Coach Fox and Coach Manning Confess Their Faults. Is Father John Watching?

Analyzing coach speak is an art of a particular kind.  Sometimes you are forced to digest the bits and pieces of crumbs that come from the tight fisted, poker players like Belichick in New England or like John Fox used to be before last weeks butt kicking by the Patriots.

When you do a proper assessment of the Broncos, you have to listen closely to all of the coaches because they don't actually share a unified voice out in dove valley.  Their head coach and dude in charge, #18, has loads of NFL records including being the quarterback to run for the fewest yards in the history of earth.  He may seem unflappable at times, but he uses his distinguished accomplishments to snub his nose at the critics.  My point is not to deny Peyton Manning the right to snub his nose at me or anybody who denies his greatness.  My assessment of this coach is that, good or bad, he is listening to everything that is being said about him.

What does that mean?

"Running the ball is football religion.  Nothing is more
powerful than something you can not stop." - Elwayian Proverb

If Manning has decided to NEVER run the ball HIMSELF, it is a conscious snub for certain.  Had Manning NEVER won a Superbowl like his coach John Fox, he might be compelled to listen to him. He does not.

Or maybe he does, in which case Fox is overriding Adam Gase, the Offensive Coordinator who notoriously met Manning out on field several weeks ago because he kept emptying the backfield and  declaring the run game...or the lack thereof.  The humility to run the ball week in and week out will be the most uncomfortable career experience that Manning shall endure on his way to a championship season.  He can endure a game or two of ball control offense, but under stress (ie., any game against the Patriots/Belichick/Brady) Manning reverts to his comfort zone.

Gase has finally introduced himself recently in the nature of the running attack that started to become the buzz of the NFL up until last week.  Coach Manning and Coach Fox both quickly took ownership for their failure to execute the age old formula for winning tough games on the road; run the ball and control the clock.  Coach Gase seems to be in good graces\ with the doctrine of John (Elway), so he is the only voice in the news this week that's is blaming poor execution on the field and not himself like the other two coaches have suddenly begun doing.

Few should have expected the Broncos to go on the road and win that game, but the surety of the run attack that they had developed in the previous games was reminiscent of high level little league football with the 3 or 4 teams that have a quarterback that can pass.  The teams that pass too much rarely win the Superbowl, even in little league, while teams that never pass seem to get shocked by a timely passes in here and there.  Whether little league or NFL, balance is the key to the chess match, and the chess match is the key to the crown.

No matter how ugly the page, every team has to be on the same sheet of paper to truly be successful.  Elway wrote the script for championship journey's at the latter stages of one's quarterbacking career. His doctrine is law and he is not leaving it to chance that EVERYONE, including coaches, recognizes the plan.  Paying for one high profile defensive player is a nice addition- adding three is a definitive statement to the entire league.  Emmanuel Sanders might prove to be the best free agent acquisition, but he was a less expensive swap that happened to work out.  This team was built to play defense and defensive approaches begin with  the run game.

The Broncos had better return to a run-first, defensive approach or Coach Fox and Coach Manning will be sounding more and more like they are preaching the Gospel of John.  Elway is a "no excuse" kind of person and the compulsion to take ownership for your own crap is Elwayian for certain.  The more Manning and Fox face the music says they've spent time in Father John's confessional box.  And what did Father John prescribe for his flag football loving quarterback and the coach who allows it?

Tell the world how bad you played in the game, even though you produced nearly 500 yards, and tell assistant coach Fox to review the Seattle Superbowl tapes in which his team didn't even step off of the plane, and then both of you take ownership for fixing the problems instead of doing your customary asshole interviews.

If this team needs a divine intervention to make it all the way, father John is going to do his part. To that I say, Amen.