Who is really to blame for the Broncos' failures?
After enduring their sixth straight loss Sunday, falling to the Cincinnati Bengals at home for the first time since 1975, the Denver Broncos sent a message to their organization by firing offensive coordinator Mike McCoy.
While the offense, ranked 24th in points per game, certainly has its flaws, the problems stretch far beyond McCoy. The Broncos are last in their division and hold a 3-7 record less than two years removed from lifting the Lombardi Trophy.
So who should really be blamed for what has been the worst season of the current Broncos regime? Here are a few options:
John Elway
Elway agreed to a five-year extension over the summer that was expected to make him the league's highest-paid general manager/vice president. In retrospect, that was a bit much.
The Broncos have been a successful organization over the time Elway has been a central member of the front office, winning the AFC West for five straight seasons after his arrival in 2011. However, it's debatable how much he contributed aside from drafting clear-cut superstar Von Miller and signing future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning.
Elway has drafted 17 skill position players since 2011, and none of them, aside from a Manning-aided Julius Thomas, have represented the team at the Pro Bowl. Across other positions, any talent found has primarily come in the first three rounds, though even late-round steals like Danny Trevathan and Malik Jackson couldn't be re-signed when their rookie deals expired.
Related: Elway calls out 'little bit soft' Broncos amid losing streak
The team's core has been the same throughout Elway's tenure, and he has done little to improve it recently.
Vance Joseph
Joseph walked into the Broncos organization under odd circumstances, replacing Super Bowl winner Gary Kubiak, who elected to retire due to health concerns.
In his first year as head coach, Joseph hasn't had a great start. His first mistake came when selecting his staff, as he passed on keeping defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, who had orchestrated one of the NFL's best defenses over the previous two seasons.
He also didn't handle the team's quarterback competition well, failing to confidently name a starter between former first-round pick Paxton Lynch and Trevor Siemian until injuries decided for him. Now the team has resorted to starting Brock Osweiler, and all three quarterbacks are lacking confidence.
The players
At the end of the day, general managers and coaches don't play football games. Players do.
The Broncos have had an obvious problem at quarterback, but they did fair well the previous two seasons without top-level play under center. The rest of the offense has been given a pass due to the QB issues, but veterans like Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, and C.J. Anderson are all paid handsomely to produce, regardless of who their signal-caller is.
First-rounder Garett Bolles, who has done fine for a rookie, is the only offensive linemen the team can be proud of. Free-agent additions Ron Leary and Donald Stephenson, both among the top-10 highest-paid Broncos this year, have failed to provide a boost on the O-line.
On defense, Miller, Aqib Talib, and Chris Harris Jr., who make more than $41.75 million combined in 2017, have either lost a step or become too easy for opposing offenses to avoid on the field. Supporting members like Derek Wolfe, Shaquil Barrett, Shane Ray, Brandon Marshall, and Darian Stewart have failed to step up like they had in the past.
At 3-7, it's clear the Broncos have issues, and McCoy likely won't be the only one to take responsibility.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)