I have been following the Denver Broncos since 1986 and covered them daily from 2003-2006. I do not like what I've seen since their loss to Pittsburgh in the 2005-2006 AFC Championship Game.
You can trace the beginning of the problems in the Broncos organization back to Thanksgiving Night 2006, Denver was on their way to the playoffs when Mike Shanahan decided to bench QB Jake Plummer in favor of Jay Cutler. Cutler was clearly not ready and Shanahan's decison ultimately cost his team a playoff birth. This was Denver's first huge collapse, even with Cutler at quarterback the Broncos would have made the playoffs with a home win on the last day of the season against a bad San Francisco team, and Denver lost the game. Despite what critics think, Jake Plummer was a winner in Denver during his tenure and the Broncos should have stuck with him until the end of that season.
A huge blow to the organization happend New Years Day 2007, when CB Darrent Williams was murdered during the early morning hours. This tragedy turned the Broncos into an emotional mess. Head Coach Mike Shanahan, for the first time ever showed tears and emotion in a press conference, WR Javon Walker was destroyed. (Walker was in the car with Williams at the time of the shooting and had Darrent's blood covered on his shirt) Darrent Williams was a great locker room guy. Williams was easy going and always had a smile on his face. Darrent was the starting corner opposite Champ Bailey and when he was murdered, it truly took an emotional effect on the entire team, especially the defense.
During the 2007-2008 season the Broncos struggled as expected, finishing with a 7-9 record and missed the playoffs for the 2nd straight season.
Now the 2008-2009 season, before it even started the Broncos parted ways with thier best kicker ever in Jason Elam. Denver had a soft schedule and found itself up 3 games in the AFC West with 3 games to play. Mike Shanahan did a great job filling in pieces just to keep this team together. Denver used 7 running backs and the majority of their defense was injured the entire season, including Champ Bailey. WR Brandon Marshall missed a game because of suspension, rookie WR Eddie Royal missed time with an injured ankle, TE Tony Scheffler also missed some time due to nagging leg injuries. Like I said, it was a great patch-up job done by Shanahan. However, Shanahan had his faults which led to his firing. During the season Shanahan made decisons that were just for a lack of a better word dumb. His decison making and play calling was bizzare and to the viewer looked desparate at times. It was unacceptable that Denver lost at home to Buffalo to clinch the AFC West in week 16. The loss was Shanahan's fault. Late in the 2nd quarter, Shanahan decided to try a long field goal with his team in control of the game. The kick was into the wind and Matt Prater, the Broncos kicker was struggling big time. Prater missed the field goal and Buffalo went down the field to score before halftime, changing the momentum of the game. Denver then went on to get blown away by San Diego in the final game of the season, becoming the first team in NFL history to blow a 3 game lead with 3 to play. I felt that the Broncos needed to make a change and agreed with the firing of Mike Shanahan.
Owner Pat Bowlen named Josh McDaniels Head Coach and brought in Brian Xanders for GM duties. I would have liked to seen Bill Cowher take over both those roles, but Bowlen did what he did. The hiring of McDaniels made absolutely no sense to me, he did good thing as Offensive Coordinator for the Patriots, but that was it, he was a young Offensive Coordinator. Denver's issues were on the defensive side of the football. The offense was good but young. During the season, Denver moved the ball with ease but turned it over often. These are fixable problems, given that Denver's offense is so young and inexperienced. Also, assistants of Bill Belichick have failed. Look at Charlie Weis at Notre Dame, Eric Mangini with the Jets, and Romeo Crennel with Clevleland, all failures. I was willing to put all of that aside and give the new team of Bowlen, McDaniels and Xanders the benefit of the doubt, that was until this previous week.
The moves made by the Broncos have been difficult for me to understand. They released numerous veteran players, making it look like the team was going to fix it's problems by going young, and now with recent free agent signings, that does not seem to be the case. McDaniels solidified the team's secondary by signing safties Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill. Both players are a signifficant upgrade from any combination the Broncos had last season at the position. Denver signed former Dolphins CB Andre' Goodman to take the place of Dre' Bly. I'm OK with that, it might be a slight upgrade. Denver signed LB Andra Davis, now the team at best has 2 legitimate linebackers. The other defensive pick-up was DT Darrel Reid from the Colts. What does McDaniels plan to do with Denver's defensive line? The team may have taken a step back from last year's defensive line which was terrible. The new men in charge of the Broncos didn't fix the team's number one problem, the defensive line, and I have a problem with that.
What really baffles me is what McDaniels is doing on the offensive end. Denver's offense was young and good, they just needed a big name running back and good coaching to solidify things. McDaniels instead goes out and gets running backs Correll Buckhalter and JJ Arrington. What is that going to do for a team that had 7 running backs last season? Nothing against Buckhalter and Arrington, but what can they possibly add to Denver, they are not that good. McDaniels couldn't get out of New England without bringing in one his own players. The Broncos picked up former Pats WR Jabar Gaffney. If Gaffney is coming in to replace Brandon Stokely the move is idiotic. Stokely was one of Denver's leaders on offense last season and is damn tuff in the slot. Stokely has no fear going across the middle and taking a big hit and if McDaniels lets him go it would be a huge loss for the Broncos.
Those moves made me really question McDaniels and Xanders, however as we all know it got worse. Denver tried to acquire QB Matt Cassel, who ultimately ended up with the Chiefs. It was reported that Denver was in trade talks with the Bucs, Lions and Patriots that would ultimately bring Cassel to Denver and send Jay Cutler packing. There was nothing wrong with the offense in Denver last season. Jay Cutler has the best young arm in the league and has the cockyness and confidence to go with that arm stregnth. Why would McDaniels try to do this? What has Matt Cassel proven? Cutler is building chemistry with all of his young targets and McDaniels wanted to make a QB change? The Broncos got in the Cassel sweepstakes too late, McDaniels didn't get his prize, and the backlash is overwhelming.
Jay Cutler is furious and has a right to be. The Broncos denied shopping him and everybody knows that they were. The Broncos not only put their young Pro Bowl QB on the trading block, but they also lied to him by saying other teams were calling them about Cutler's availability. Will Cutler leave the Broncos? Maybe, and if he does, who would blame him? It's a stange connection that when all of this broke on Saturday, that night Cutler's favorite target, WR Brandon Marshall was once against arrested, this time for disorderly conduct. The chargers were eventually dropped against Marshall, however he still can be suspended by the league. The point to all this is McDaniels and Xanders have created a disasterous situation.
Now in Denver, you still have a bad defense. In Denver you also have, which was once a good offense in complete turmoil. Cutler doesn't trust McDaniels and at this time has refused to mend the fence. Brandon Marshall could have a 4 game suspension coming up in the future and worst of all you have a group of offensive players that have no clue who their leader will be in the future. The Broncos have a brutal schedule coming up in 2009. In addition to playing their division opponents twice the team has games against the NFC East, AFC North, Indianapolis and New England. Putting the schedule aside for a moment, McDaniels hasn't even coached a game and look what he has created with this team. Mike Shanahan is off playing golf some place laughing his you know what off. McDaniels wants Cassel instead of Cutler, what a joke. I will not be a fan of this team if McDaniels wants to turn it into his version of the New England Patriots.
Things are ugly right now in Denver and Pat Bowlen needs to sack up and do something drastic to save this team. Fire Josh McDaniels and Brian Xanders before they do anything more to screw up this team. The Broncos aren't the Broncos right now. The NFL knows it, players know it, and most importantely the fans are starting to know this isn't the team that they have lived and died with over the last 40 years. Sack-up Bowlen and fire these two jokers, it is the only way to save your team. When it is all said in done I hope I'm wrong about McDaniels and Xanders, but I doubt I will be.
Tonights NBA Picks-Overall Record 51-31-1 ATS
Atlanta -4 1/2 @ Washington
Dallas - 5 1/2 @ Oklahoma City
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5 comments:
Suggestion - type the first paragraph of your take and link to the rest of the post. These 2 page diatribes are not what anyone wants to scroll through if they're not interested in Cutler, CU basketball, etc.
If you don't like it, don't read it. Cutler was the big story on Monday and I shared my thoughts. I did the piece on CU Hoops for people who follow my blog in North Dakota and fans of CU Hoops. It was a story on a kid who is a great talent and I did play-by-play for his games in high school. If you don't like the topics I write about, then don't read it. If you disagree with anything I say, say it and I'll reply. Don't bash my topics.
Interesting take on the collapse of Denver. The Broncos sold Cutler out but Cutler is acting like a baby. On the right hand side of this blog there are links to this guys archives and other posts. Every blog is like that, the newest posts are always on the main page.
Walsh was right. Denver was shopping Cutler behind his back. The Broncos proved that by saying today they are not going to trade Cutler. I agree, McDaniels screwed up bad. Denver's priority should have been the defense and the only piece offensively they needed was a strong RB that is durable. I don't care about Denver, being a Jags fan, but the guy is right about Denver.
A little extreme on firing McDaniels before he coaches a game but the guy has f'd up. I wonder where Denver would be if Shanahan was still at command? Adding free agents with no drama. Whatever the takes the guy has, his picks are money.
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