ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- They have benched a quarterback, have one of the league's least efficient offenses and just hours after the Denver Broncos' sixth consecutive loss, offensive coordinator Mike McCoy lost his job.
Broncos coach Vance Joseph informed McCoy on Monday morning that he was being relieved of his duties and that quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave will be promoted to offensive coordinator. The move comes after the Broncos fell to 3-7 Sunday with a 20-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
"Bill is an experienced coordinator and playcaller in this league, and I'm confident he will help get our offense back on track," Joseph said in a statement. "I have a responsibility to do what's best for our football team. Although this wasn't an easy decision, we needed to make this change. We have to play a more efficient brand of football offensively as we begin the final stretch of our season.
"Mike is an outstanding coach and a great person. He had a lot of opportunities this offseason, and he chose us. I have the utmost respect for Mike and wish him all the best in the future."
Klint Kubiak, one of Gary Kubiak's sons, will be the team's quarterbacks coach. Klint Kubiak has been an offensive assistant who has worked with the quarterbacks for the past two seasons.
Joseph said Monday that Musgrave and Kubiak will keep their positions for the rest of the season, and decisions about the jobs will be made in the offseason.
The Broncos are 18th in the league in total offense at 329.8 yards per game, but are 24th in scoring (18.3 points per game) and 30th in touchdown efficiency. The Broncos have scored just 19 touchdowns -- only five teams have scored fewer -- and two of those were by the defense. The 17 offensive touchdowns ties Denver with Cleveland for second-worst in the league (Baltimore has 16).
"I'm disappointed that things didn't work out, because this is a special organization and a great place to be," McCoy said in the statement released by the team. "I want to thank Vance for the opportunity he gave me and the entire organization from Mr. B all the way on down. I appreciate the hard work of our players and was proud to work with them along with the rest of our coaching staff. My family and I loved it here, and I'm very thankful for my time with the Denver Broncos."
Sunday's loss was the seventh time in the last eight games the Broncos failed to score at least 20 points. And in the game when they reached 23 points, they lost by 28 (51-23 to the Philadelphia Eagles).
The Broncos have already benched quarterback Trevor Siemian after a three-interception night in the Broncos' Oct. 30 loss in Kansas City. They are now 0-3 in Brock Osweiler's starts since he replaced Siemian. Osweiler has completed just 53 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and four interceptions in those games.
Overall, the Broncos have been also been one of the most turnover-prone teams in the league as well. Siemian and Osweiler have thrown a combined 14 interceptions -- only the Cleveland Browns have more -- and the Broncos are one of eight teams to have allowed at least 30 sacks.
The Broncos have consistently struggled to play out of a three-wide receiver set as the team has consistently been forced to play from behind. The Broncos have especially struggled in pass protection in that personnel grouping.
In the current six-game losing streak, nine of the team's 10 interceptions have come in plays out of a three-wide receiver set, including Osweiler's interception Sunday on a play that started at the Bengals' 4-yard line with the Broncos in a three-wide receiver set and an empty backfield.
McCoy was in his second stint with the Broncos, having been the offensive coordinator from 2010 to '12, including Peyton Manning's first season with the Broncos. McCoy had been what Joseph said was his "first call'' after Joseph was hired by the Broncos.
Musgrave is a former offensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers. Musgrave spent two seasons with the Broncos during his playing career and was a teammate of Broncos president of football operations/general manager John Elway.
Musgrave was the Raiders' offensive coordinator the previous two seasons. McCoy consistently credited Musgrave with hiring him for his first job in coaching, when Musgrave was the Panthers' offensive coordinator and hired McCoy as an offensive assistant in 2000.