Denver Broncos
Pistol-whips some dude. Shoots himself at the club. Makes no apologies for trying to wrench Philly Brown’s head off in Super Bowl L. Gets in multiple on-field fights with opponents. Pushes around a teammate. Snatches Crabtree’s chain.
Aqib Talib is the #1 rated CB in the NFL by Pro Football Focus. No doubt he’s an A-1 player. He’s also probably the most immature, inflammatory player in the league. I get trying to get into your opponents’ head. But ripping a guy’s chain off? In your coach’s last game? Stay classy, Aqib.
Even Vontaze Burfict shook his head at that one.
The fact that there was no call on that play was a joke. Talib clearly did that on purpose with a giant smile, and you want to talk unsportsmanlike conduct? You call someone a chain-snatcher and see what happens. It’s not a compliment. It’s about as unsportsmanlike a thing one can do to another player.
It had little to do with the outcome of the game. Broncos fans cheer Talib for these actions, but it’s the wrong tone. It’s garbage-time football that gets you knocked out in a pickup game. Crabtree said it was a “business decision” not to retaliate and labelled Talib fake.
But he’s got a point. Crabtree could have punched him in the face and been justified. But he didn’t. He shouldn’t have let it get to him — but he did. That was the point, after all.
Anyway, the Broncos missed the playoffs a year after winning the Super Bowl which is really all that matters. During a late-season stretch they failed to run for more than 4 yards a carry in five straight games, and their vaunted defense got ran on more than Central Park jogging paths.
It’s been fun watching the Broncos lose and struggle on offense. Paxton Lynch hasn’t progressed much, Trevor Siemian seems to have reached his ceiling already, and there isn’t much out there on the market.
The Broncos thought they could win again without a QB, but that’s discounting how smart and effective Peyton Manning actually was in 2015. Did they miss him in 2016? Hell yes.
The Broncos have some good young pieces as well, but their offensive line and backfield need major help. C.J Anderson’s return next season will definitely help, but Russell Okung has always been overrated and repeatedly exposed this season. Michael Schofield and Donald Stephenson are turnstile-esque at times, and Schofield should be replaced.
This team also just lost its coach unexpectedly. That probably means that it’s time for Shanny redux, with Kyle Shanahan bringing his brilliant offensive mind over to Denver.
This is bad news for everyone else. If they retain Wade Phillips and their defensive staff, having a brilliant offensive mind to coalesce is a scary thing. But aside from Demaryius Thomas, Sanders and C.J. Anderson they don’t really have an offense.
Who knows what happens? We all remember the last time the Broncos hired a brilliant young offensive coach. That worked out well…for Tebow.