This is not the first time this particular train has left the station. A year ago this month, calls for the then-rookie head coach to be pink-slipped were regularly echoing across the Internet. The chorus quieted after Denver wins against the Seahawks and the Raiders to start the 2018 campaign. But consecutive gut-wrenching defeats to the Ravens and the Chiefs revived the subject in a big way, and the defeat to the Jets ratcheted them up to deafening levels, for very good reasons.
The game started with a gift — a New York fumble in the red zone that Denver quarterback Case Keenum managed to cash in by way of a touchdown pass to promising rookie wide-out Courtland Sutton. But the situation started deteriorating shortly thereafter, thanks to offensive inconsistency and the defense's proclivity for giving up enormous plays. Rookie Jets signal caller Sam Darnold had a Tim Tebow-like completion percentage (10-22), but many of his hookups were huge, including a pair of TD strikes to Robby Anderson during which the receiver posterized cornerback Bradley Roby, who is rapidly becoming the NFL's top patsy.
By game's end, this year's edition of the Broncos was virtually indistinguishable from the one that went 5-11 in 2017 — which helps explain why the headline on Mile High Report's postmortem reads, "Broncos Need to Fire Vance Joseph."
Those last three words are definitely getting a workout. There's currently a Fire Vance Joseph website, as well as not one, not two, not three, but at least four petitions calling for his ouster — and a couple more may launch before I finish typing this sentence.
The phrase is popping up in tweet after tweet as well, as you can see in our choices for the twenty most memorable messages to, for and about Joseph. It's capped by a salvo from the Fire Vance Joseph Twitter account.
Yeah, there's one of those, too. Make that two.
Number 20:
FIRE JOE WOODS. FIRE VANCE JOSEPH. START BENCHING GUYS HALF ASSING IT OUT THERE. INEXCUSABLE. https://t.co/Wkw7woX9lt
— Garrett Thomas (@GarrrettThomas) October 8, 2018
Number 19:
Fire Vance Joseph. Fire Vance Joseph. Fire Vance Joseph. Fire Vance Joseph. Bring back John Fox-ASAP.
— Connie Donoho (@cas7796) October 8, 2018
Number 18:
@johnelway @Broncos John Elway has been a very poor example as a general manager in his handling of the head coach. When are you going to wake up in fire this Vance Joseph?
— TheScruffMan (@man_scruff) October 8, 2018
Number 17:
@Broncos, This is only my opinion but, I think we need to fire Vance Joseph, Joe Woods. We need to bench Bradley Roby, Case Keenum. We are falling apart and I believe it needs to start with Mr. Joseph. Thank you! #lovemybroncostillidie
— ThatRealKrisP (@kdpruett13) October 8, 2018
Number 16:
@johnelway you have to fire Vance Joseph! What a waste of a talented team
— CKMilestone Photo (@CKMilestone) October 8, 2018
Number 15:
Vance Joseph is the softest coach I know, we should ship his ass to the unemployment line. Scrub couldn’t coach someone to walk a straight. The day @johnelway fires VJ is the day Elway proves he has some nuts....PERIOD BOTTOM LINE WE HAVE SO MUCH TALENT AND ARENT WINNING GAMES
— Moe Subh (@muhammad_subh) October 8, 2018
Number 14:
I'm waiting for the @nationwide Peyton/@BradPaisley commercial about Vance Joseph.
— ALLTHINGS18 (@ALLTHINGS18) October 8, 2018
"This is how we fire the bum"
Number 13:
Yo go ahead and fire Vance Joseph I had faith in him at first now he truly doesn't have what it takes to take Denver to the next level @Broncos @deanjeliok19
— TKnight2Day (@TylliaK) October 8, 2018
Number 12:
There's plenty of room on the Fire Vance Joseph wagon, folks. Come aboard. I've been driving it since they announced his hiring and I am always adding more seats.
— Colin Daniels (@southstands303) October 8, 2018
Number 11:
Okay, here’s the plan for the #Broncos moving forward:
— Spence (@ZackSpence5) October 8, 2018
1) Lose rest of games
2) Get a top 3 draft pick
3) Fire Vance Joseph
4) Hire Lincoln Riley
5) Draft Justin Herbert #suckfortheduck
6) Profit
Number 10:
@johnelway please fire Vance Joseph. Thank you.
— Jeff (@heffery) October 8, 2018
Number 9:
If denver could go ahead and fire Vance Joseph, that'd be swell
— Steve Dwyer (@Steveyd721721) October 8, 2018
Number 8:
I’m completely disappointed to be a Denver Broncos fan. This is basically the same team as last year. Even worse they are wasting Von Miller’s prime years! FIRE VANCE JOSEPH!!
— Kolby Gardner (@kg3for33) October 7, 2018
Number 7:
Dude, they were looking great in the first quarter! Then they turned up the suck to level 10... Elway needs to fire Vance Joseph!
— Jason303 (@JasonMcHugh14) October 7, 2018
Number 6:
Fire Vance Joseph, fire joe woods, fire case Keenum, fire Bradley Roby, and more than anyone fire John Elway for putting together one of the worst rosters in the NFL
— derick (@DerickRhoads) October 7, 2018
Number 5:
@johnelway please fire Vance Joseph this is embarrassing! I am thinking of becoming a Brown's fan, less embarrassing!
— Jonathan Looney (@bronco_looney) October 7, 2018
Number 4:
John Elway took an night to "sleep on the decision" to keep or fire Vance Joseph...
— Alex (@Alex_DBroncos) October 7, 2018
What on Earth did Elway dream of that night?? pic.twitter.com/QT4QOnlCXq
Number 3:
If we don’t fire Vance Joseph on the bright side we play the Rams next and they are going to destroy us so he should be fired for sure
— Mario (@Macias_81) October 7, 2018
Number 2:
If they don't fire Vance Joseph, Broncos Country may revolt!
— Robert Garner (@RescueRobBronco) October 7, 2018
Number 1:
Vance Joseph has ruined my life @Broncos
— Fire Vance Joseph (@arimicheleee) October 8, 2018
