Tag: Pete Carroll

Broncos have only themselves to blame for Wilson debacle

Things were destined for failure once Denver decided to trade for the beleaguered QB

In football, it’s no secret everything is centered around who a squad has playing the quarterback position. When this assessment is seen or heard, laughter is what comes to me at times, because this sport is the ultimate team game that needs so many moving parts to come together. At any rate, QB has become arguably the most important position in all of sports, and who’s there could be the difference between a team winning or losing at championship levels. In the summer of 2022, the Denver Broncos felt they had assembled a roster ready to compete for a Super Bowl title, and quarterback was the missing piece to their puzzle. With that in mind, the Broncos decided to go all-in on their search, and Russell Wilson was identified as the man who could lead the franchise back to the promised land.

Knowing my personal feelings are not important for this article, I could go on and on about how much I disagreed with this move. I never thought Wilson was a QB who could put a team on his back and bring titles home. It’s understood he won a championship with the Seattle Seahawks in 2013, but the identity of that particular squad was a strong running game (Marshawn Lynch) and a great defense led by the “Legion of Boom” secondary (Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas among others). When the Seahawks decided to give more responsibility to Wilson, there were moments where the QB played at an elite level, but at the end, Seattle never made it past the NFC divisional playoff round since the 2014 season (the fateful Malcolm Butler interception in SB XLIX). After 2021, it was apparent Wilson’s time in the Pacific Northwest had run short, and the Seahawks brass, namely head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider, were open for business. Now, it was just a matter of who was willing to trade with them and acquire the QB. This is where Denver comes back into the story.

Let’s not forget the Broncos felt they were a quarterback away from truly being championship contenders, and getting Wilson was seen as a significant upgrade from the combined play of Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock. Therefore, Denver decided to do a deal with Seattle, where Wilson would come to the Mile High City in exchange for the 2022 and 2023 first- and second-round picks (and players to include Lock). To show how serious they were in this investment, the Broncos gave Wilson a five-year, $245 million extension (There was a season left on the four-year, $140 million contract signed with the Seahawks in 2019). In the NFL, the trend is to do what’s possible to win right now, even if it means getting rid of future assets. What Denver said was they were good enough to win right now and in the future, and Wilson was the man who would lead them there. As everyone knows by now, those dreams haven’t come close to becoming a reality.

2022 was a nightmarish season for the Broncos, finishing 5-12 in a campaign that saw first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett get fired before the finale. As for Wilson, the argument could be made for the QB taking a step back from the 7-10 record in 2021. Everyone knows the quarterback probably gets too much credit and/or blame, depending on the final tally, but if that’s the standard, there wasn’t much good Wilson brought to Denver. If anything, it was drama, from reports of teammates not getting along with him, to his rumored accommodation of having his own office. Yes, all of the off-field stuff matters to an extent, but on the field, Wilson looked like a player who has seen his best days. In a word, washed was a common term to describe his play, as he threw 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 15 games. Needless to say, changes were in store for the Broncos, and Sean Payton was brought in to steady the ship at head coach. Things started off ugly this season, with the team beginning 1-5 (which includes giving up 70 points to the Miami Dolphins in Week 3). To their credit, Denver recovered to give themselves a puncher’s chance in the AFC playoff picture, but after a disappointing 26-23 loss at home to the New England Patriots on Christmas Eve, hope was all but lost. Soon after, Payton would come out with the announcement Wilson was being benched for the final two games, saying they needed a spark to win. So the man of choice to replace Wilson is Jarrett Stidham (sounds suspect), and now, the stage is set for an offseason mess.

Thinking logically, it’s probably fair to say Stidham isn’t giving the Broncos a better chance of winning than Wilson. At the same time, all indications say the squad is looking at the contract they gave to Wilson, and are seeing a huge mistake based off the results of the last two seasons. Apparently, Denver wanted the QB to adjust his contract, or risk being benched, which happened after the Broncos’ playoff hopes took that deafening blow from the defeat to the Patriots. In other words, this rocky marriage looks like it’s headed for a messy end, and Denver is about to take a nice-sized cap hit if and when they decide to cut Wilson (unless they can find someone to trade with). Clearly, the return on investment hasn’t been matched on the field, but this whole situation could have been easily avoided if the Broncos didn’t fall victim to the vaunted quarterback chase. For this debacle, Denver should look at themselves in the mirror if they want to place blame, and because of this move, the franchise might have lost a few years in a supposed championship window that could have been a mirage all along.

It’s time to stop making excuses for “elite” quarterbacks

If we are truly being honest with ourselves, hearing the news about Tom Brady retiring, only to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers five minutes later, should come as no surprise. Besides, it’s not like Brady’s game was falling off from the standard we’ve become accustomed to. The seven-time Super Bowl winner threw for 5,316 yards, with 43 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season, which is not bad for a 44-year-old. It’s no secret the National Football League was shaken up by what Brady was able to do in leading the Buccaneers to a title in 2020. As a result, franchise quarterbacks everywhere felt it was time to flex their muscle and demand more say-so in personnel decisions. It’s one thing to demand that, but it’s another to make the sacrifices necessary to get what’s desired. Too many times, the other QBs want money and power, and that turns into a never-ending chase for glory that often ends in disappointment. As we move forward, it’s important to remember teams win championships, not individual players. The quarterbacks I will mention are supposed to be in the elite category with Brady, but have not elevated their respective teams when it matters most. Therefore, it’s time to call them out for coming up short.

Let’s start with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the first example. We can all agree Rodgers is one of the most talented people ever to play the position, and the two straight regular season MVP awards add to the verification. When Rodgers and the Packers won the title in 2010, it was almost a certainty it would be the first of many coming in his career. Here we are in 2022, and the 38-year-old drama king is still stuck on that one title. When the failures occurred, many media members and fans were quick to point out the team, or the coaches, around Rodgers as to why he couldn’t get over the hump. That might have been a legitimate point in years past, but not in the last two seasons. Green Bay had the best record in the NFC in both, but were knocked out in the conference championship game (by Tampa Bay) and divisional playoff (by the San Francisco 49ers), respectively. Against the Buccaneers, Rodgers could not take advantage of three Brady second-half interceptions, and the 49ers won without scoring an offensive touchdown. The league’s MVP stunk in the playoffs, and even the biggest Rodgers supporters would have to dig deep to deny that.

For the second example, lets look at the new quarterback for the Denver Broncos, Russell Wilson. Wilson was acquired via trade from the Seattle Seahawks, and the thinking for the Broncos is the 33-year-old is the missing piece for the team to be a legit Super Bowl contender. A common phrase heard for the last couple of years is “Let Russ Cook.” Well, letting the chef cook has produced mixed results, with the bad seeing him get sacked 427 times in his career. It got to the point Wilson ran to “The Dan Patrick Show” to voice his frustration about getting hit too much. The Seahawks head coach, Pete Carroll, received much criticism for trying to establish a running game. If his quarterback is on his back all the time, who can blame Carroll for wanting to provide a little balance? While it might be true Seattle’s offensive line hasn’t been the best, Wilson does hold the ball too long at times, which contributes to the sack total. It’s also worth pointing out since the Seahawks decided to gear the offense more towards Wilson and the passing game (around the start of the 2015 season), the team hasn’t made it past the divisional playoff round. Now Wilson arrives in Denver, and there’s a lot of chatter about the Broncos being a Super Bowl favorite. That might be the case, but it’s also possible even with the upgrade at quarterback, Denver might not even be the best team in their own division.

Finally, let’s take a glance at current Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson. Yes, Watson’s off the field troubles are well-documented, but we can keep things about football for the sake of this article. Most people (including myself) would acknowledge the 26-year-old is a top-5 quarterback at his peak, but his individual success hasn’t contributed to much in terms of team wins. In 2020, Watson led the NFL in passing yards, but the Texans went 4-12 that season. Since he was drafted by Houston in 2017, Watson has one playoff win, which came in 2019. Looking forward, there are a good amount of teams willing to trade for his services, but the Texans are going to ask for a lot in return. That means there’s a good possibility the club Watson goes to won’t be too far away from what Houston was (and is) record-wise. As bad of a situation the Texans have on their hands, there’s no guarantee the grass is going to be greener on the other side, especially if Watson is running for his life from lack of protection.

So what does Rodgers, Wilson and Watson have in common? They all want to be like Brady, but they aren’t willing to do the things the greatest winner in league history does. For starters, Brady routinely takes less money on his contracts, which gives the team he’s on more flexibility to build around him. The other three have large contracts that eats salary cap room for their respective squads. While I would never fault anyone who fights for their payday, the flipside is the team around them might lack in other areas. If that’s the case, said quarterback has to elevate the club to championship heights. Rodgers, Wilson and Watson have all failed in this category in recent years, but they’re constantly called elite QBs. Is it fair to call them just elite regular season players? Maybe not, but if this is the quarterback-driven league I keep hearing about, then lets call a square a square. It’s time to question who is truly elite, and for me, there’s only one QB that at the level. That man resides in Tampa.

History only tells part of the tale for once storied programs

Championship weekend in college football has come and gone. A few of the big winners for the day were Alabama, Michigan and Cincinnati, who along with Georgia, make up the four teams who will battle it out in the College Football Playoff. While watching the conference title games, one couldn’t help but notice how a few of the most storied programs in the history of the game were not playing on this day. While these teams have rich traditions, it’s been a long time since the word “elite” could be used to describe these teams, let alone be mentioned in any sort of national championship discussion. What’s sad for the fan bases (I’m a fan of one of the teams that will be detailed) is it could still be a while before that title talk becomes a topic. In other words, a person can only hold onto history for so long before it becomes ancient.

The first team holding onto past history is USC (University of Southern California). The Trojans haven’t had a lot of fight in them lately. Their last title, which was won in 2004, was vacated because of NCAA sanctions connected to running back (now FOX Sports analyst) Reggie Bush. Other than that, it’s been since the 1970s when USC could claim a national title. Ever since Pete Carroll left the college to coach the Seattle Seahawks in 2009, it’s been a nightmare finding another head man that can rekindle the long lost glory days. Five men have taken over the position after Carroll left, with minimal success. The sixth comes in the form of Lincoln Riley, who was coaching Oklahoma before heading out to Los Angeles last weekend. It’s no secret the Trojans have all of the ability to run the Pac-12 Conference, and possibly be back in the national championship conversation, if used correctly. Is Riley the man to lead them? Most people think so, but let’s remember it’s not the same situation it was with the Sooners, where he was promoted to head coach after being the offensive coordinator for a already-loaded roster. Only time will tell if Riley can actually build a program from scratch, but the contract he has says he nothing less will suffice.

Another team that’s holding on to the glory days from yesteryear is Texas (this is the team I’m a fan of). The Longhorns haven’t won a national title since 2005, and 2009 was the last season they won the Big 12 Conference (and last appearance in a national championship game). After ’09, the eyes of Texas have been constantly crying, seeing the Mack Brown tenure come to an ugly end, three rocky seasons under Charlie Strong and four underachieving years with Tom Herman. Now it’s Steve Sarkisian‘s turn in an attempt to bring the Longhorns back to prominence. If the first year in Sark’s tenure is any preview, that won’t happen anytime soon. Texas was 5-7, making it all but a guarantee they’ll miss out on bowl season. The campaign was filled with games that saw the Longhorns pull defeat from the jaws of victory, including one to Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout (I know it’s called the Showdown these days) that saw the Longhorns blow a 21-point lead. A loss to Kansas was also included in the record, and that’s probably a fireable offense in and of itself if this wasn’t a first year head coach. Needless to say, Texas has a lot of work to do if they’re ever going to get back to being mentioned with the great programs in the state, let alone the country. For the fans, they can only watch so many replays of the 2006 Rose Bowl on the Longhorn Network, reminiscing about the past success.

Finally, it’s time to take a look at “The U” for another institution still holding on to back in the day. Miami was once known as a university that had NFL-caliber players being grown from the roots of south Florida. Anyone who remembers the 2001 version of the Hurricanes know how many players went on to have sustainable pro careers. Unfortunately for Miami and their fan base, that was the last year they could claim a championship, and there hasn’t been much to celebrate in the two decades after. Any hint of a return to dominance gets swallowed up by the media, only for those hype machines to get shut down when the Hurricanes catch a humbling defeat. Since the end of the 2003 season, which was right before they joined the ACC, Miami has only been to one Bowl Championship Series or New Year’s Six bowl game. Like USC and Texas, the Hurricanes have had bad recent history, but hope comes with the arrival of coach Mario Cristobal, who is taking over for Manny Diaz after spending the previous four seasons in Oregon. Games aren’t won off the field, but the Hurricanes might have won a battle with the hire of Cristobal.

While these three universities all have storied traditions, recent history says they’re yesterday’s news. Having said that, there are reasons to believe the future can be brighter. One is with these respective schools being in California, Texas and Florida, the resources and talent available to assist in a rebuild are practically unlimited. Another is they can look at the Wolverines as a model for returning to the glory days. Before breaking through against Ohio State and ultimately winning the Big Ten Conference, Michigan was in a long drought that had them missing out on title talk since their last victory in 1997. If the Wolverines can do it, there’s no reason to believe USC, Texas and Miami can’t do the same. No longer should it be acceptable to keep living in the distant past. Enough time has gone by since these institutions were good in football. The only thing I ask is to wait until they at least win their conferences before we say they’re officially “back.”