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Denver Broncos Firing John Fox Feels Like Desperation

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Kansas City Chiefs division rival Denver’s firing of head coach John Fox seems like a desperation move to me.

The Broncos “mutually agreed to part ways” with Fox the day after their 24-13 loss to the Colts in the divisional round of the 2014 playoffs. Fox’s departure comes only 10 months after he signed a two-year extension with the Broncos before the 2014 season.

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While the Broncos played uninspired football against the Colts, John Fox had led the Broncos to four straight playoff berths since taking over as head coach in 2011.

Overall, the 59-year-old Fox compiled an outstanding 46-18 regular season record over 4 years in Denver, for a .719 winning percentage.

Yet, it was John Fox’s inability to get his team to win “the big one” that doomed him.

In 2012, Fox’s favored Broncos lost on an improbable, last-minute bomb by Ravens QB Joe Flacco to lose 38-35 in the divisional round. In 2013, the Seattle Seahawks smashed the favored Broncos in the Super Bowl 48-3. With Sunday’s loss to the Colts, the Broncos have been bounced from the playoffs three straight years while losing to teams they were expected to beat.

After last year’s defensive meltdown in the Super Bowl, Broncos general manager John Elway loaded up his defense with expensive veteran additions. Elway brought in expensive defensive free-agents in OLB DeMarcus Ware, S T.J. Ward, and CB Aqib Talib.

Elway also snatched WR Emmanuel Sanders away from signing a contract with the Chiefs. Sanders 101-catch season for 1,404 yards and 9 touchdowns made everyone forget departing WR Eric Decker.

Elway apparently felt that if John Fox couldn’t win with a roster over-loaded for a Super Bowl run, he wasn’t going to ever do it. Add in the fact that 38-year-old QB Peyton Manning‘s time in the league is rapidly running out, and it makes sense that Elway didn’t think he could afford to be patient.

Yet, I still think the move is based more on desperation than reason.

Denver’s playoff collapses have as much to do with Peyton Manning wearing down at the end of those seasons as it did with Fox. In the last three playoff runs, Manning has put up QB ratings of  88.3, 94.2 (73.5 in the Super Bowl), and 75.5.

Perhaps Fox could have done more to protect Manning from hits early in those seasons, to save him for the playoffs. Yet, Manning pretty much determines what he wants to do on the offensive side of the ball.

Is Elway blaming Fox for failing to keep reign on Manning, when it’s Manning that wants to throw the ball? John Elway is now assembling an entirely new coaching staff for what will likely be Manning’s last NFL hurrah.

I can’t say I wish the Broncos good luck. I’d like to see an even more miserable failure in 2015. Here’s to 0-16.

Next: KC Chiefs Seven Round Mock Draft for 2015

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