During their playoff drought, the Broncos have had the worst offensive line in memory. They went through a basket of quarterbacks, because the O-line could not protect them, nor could the line open up running lanes. Pockets collapsed, lanes closed. Yardage was lost. The O-linemen have been pathetic. As for Russell Wilson, until the team’s front office repairs or replaces the O-line, DangeRuss will be playing at his own peril. What Wilson needs in an O-line, not a retirement plan.
David, Durango
Kiz: While you might’ve heard a goofy pundit (or two) speculate that coach Sean Payton is secretly itching for Wilson to fail, the conspiracy theory fails to recognize the Broncos’ recent commitment of nearly $140 million in contracts for linemen Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers to protect the backside of DangeRuss.
Until I see otherwise, Ol’ Russ seems to have lost a critical step, arm strength and field vision since his time in Seattle. Will the Brconos’ running game really be strong enough to compensate? We’ll see. Payton did win with an undersized quarterback in Nola, but…
Michael, angel from L.A.
Kiz: Wilson is not Drew Brees. They’re vastly different quarterbacks. Payton, however, also won games in New Orleans with Teddy Bridgewater, Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston as his starting QB.
Kiz, in your column about Wilson keeping receipts from his doubters, you summarized the Broncos will adopt a less-Russ-is-more approach to get back in the playoff hunt. That sounds to me as if Payton wants Wilson to be a game manager. The Broncos have tried the game-manager approach for years with no results. Wilson must be a star or be gone.
Dale, Golden
Kiz: Early in the brilliant career of John Elway, there was a coach named Dan Reeves who managed to win a bunch of games while managing the gunslingling tendencies of Elway until the Broncos needed a big play from No. 7 in the fourth quarter.
Kiz, you and The Denver Post have failed to acknowledge what Sepp Kuss has accomplished in the cycling world. A lot of people in Colorado care and are interested. It’s sad reporting.
Tim, needs a hug
Kiz: Well, Kuss pedals so fast it’s hard for me to keep up with him. But I love The Durango Kid. If I’m not mistaken, Kuss is a CU alum and former mountian-biker who turned in his fat tires and now puts pedal to the metal on roads around the world. While our football-crazed state has been obsessed with the Buffs and Broncos, Kuss is threatening to win a big cycling race in Spain. Am I right or am I right?
And today’s parting shot is a quirky piece of football analysis from my favorite old NFL quarterback, although I sometimes wonder if he might have been hit in the head one too many times.
What will be the key to the Broncos-Raiders showdown? This is the most important home-opener for the Broncos since Bubby Brister threw the pigskin for Denver. The key is — ahem –.what will Condoleezza Rice be wearing in the owners suite and who will she be sitting next to?
Mike, mad genius
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