ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- When QB Peyton Manning retired last year, some thought that the Denver Broncos were losing not only football's most beautiful mind but also the edge to their offense. That the fire in their proverbial belly walked out with him.
Given inexperienced quarterback play, an underperforming offensive line, a subpar running game and Manning’s departure, the 2016 season was full of almost constant frustration when the Broncos had the ball.
Or as wide receiver Demaryius Thomas put it: "We can be better, all of us. I think we left a lot of plays out there -- me too." Former coach Gary Kubiak called the offense's struggles, especially in the run game, his biggest disappointment of the season.
The Broncos’ new offensive staff has certainly addressed the playbook, and the Broncos have made some personnel moves and will make some more. And they hope players such as running back C.J. Anderson return from injury ready to have an impact.
The team’s decision-makers, including coach Vance Joseph, have talked about the offense’s attitude and personality. They want execution and drives that result in points, but also that bring-it-on swagger the team has carried on defense.
"I want an offense that scores points. I don’t want an offense that leans on our defense to win the games for us," Joseph said this past week. "I don’t want that. … We can’t go into it thinking they are going to rescue our offense every game. That’s a bad way to go into the season. I want those guys to be aggressive. I want them to attack defenses and score as many points as they can."
Manning’s relentless pursuit of excellence was both rare and taxing on those around him. But the results of his four seasons in Denver were historic for the Broncos: four division titles, two Super Bowl trips, a single-season scoring record and a win in Super Bowl 50.
One school of thought is that it was only natural to have a "ceremonial exhale" during the transition from a dominant figure such as Manning, especially while young quarterbacks such as Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch worked at quarterback. But the Broncos have considered this since the end of the season.
Less than a full day after they had closed out their 9-7 season, executive vice president of football operations/general manager John Elway put it this way:
"I think offensively we have to take that on as a challenge and find guys who want to compete. We have to get better offensively and we have to compete better offensively to say, 'You know what, we carry half of this load.' You can’t rely on that defense. We’re going to be good on defense. But as an offense, we have to take it as a challenge. The players have to take it as a challenge as well as the coaches, who need to take it on as a challenge."
When Elway signed guard Ronald Leary and tackle Menelik Watson this offseason, he talked about the attitude they play with -- the edge, the physical side of their games. Joseph, a defensive coordinator before he was hired by the Broncos, was quick to point out the need for an "attitude" on offense as the team gets ready to open its offseason program in less than two weeks.
As a defensive playcaller, Joseph said the offenses that worried him the most were the ones that were "in attack mode all the time." And that’s how he has framed the discussion with offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, whose previous stint as the Broncos’ playcaller included Manning’s first season with the team in 2012.
"I told Mike when I hired him -- I said, 'Mike, I want you to go score points. Whoever is our quarterback, let’s score as many points as we can, and our defense is going to play behind you,'" Joseph said. "… Now, if they can’t -- defense, help us. But their mindset just has to be, be aggressive and score points."
Joseph said Siemian and Lynch will compete in training camp for the starting job, and at least some of the decision will be based on which QB can best add that edge to the offense.
"It’s just what I want," Joseph said. "… Those are the offenses that, calling plays on defense, give you the biggest problems."