Broncos fire OC Mike McCoy; Bill Musgrave takes over

11:09 AM ET

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- They have benched a quarterback, have one of the league's least efficient offenses and just hours after the Denver Broncos' sixth consecutive loss, offensive coordinator Mike McCoy lost his job, sources told ESPN.

Broncos coach Vance Joseph informed McCoy Monday morning he was being relieved of his duties. Sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter that quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave will be promoted to offensive coordinator. The move comes after the Broncos fell to 3-7 Sunday with a 20-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Broncos are 18th in the league in total offense at 329.8 yards per game, but are 24th in scoring (18.3 points per game) and 30th in touchdown efficiency. The Broncos have scored just 19 touchdowns this season -- only five teams have scored fewer -- and two of those were by the Denver defense.

The team's 17 offensive touchdowns ties them for second-worst in the league. McCoy was asked about the Broncos' struggles in the red zone last week.

"There is a precision that you have to have in the red area,'' McCoy said last Thursday. "... Everybody understands that we have to be more efficient and finish drives. It changes games. It's those four-point plays. It's not always third-down down there. There was a time where we tried to take a shot, but he was covered, let's just check it down. Let's just take the next best thing so you stay ahead in down and distance and not have as many third and longs.

"We've had some penalties that have been costly throughout the year down there. Then we've missed plenty of opportunities, too. I could have put them in better situations also. It's everybody.''

Sunday's loss was the seventh time in the last eight games the Broncos failed to score at least 20 points. And in the game they reached 23 points, they lost by 28 (51-23) to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Broncos have already benched quarterback Trevor Siemian after a three-interception night in the Broncos' Oct. 30 loss in Kansas City. They are now 0-3 in Brock Osweiler's starts since he replaced Siemian. Osweiler has completed just 53 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and four interceptions in those games.

Overall, the Broncos have been also been one of the most turnover-prone teams in the league as well. Siemian and Osweiler have thrown a combined 14 interceptions this season -- only the Cleveland Browns have more -- and the Broncos are one of eight teams to have allowed at least 30 sacks this season.

The Broncos have consistently struggled to play out of a three-wide receiver set as the team has consistently been forced to play from behind. The Broncos have especially struggled in pass protection in that personnel grouping.

In the current six-game losing streak, nine of the team's 10 interceptions have come in plays out of a three-wide receiver set, including Osweiler's interception Sunday on a play that started at the Bengals' 4-yard line with the Broncos in a three-wide receiver set and an empty backfield.

McCoy was in his second stint with the Broncos, having been the team's offensive coordinator from 2010-2012, including Peyton Manning's first season with the Broncos. McCoy had been what Joseph said was his "first call'' after Joseph was hired by the Broncos.

Musgrave is a former offensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers. Musgrave spent two seasons with the Broncos during his playing career and was a teammate of Broncos president of football operations/general manager John Elway.

Musgrave was the Raiders' offensive coordinator the previous two seasons. McCoy consistently credited Musgrave with hiring him for his first job in coaching, when Musgrave was the Panthers' offensive coordinator and hired McCoy as an offensive assistant in 2000.

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