3 Takeaways from Broncos' Week 3 Loss vs. Dolphins
The Denver Broncos remain winless after meeting a white-hot Miami Dolphins team in Week 3. Sunday's loss was a one-sided affair that makes it extremely hard to believe that Denver can be a playoff contender in 2023.
After suffering two close losses to open the season, the Broncos had a chance to make a statement by at least hanging with Miami. The Dolphins are among this year's Super Bowl favorites, and they looked like contenders against Denver. The Broncos did not.
The result was one of the most lopsided games we've seen this season. The Broncos were thoroughly outclassed, and at 0-3, they're in a hole from which they might not be able to climb.
Here are our three biggest takeaways from Denver's 70-20 loss to the Dolphins.
Vance Joseph Isn't Getting It Done
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The hiring of head coach Sean Payton brought plenty of hope to Denver in the offseason. The expectation was that Payton would get more out of quarterback Russell Wilson, pairing a potent offense with a terrific defense.
Denver's defense wasn't good enough over the first two weeks, but coordinator Vance Joseph was not panicking.
"Obviously in our second week, there's going to be some ups and downs from a schematic perspective, but I thought there was some good stuff in both games," Joseph said, per Aric DiLalla of the team's official website.
It's probably time for the Broncos to start panicking about Joseph. He inherited a defense that ranked seventh overall and 14th in points allowed last season but has done nothing with it. He had no answers whatsoever for the Dolphins, who didn't have wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (concussion).
Miami racked up 726 yards and 70 points (70!) against a Denver defense with too much talent to play this poorly.
Joseph failed to have an adequate game plan for Miami and failed even harder at making in-game adjustments. Now, it's very fair to wonder if he'll fail to finish the season as Denver's defensive coordinator.
Russell Wilson Is Playing Better, but Not Well Enough
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Payton was hired to help "fix" Wilson, who had a career-worst campaign under Nathaniel Hackett in 2022. The nine-time Pro Bowler threw only 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while posting a passer rating of just 84.4 last season.
Wilson has looked and played better under Payton. He came into Week 3 with five touchdowns, one interception and a 108.5 rating.
"My impression after watching Wilson's first two games this season is that he doesn't look all that different from the guy who helped make the Seahawks one of the best teams of the 2010s," The Ringer's Danny Kelly wrote on Thursday.
He wasn't as good on Sunday (83.9 rating), but Wilson did top 300 passing yards and threw his sixth touchdown pass of the season. Quarterback play wasn't the biggest reason why Denver got blown out on Sunday.
The reality is, though, that Wilson still isn't playing well enough to lift a Broncos team that lacks offensive playmakers and has serious issues on the other side of the ball.
Of course, Wilson rarely carried the Seattle Seahawks during his Pro Bowl run. He played great, but he often benefited from an efficient defense, a strong running game and elite pass-catchers like DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
A return to form by Wilson isn't enough to make Denver a playoff factor this season.
It's Time to Wonder If Trading for Sean Payton Was a Mistake
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Wilson has been better under Payton, but the Broncos are not. Joseph's defense has been an embarrassment, and Denver isn't doing the simple things as one would expect under a seasoned coach like Payton.
Mistakes and miscues have been common this season, and they were a problem against Miami. The Broncos were just 3-of-12 on third down and were flagged seven times for 46 yards.
As a team, Denver just hasn't been much better than it was under Hackett a year ago. After a lifeless, mistake-filled 50-point loss, it's fair to wonder if the players are buying into whatever Payton has been selling.
This begs the question of whether the Broncos erred by trading to acquire Payton's rights from the New Orleans Saints. The move cost Denver a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 second-rounder while netting the Broncos their coach and a 2024 third-round pick.
And there's no guarantee that Payton is in this for the long haul. The 59-year-old retired less than two years ago, and if the Broncos continue to perform like one of the worst teams in football, a return to the broadcasting booth could become mighty enticing.
The Broncos paid handsomely for Payton because a quick turnaround was expected. It hasn't come, and Denver could come to regret not taking a rebuilding approach instead.
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