he is what Denver has right now and that isn’t going to change.

Orange and Blue Devils

Orange and Blue Devils

October 12, 2018

Ponder this: if WE had hired Sean McVay, we would have (1) had a good chance at landing Kirk Cousins since they worked together and liked each other in DC; and (2) we could have kept Wade Phillips.

Killertofu17

Killertofu17

October 12, 2018

I think if you put McVay in Denver and VJ in LA the Rams would be 7-9 tops Denver would be a playoff team. We took first time head coach who was defensive minded when our Defense was in great shape. We knew offense was were the issues lied and yet thought hiring two cast of OCs would mitigate the problem. We needed an offensive minded guy, and kept Wade. Now VJ and DC Joe Woods are not helping the D get better, quite the opposite. And our stagnet offense is making everything worse and our head coach cant/wont do anything to change it. Switching RG is not a solution. This goes above VJ, if Elway cant admit his mistakes and move on from VJ soon then I think it’s time to consider we move on from him.

Killertofu17 Replying to Killertofu17
Zac Stevens

Zac Stevens

Author
October 13, 2018

I’m not quite sure that would address the root of the issue: QB performance.

Hey, the answer could be Case or Chad, but if not, they need to find the answer before I think anything will really change, regardless of who the coach is.

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