Levi Meyer

I can still remember the atmosphere in my house on January 25, 1998. John Elway had just led the Denver Broncos to their first Super Bowl. My whole world seemed to have an orange and blue tint to it. I spent at least two hours watching my dad, who sat speechless in his recliner. His life’s dream (besides having a wonderful child like me) had finally come true. This was the year of Elway and the year of the Bronco.

This season, Denver is ranked last in the NFL in rushing yards (67.2 YPG) and second to last in rush defense, allowing an astounding 154 YPG to opposing running backs. After nine weeks, they have posted a miserable 3-6 record. However, the Broncos front office is in no rush to tackle the problems their team faces.

At this point, it appears that Denver’s playoff hopes are about as thin as the Rocky Mountain air. Regardless of the changes they could make, the Broncos would most likely miss the postseason. However, if a divine being were to start at quarterback, the Broncos would be prepared for a midseason rally. Sorry, it’s not “Tebow time.”

It’s Elway time.

In his time, John Elway was a gridiron legend. With five Super Bowl appearances and two Super Bowl rings, Elway obviously knew how to win. On the Broncos active roster, only three players have a Super Bowl ring. The Broncos need someone who knows how to win, and John Elway is obviously that winner.

I know. He’s 50 years old. That’s really old.  He has more wrinkles than he has car dealerships.  But for every wrinkle on Elway’s face, there is a lesson of wisdom and perseverance for all of the young Broncos players to learn – and with that wisdom comes victory.

You may ask— what about Kyle Orton? He is passing for a whopping 296 yards per game, third in the NFL. The Broncos passing attack is destroying defensive units around the league. Orton is also putting up monstrous fantasy football numbers for those who are fortunate enough to own him. However, is winning all about stats? I don’t care if he throws a mile every Sunday. He can’t win. If he were a great quarterback, he could throw five yards per game and still find a way to win. Elway had plenty of awful games in his career, and he still found a way to guide his team to the postseason.

How bad could a Hall of Fame quarterback be, even at 50 years old? 50 is the new 40 after all – and Brett Favre is still kicking. With a lousy 3-6 record, what do the Broncos have to lose? Without a few changes, the Broncos have a lot to lose – eight games to be exact.

Perhaps bringing back Rip Van Elway isn’t such a great idea. However, the Broncos need to do something if they want to save their season. Whether it means making a blockbuster trade or a coaching change, the Denver Broncos need to acquire players and coaches who know how to win. Who knows what may happen if they fail.

Perhaps “Tebow time?” Oh, brother.