"we need better effort in rebounding" or "we need to stop standing around on offense" or similar things that are exactly analogous to what Bronco has said publicly about player performance. There is zero difference. Yet for some reason Bronco is called out for deflecting the blame. I just don't get it.

I remember Crowton would get blasted for blaming the players. Then when Bronco would say stuff like "I didn't have them prepared" or "they played like they were prepared to play" early in his career, some recognized that as coach speak, but others blasted him for not holding players accountable.

Bronco still gets blasted for not holding players accountable. For not pulling them off the field when they make mistakes, etc. But when he says something extremely mild like "execution needs to improve"... my goodness you would have thought that he was naming names and laying all their faults out in the open.