The Denver Broncos were one of the teams that managed to spoil the Miami Dolphins’ playoff push in 2020. You’d think that 10 wins in an expanded playoff field would have been enough to get to the big dance — but you’d be wrong. The Dolphins finished as the No. 8 seed in the AFC at 10-6 and missed the postseason, thanks in part to a 20-13 loss in Denver midway through the season.
But that was one of just a handful of high points for a Denver Broncos team that finished with 5 wins on the season, a regression in year two under head coach Vic Fangio. Denver’s only win after that victory over the Dolphins came against a lowly Carolina Panthers team.
And while there’s animosity to be had for Denver’s role in destroying Miami’s playoff chances, there’s also some lessons to be learned from the Denver Broncos and their bid to build around their own young quarterback, Drew Lock.
The 2020 Broncos entered the season attempting to surround and build Lock with an overhauled supporting cast and did so by spending big on a free agent running back (Melvin Gordon) and drafting wide receivers with each of their first two selections in the 2020 draft (Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler). But Denver’s offense faltered at times this season none the less and finished 28th in the NFL in scoring and 23rd in yardage offensively. Lock regressed in just about every passing category: completion percentage, interception ratio, passer rating, sack percentage, adjusted net yards per attempt, you name it.
The issues were plentiful. But Miami can avoid some of their key mistakes.
Denver surrounded Lock, a young quarterback with 5 games played entering into the season (but a 4-1 record in those starts) with young, inexperienced pieces in the passing game and hoped to see it fly.
Miami will look to surround Tua Tagovailoa, a young quarterback with just 9 games started entering 2021 (but a 6-3 record in those starts) with an overhauled group as well.
Don’t go all-in on the rookies, Miami. One would assume Miami knows this, as that’s how they chose to attack the rebuild on the defensive side of the football in 2020 and it paid dividends fairly quickly. But putting the best supporting cast in place for Tagovailoa in 2021 will need to feature a mix of seasoned veterans and young stud rookies alike.
The Broncos found out the hard way that surrounding a developing quarterback with developing pieces can be a toxic mix. The Dolphins would be wise to find an amended approach.