Game overview:
Broncos fans…be afraid, be very afraid. This was not good for you.
I can list you all the Broncos’ excuses for this game/loss: It’s a new coach/system; it takes time…it’s just a preseason game…the team will get better from here…we should’ve won the game, really…Russell looked better than last year.
I hope for your (Broncos fan…or Broncos bettor) sake some or all of that is true.
But realize that the Broncos, the joke team of 2022, have this new hot shot/high-profile coach, one who has a big mouth, one who thinks he’s smarter than everybody (we have 10 years of evidence of that)…and with a chance to go out Week 1 to show the world what their new coach has been prattling on about -- the Broncos were outplayed by a dismantled Arizona Cardinals team. Or maybe it should be said that the Broncos were out-hustled and out-energized…which is even worse.
An Arizona team with also a new coach/system…in just a preseason game…with a team that will get better from here -- they did win the game, and their day-three pick rookie QB looked better than future Hall of Famer, highly expensive Russell Wilson + his new genius coach. Also, it could be said, an Arizona team that dumped a lot of good players and are rebuilding and have far less talent (on paper) and experience than the Broncos -- they went out and whipped the Broncos @$$ in effort and energy and hustle…and eventually won the game they should not have, in theory.
Sean Payton better watch out blathering on about how bad of a coach/executive Nathaniel Hackett was…the pot may be taking ‘pot’ shots at the color of the kettle.
…but I’m willing to see what happens in the next couple weeks. Could be just a sluggish start for Denver. I’m just moving the DEFCON threat level one notch higher or lower (whichever is the ‘scary’ direction) on Denver, after seeing this mess. It’s lower that is bad…I just looked it up because it was bothering me. I’m moving Denver from DEFCON 3 ‘Substantial’ (threat/worry)…to DEFCON 2 ‘Severe’. https://youtu.be/COr5qHaRbcY
Perhaps it wasn’t just ‘bad coaching’ for Denver in 2022 after all…maybe this collection of football players just stink?
Arizona…all the opposite of that. Maybe you’re not tanking for Caleb Williams after all?
Scouting Notes from the game:
-- Let’s start with Russell Wilson (7-13 for 93 yards, 1 TD/0 INT). If what I’m about to type is true…you better ‘run’ (from this team.
Russell Wilson, with mostly his first team offense, against an Arizona Cardinals defense that I have/had rated as the #32 best defense for 2023, looked like a generic backup QB. He struggled to complete passes, because he had little protection and/or the Arizona Cardinals backup defensive line are the new Purple People Eaters…the Crimson People Eaters(? Doesn’t roll off the tongue).
The #1 determinant of quality of QB play with B/C grade QB talents, like Russ -- it’s what the offensive line allows. Will it push them to ‘B’ levels or drag them to C/D levels in a given week/season? This Broncos O-Line looked bad, really bad…Carolina Panthers bad. And Russell looks so aloof now…I don’t know how much is him…and how much is the O-Line and how much is the coaching and how much is the crappy receivers -- but all of those things may be true regardless of Russell’s abilities today.
From here on in, until something happens on tape to change my mind, which could be next week, I am going to operate on the assumption that Russ is done cooking/he’s a mediocre cook and he’s working as a chef in a really bad restaurant. I’m ‘out’ on the Broncos until further notice (and I wasn’t in anyway). How many years in a row have the Broncos disappointed? I’m not a genius with this ‘call’…I’m just riding the trend.
Denver last had a winning record in 2016.
Denver last had a winning record with Peyton Manning NOT being their QB in 2006.
What’s true for Russell Wilson would/will end up being true for Jarett Stidham (5-15 for 50 yards, 0 TD/1 INT), when Sean Payton throws a hissy fit and changes QBs -- because Payton is never to blame. Head coaches rarely think they are.
-- On the other side of the field, rookie Clayton Tune (13-23 for 135 yards, 1 TD/1 INT, 4-9-0) looked way better than Russ…more energized, more calm, more vision, more foot speed -- IN A ROOKIE DEBUT and WITHOUT A GENIUS HEAD COACH!!
Wildly impressed with Tune’s debut. He had a few rookie moments, but his one pick was a proper throw that the WR slipped and fell, and the ball went to the DB trailing the play.
I was on the fence with Tune…I’m climbing over to the ‘good’ side of the fence a little bit after this display.
Will Tune start Week 1? Probably not because it’s asking a lot for a rookie to go Week 1. Easier to go with Colt McCoy (4-4 for 17 yards, 0 TD/0 INT) -- but Tune would give them a chance to win…or lose badly. Or they can for sure lose slowly, peacefully with McCoy Week 1. But at Washington Week 1…getting 6 points…I might be with Arizona, but let’s see what happens next week before we get to Arizona crazy. It might be that the Cards just had too easy an opponent this one week.
What Tune did here was 10x better than what Young-Stroud showed in their debuts…partially because their coaches babied them. No babying here. I kinda like this Arizona head coach, so far. He seemed like a bit of a goof at first, but the more I see him work and hear him talk…I’m open to him being a good HC.
-- The Arizona RB report…
Corey Clement (6-15-0, 3-13-0/3) started but my old friend Ty’Son Williams (10-51-0, 0-0-0/0) was the clear ‘winner’ of the RB group this day…better than Clement or Emari Demercado (6-21-0, 1-4-0/1). Williams pushed his way into the conversation for #2 or #3 RB here…because the group is so weak.
-- On the Denver RB side…
Samaje Perine (6-26-0, 0-0-0/1) is so underrated-good…it’s the one big misstep the Bengals made this offseason. He looked in midseason form.
Javonte Williams is going to be held out for a bit, but we might see him next week.
Tyler Badie (6-24-0, 2-12-0/3) looked fine, but interesting UDFA rookie Jaleel McLaughlin (4-20-1, 1-12-0/1) was the one that has the juice to be a #3 RB/gadget option in 2023.
-- The WR notes I have, all come from Arizona’s side…
UDFA rookie Daniel Arias (3-49-0/5) was a surprise listing as Arizona’s 2nd-team WR on their unofficial depth chart release…but I can see why. He has potential…long and sleek…and raw…he’s got a little something. Probably not a star but can hang in the NFL…and develop.
Michael Wilson (2-8-0/3) was in-and-out early in the game…he looked the part of a #1, from the QB’s wanting to throw to him, to how he carries himself…he’s gonna be the #1 in the future.
Greg Dortch (0-0-0/3) is running as a backup behind Zach Pascal…I just don’t get it.
-- IDP notes…
Two Denver defenders stood out/caught my attention.
Denver 2nd-year UDFA CB, who we graded well coming out into the 2022 NFL Draft, Ja’Quan McMillian (6 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL) led all defenders in tackles and despite his smaller size, he battled all WRs that went to his side of the field…including Michael Wilson. He’s a promising CB.
The player out of nowhere for me in this game…a shock player = 2nd-year UDFA DL Elijah Garcia (3 tackles, 2 sacks). Last I knew of Garcia he was a mildly interesting 300+ pound DT for Rice who was on the Rams practice squad last season…but Denver claimed him from LAR last December. In this game, he looked like he is down about 30-40 pounds -- and he could not be blocked. He was credited with 2 QB hits…he was close to like 4-5-6 QB hits in a brief stint in this game. He was breathing down the QB’s neck every other snap it seemed.
One Arizona IDP note…
My man, Dennis Gardeck (1 tackles, 1 sack) is starting as an OLB/edge and he was doing his thing in this game, in his short time in, making life miserable for Russell Wilson. He’s got 8+ sacks this season written all over him. I hope he gets 10+ and gets the notoriety/pay he deserves.
-- Final note on kickers…
Both team’s kickers are sad…the whole group of them. But the saddest was Brett Maher (0/2 FG, 1/1 XP)…a top FF kicker in 2022, but then got the yips in the NFL playoffs. The yips are still there -- he missed his two FG attempts. Elliott Fry (1/2 FG, 1/1 XP) is the new kicker for Denver, by default…until they sign someone in September.
After watching this whole game from Denver, and the Maher FG gaffes as a cherry on top…we’re not far from: https://youtu.be/UHBqJj0znYo
