I’m a stubborn son of a gun, and if my life plays out like a Shakespearean tragedy, this trait will ultimately be the death of me.
So when a certain regular poster writes this, I have to chuckle:
Someday Mason will proclaim, ‘I’m sorry, you guys were right, benching Plummer sent the Broncos into a 3-year tailspin of disaster!’And we’ll post his picture with a LET PLUMMER PLAY T-shirt at our site!”
Sure I might not be right on everything. But I can guarantee you, chimpanzees will sprout wings, Britney Spears will win an Academy Award and Elizabeth Edwards and Ann Coulter will share a pleasant dinner before I write those words. And you sure won’t get a picture of me in a shirt, either. I’ve got enough T-shirts in my drawers, thank you. (And of course, you posted it in multiple blog entries, just to get your point across.) Besides, if I suffered some kind of blunt-force head trauma that altered my brain waves and caused me to agree with you, do you think I’m going to write those words on the official team Web site?
So this person shan’t hold his breath, for risk of his face turning purple.
And I couldn’t help but notice this message board post which flatters me but says I am “a bit of a jerk.” (Damn, do I love Google.) Can’t make everyone happy, I reckon. I think even my mother might agree with you; she’s said I have no time for people from whom I can’t learn anything. There might be some truth to that; I do have a way of saying in my own mind, “This conversation’s done,” or “This dinner’s done,” and tersely moving on to whatever’s next. My social skills stink, frankly.
Nevertheless, my family loves me and I love them; I’ve got a wonderful group of close friends; my girlfriend hasn’t yet kicked me to the curb and apparently her mother really likes me. So I might be doing okay. Besides, if I can continue to tolerate the postings of LetPlummerPlay with a shrug, a weisenheimer retort and a laugh, then maybe I’m not such a bad guy after all.
So after spraining my shoulder patting myself on the back, it’s “on with the countdown,” as Casey Kasem would say, and a query from archangel77 starts this show:
After reading your posting regarding Coach Shanahan’s Monday press conference I went back to the video and watched it a couple of times. Some of the questions asked and the way Coach Shanahan answered them got me wondering about the protocol of the press corps when their in there. Is there a certain degree of pointedness that you can use when asking the Coach questions and if so where is the line? Also if the line is crossed by a reporter who keeps asking a question that he or she feels is not being answered to their degree of satisfaction, what are the consequences? Are they not allowed to cover the Monday press conference anymore or can they be banned from the team facilities entirely?
There actually is a protocol that most reporters follow — and, by and large, it is about trying to be fair to the subject being queried, whether it is the head coach, an assistant or a player. Sometimes, obviously, questions rub the interviewee the wrong way, especially when they’re phrased indelicately. An example of this came at the end of Shanahan’s postgame press conference, when Sports Illustrated‘s Jim Trotter chimed in from the back of the room.
Trotter: “Did you see any quit out there?”
Shanahan: “No, I didn’t see any quit, did you?”
Trotter: “I saw a couple of guys that maybe didn’t want (to be out there).”
Shanahan: “Oh, I don’t think so. I don’t think you saw any quit.”
Shanahan then reiterated a point he made about the loss being on his shoulders, said “Thanks,” and walked away. Normally, Shanahan will look around and say, “Anything else?” before saying “Thanks” and leaving the podium. Accusing players of quitting — or even inferring the idea — is to attack at the heart of a player or coach’s existence; it’s like a below-the-belt punch in a boxing match. That’s something you just don’t ask right after the worst home loss in nearly 41 years. Emotions are as raw as the second-half weather Sunday. Scabs have yet to form. The blood still squirts from new wounds.
A more gently-worded question in a similar vein was posed of John Lynch – on Tuesday, about 44 hours and a video-watching session later, and the Pro Bowl safety responded thusly:
“I know when games get like that, the appearance can be that people quit. I looked hard at that film. I didn’t see any quit. That’s an encouraging sign. If you see quit you’ve got troubles. Then you don’t have guys you can go to battle with, but I didn’t see that. I saw a lot of not executing, not being where you’re supposed to be and sometimes when you are where you’re supposed to be not making the play but I didn’t see quit and that can be fixed.”
This is the fine line we inquisitors walk. The line is even thinner for me because I work for the team. I prefer not to ask questions in large-group settings, anyway … which goes hand-in-hand with how I generally despise large gatherings like parties and such. Five or six people is about the limit of my comfort zone, and while this may come as a shock to some people, I am actually quite shy.
But I digress …
In general, we who cover this team daily try to go about it with class, even though we’re leeches, interlopers, whatever. As Robert Duvall’s grizzled editor-in-chief character said in The Paper, “We run in their world, but it is THEIR world.” Nate Jackson provided some illumination into a player’s thoughts about a less-than-stellar interview. He writes:
Anyone who understands the locker room knows that respect is everything. Poorly worded questions and transparently antagonistic inquiries will make your stock plummet. Your reputation will suffer immensely. You will lose a player’s trust.
Jackson, being the magnanimous and generally grand fellow that he is, assured me in the e-mail that included that journal entry that he was not referring to me. Nevertheless, I’m sure I’ve had players think the same thing about me. Nick Ferguson, for one, has teased me in the past about being too negative, although that didn’t last too long, there was never a hatchet to bury and he nevertheless answered all of my questions — even the brain-fart ones. Maybe I’m not on my game and phrase a question too bluntly … and I know I’m guilty of being a bit too wordy in my questions from time to time. I remember reading somewhere that Larry King’s maxim was to keep questions to seven words or less, and while I try, I admittely often fail at this objective. (Which is why I prefer to write on the Internet, where I don’t have to truncate or extend my thoughts into a certain pre-set column-inch space; I just write as much as the moment dictates, and move forward.)
Being in the locker room, though, makes us accountable — for good and bad. Sometimes I’ll get needled for the way I write a story. Others, I will receive a compliment, such as the one Brian Clark paid me last week for this piece. It’s easy for someone like Bernie Lincicome of the Rocky Mountain News or Gregg Easterbrook to tee off — and I bring those up because our friend LetPlummerPlay cited both of their stories. They’re never in the locker room at Dove Valley. Lincicome is in the locker room after games, but I’m still waiting to see him at team headquarters during the week of preparation leading up to the game. Easterbrook is writing from a desk near Washington, D.C. They can write what they want with relative impunity. That’s their job, and it operates under divergent parameters from those of us who are in the locker room every day. We must tread with more finesse, because while these players are not our co-workers, they are people with whom we deal on a daily basis. A good relationship yields a good story … and I think the afore-mentioned Clark piece is an example thereof.
I think almost all good reporters, whether they’re working for newspapers, TV stations or team Web sites, have a little bit of a skeptical edge to them, which might come across as negative. We tend to be the type of people who remember the past well, whether it has relevancy on the present or not. (And typically, the more distant the past, the less relevant it is; e.g. what does a loss in 1966 have to do with today, aside from serving as a historical reference point?) We’re also more often than not die-hard fans of some other sport. Not that we don’t enjoy football, but the casual conversations between those of us in the laptop-and-mic set often drift to other realms of the sporting world, particularly baseball.
And as for the final part of your question, I’m sure that media-relations could ban anyone; ultimately, all media representatives credentialed are at the pleasure of the team and the NFL.
Moving on … the tenor of many postings on the blogs — too numerous and time-consuming for me to cite, since I’ve been at this for quite a while — consist of hand-wringing over the current state of the Broncos.
I know that a losing record — even after a mere five games — after is almost as unfamiliar to some of y’all as snowfall to a lifelong Tahitian. But is it possible, though, that everyone just needs to chill out a little bit?
Granted, you might want to take my perspective with a shaker’s worth of salt. I am something of an outsider embedded in Broncos Country. I work for the Broncos, but I would not necessarily call myself a Broncos fan. (The job is always more enjoyable when the team is winning, but work has to be done whether the team is 14-2 or 2-14; besides, I’m too busy during a game to cheer, boo or raise a hulabaloo.) I didn’t grow up bleeding orange and blue; I followed the Buccaneers — for whom a 2-3 start used to be cause for head-scratching high-fives that screamed, “Hey, we’re still in it!” — from a third-row bleacher seat at the 20-yard-line at long-since-demolished Tampa Stadium.
So it is with this observer’s view that I read the comments in the blog and quietly lurk about the message boards. I can understand the panic … but in the large picture, I just can’t agree with it. Besides, if you’re going to have a 38-point loss, better it comes early and before a bye, when there’s time to fix the problems.
Many of you read the Monday post and talked about Shanahan’s responses to the questions, in particular the ones dealing with what needed to be done to reverse the recent fortunes. Again, they’re too numerous to cite here, but please feel free follow the link to read and respond to some of them.
Anyhow, if Shanahan is going to make radicial changes, I highly doubt he’ll reveal them right now. He’ll wait, slip his cards under his jacket, and then unveil them at kickoff, or, perhaps, give an indication of them with the release of the game-day inactives 90 minutes before kickoff. Shanahan wouldn’t even say who the center would be after Tom Nalen’s injury, even though the depth chart shows Chris Myers as the second-teamer there, and said he wouldn’t talk about who would start at center until after the Pittsburgh game.
Admittedly, it’s not the answer that most people observing want to hear; that much is evident from the tenor of comments in the last few days. But it’s a postulate I can understand; it’s good strategy. Why tip your hat when you might be able to hold back on something that can give your team an edge? As a reporter/editor, obviously I’d rather things be out in the open, but as a follower of football, I understand the reasons behind being publicly furtive and concocting plans behind closed doors. That can help you win games, and I think that’s something that just about all of us floating about here would like to see, right?
Elway07 to me has a rational perspective. I won’t cite it here; it’s quite lengthy, but I encourage you to follow the link.
Damn, it’s so late, it’s early.
But before I move on, I want to provide a list of teams. They all have something in common, which I will reveal after I have rattled them off.
Buffalo Bills … Miami Dolphins … New England Patriots … New York Jets … Baltimore Ravens … Cincinnati Bengals … Cleveland Browns … Pittsburgh Steelers … Houston Texans … Indianapolis Colts … Jacksonville Jaguars … Tennessee Titans … Kansas City Chiefs … Oakland Raiders …. San Diego Chargers … Dallas Cowboys … New York Giants … Philadelphia Eagles … Washington Redskins … Chicago Bears … Detroit Lions … Green Bay Packers … Minnesota Vikings … Carolina Panthers … Atlanta Falcons … New Orleans Saints … Tampa Bay Buccaneers … Arizona Cardinals … St. Louis Rams … San Francisco 49ers … Seattle Seahawks.
What do those 31 teams have in common?
They’ve all had losing seasons since the Broncos’ last sub-.500 campaign in 1999.
If you consider the millennium to begin at Jan. 1, 2000, then the Broncos are the only NFL team to avoid a losing record in the 21st Century. If you consider it to start on Jan. 1, 2001 (think “Newmanium”), then it’s only the Broncos and the Patriots. Not too shabby company, especially considering that the Broncos are 5-1 against the three-time world champions in that span.
Panic if you must. And while things haven’t looked great — how can they after a 38-point loss? — it’s not the end of the world or the end of the season. And being a skeptic, I am skeptical about the notion many possess of the Broncos falling off the cliff. They’ve had too many seasons as a consistent contender to believe that this season is shot by any means.
That’s all for today. Fire away below. I’m sure I deserve at least a little negative feedback. I’ll probably use this weekend’s blog entries to answer more questions that got buried behind the avalanche of words in the above post. Talk to you later, and until then, vaya con Dios.
Tags: Self-Indulgence
Mason,
I’m officially changing my live and let live policy concerning LPP. I’m now in favor of banning him today! His idiocy, tunnel vision, and continuous ignoring of the “real” statistics we’ve presented him with (and by the way we’re still waiting for a response) is causing my brain to explode. I’m currently using duct tape to keep it together, but who knows how long that will last.
On other topics . . . I asked previously about the LB we signed awhile ago. . . in follow up to that, I have remembered his name is Jamie Winborn. The big story was that he came from Tampa just like Rice and Lynch. He was supposed to be a seasoned LB that would help us, but I don’t remember even seeing him playing the last few weeks (except maybe on Special Teams). What’s the deal there? Is he just another cheaply purchased depth man? Just wondering . . .
Thanks
NateDogg– Benching Jake is history? Actually it’s not, the ONCE mighty denver broncos are still suffering from the benching of Jake. I think that makes it REALITY.
Bronco_hyde– I wish to have you banned as much as you wish to have me banned.
Tunnel vision? Mike Shanahan made a terrible decision by benching Jake, he’s still paying for it and another year or two like this may cost him his job. Pretty simple, not really tunnel vision.
By the way all Bronco fans should ban together and ask Bowlen to not allow fans to wear any jerseys but Broncos jerseys, because a difference in opinion will cause Bronco_hyde and fans like him to explode.
Benching Plummer was necessary, and should have been done before it did. I saw some of the passes Plummer was throwing and it showed his arm strength was gone. His passes couldn’t reach the target he was throwing too. Why do you think he isn’t playing this year. He new that his passing days were numbered last year. The only reason he wasn’t benched earlier was because the team was winning. When the team started loosing then Shanahan did what he had to do. Replace a QB who’s time had come to an end. Why do you think Plummer choose retirement? Because he knows his arm is shot.
As far as for Cutlers taking over, there is a learning curve for every QB. Mind you Cutlers has been much steeper than most. It takes a team to win games. Even when Elway was leading the team, he couldn’t carry a team by himself. Cutler can’t carry a team by himself either.
When passes are dropped by the intended target it isn’t his fault. When a running back gets tackled behind the line it isn’t Cutlers fault either. When a defensive player missed a tackle it isn’t Cutlers fault either.
With that being said, it isn’t Shanahan’s fault when any of that happens as well. There is another eleven players trying to force their will onto the Broncos. It is their job to prevent Shanahan’s game plan from working. This is accomplished by two ways. One is outplaying the other eleven Bronco players on the field. Two by taking advantage of the mistakes the Broncos make on the field.
One of the INT’s thrown by Cutler was the result of the WR not running a crisp route. Bailey of the Broncos, has made a living of jumping poorly run routes and getting an easy INT. I think that sums up what is wrong with the Denver Broncos right now.
Both the offense and defense are not playing crisp. There is two reasons for this IMO. The first is there is a new play book on both the defense and offense being used. The new Defensive coordinator changed the way the Broncos are play defense. It is going to take time for it work properly. The offensive game plan has changed because Cutler has more ability to make plays than Plummer did because of what I said before. The second reason for the current play is there are considerable amount of new players on the field. That is going to continue with the current injuries and the possible suspension of Henry.
What could spark a change on the offense is when Smith returns. What can spark a change on the defense is when the rookies are reacting and not thinking about what they have to do to stop the other team.
It is IMO that there might be some rocky roads ahead, but I think it is better to have the rocky road now, and not at the end of the season like it has in the past several years. If they come together as a team in time, then they could make a run for the play off. It is better to be rolling into the playoffs with the best game you play than being on the decline. Look what Pittsburgh did when they won their last Super Bowl. They finished the season off strong. This carried on into the playoffs.
LWP: You’re becoming more and more like LPP with your “tunneled vision”. In the arizona game Al had a whopping.. 3 tackles! and 1 assist. Which is not truly all that amazing for a MLB. Not only did he play in the Airzona game with culter starting, he also played in the Seattle game, Bengals game, and Chargers game with Cutler under center.. In the Chargers game LT ran for 103 yards and 3 TD’s with Al recording 5 tackles and 1 assist. Against the bengals Rudi ran for 129 yards and 1 TD while Al had 3 tackles and 3 assists. This season is not being infuenced at all by 1 lone man on defense but by all 11 of the defenders not studying the game of football long enough and wanting to win hard enough. Like I said before, it takes 11 men with heart to play defense, not one, as much as he is a great MLB and I do miss him, he is old, hurt and past his prime. I’ll always remember him for the many great years he had on the Broncos and I’ll leave it at that. I’d suggest changing your name back to something normal too so you can let him retire in peace unlike LPP will allow for Jake.
Andrew,
2 Questions for you.
J-Walk: Will his knee be ok after the Pitt game or does this look like an inury related to his surgery? Having him on the field at all times is a must.
Henry: Is there anyway he will win this marjiuana battle with the NFL? It was rumored the http://www.nfl.com had posted something along the lines as if he wasnt going to get suspended. Is this a true or false rumor?
Shanahan handled the Cutler/Plummer situation poorly. He showed no confidence in either man and allowed the “controversy” to go on for far too long in the media. If he was completely sold on Cutler from Day 1 he should have played Cutler Day 1. By letting Plummer go into week 12 with a winning record and then pulling him, Shanahan decided that the season was a wash and it was time to train the rookie for next season. After Week 13 Darrent Williams let it slip that there were quitters in the locker room. Think those two things were related? Nawwwww, course not. Whether Plummer was the answer or no didn’t matter at that point, it was what the players saw that mattered. Assuming Darrent wasn’t lying, do you think the players are MORE or LESS likely to quit now that they’re 2-3 coming off a vicious loss to a division rival that was supposed to be in disarray? And when it comes right down to motivation, that falls on one man’s shoulders…if the head coach has truly lost the team, then it’s time to start over. And like him or hate him, with Javon Walker and Rod Smith down, Henry about to get axed, and the lines buckling, do you really think all the hounding and pounding back there is going to be good for Cutler? There’s experience and character building, and then there’s just taking a useless beating and getting ruined. The difference between becoming either Troy Aikman or Steve Walsh is more than just “one guy was better,” it also has to do with handling and confidence. Lord help Cutler.
number83 claims to no some of the players well if you did idiot you would know the would like to blitz more than the do so i suggest we should use your scheme and just sit back yeah thats what works applying no pressure is it just me or do i remember being 13-3 a few years ago and we were applying pressure just like all the good teams do and since your into calling people idiots me all wilson have the same agent so you dont know nothing about what your talking about, the fact of the matter is in football you dont win unless you apply pressure to the quarterback and when you cant get it with your front four you need to blitz, so keep your little stupid comments to yourself, you dont know who blogs, here in america we call that putting a foot in ones mouth, and I know all the players so if you every want to have a heart to heart come to dove valley
Wow, there something a little more disgusting than the broncos losing 41-3 at home, guess what it is? The ignorance of its fan base, and the restarted ideas. I feel sorry for Mason, as he has to read threw all the nonsense. Plummer, is out and anyone that thinks he was wrongfully ejected, or was &^#*ed out of a job, well its too late to complain now, so just drop it, he’s gone. I don’t see him coming back, and his stats were horrible on his way out, so why change a quarterback that is a better player? Ok fans wake up, and realize that we are 2-3 and so is everyone else in the afc west. The chargers were 14-2, they change there coach and look at what happens? Some of you want to bench Mike? How dare you, he is the only reason we have anything positive to say about this franchise. Anyone who thinks that should just go jump, on some undefeated teams bandwagon, and play fantasy football, and continue to be a ignorant fan. Mike, had kept this team together through some horrible times, how dare yall say that. I understand the defense is not playing anywhere like it should. They are working on it, the players need to step up, and unite, and play some &#$!in football. And us as fans need to support, and go to the games, and cheer them on no matter what, if not then *&#@ off, Unite fans and support your broncos, or turn this into politics, and break everything we stand for. GO BRONCOS.
Broncosrule5201 is the apex of the idiots in here. You’re inability to spell, read previous comments CORRECTLY, and form a good sentence, justifies my accusations. I can pick apart your grammar, spelling, and nonsense all day long. But that’s not what this “forum” is about.
I said, that Al (not All as you call him), but Al Wilson’s DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT HE (Al Wilson), WAS “PISSED AT THE BRONCOS, AND HE MOVED BACK HOME TO TENNESSEE.” So, when Al Wilson never wears the orange and blue again, I’ll be sure to come back in here, and rub it in to you and your agent. And if he indeed does slip on the orange and blue again, he’s obviously had a change of heart.
As for the blitzing, you’re right, we did go 13-3 when we blitzed the hell out of people. But, we also got spanked in the AFC Championship game, and the rest is ancient history. My “scheme” is not to sit back and relax, but Champ, Foxy and Bly aren’t invincible. So when we send the other 9 guys at Peyton, Brady, etc., and we LOSE, just like we did in the AFC Championship, I’ll be sure to come back in… and rub that in to you and your “agent” as well.
So go ahead, and hit me with your “comeback” because we all know it’s coming. I was unaware that you Broncos were so immature, and undereducated. My mistake. So, again, go ahead with your “comeback”, and you’ll only prove your immaturity to me and everyone else.
Stupid poser, YOU are the idiot. Have fun with your agent…. maybe he should move you into coaching, because you’re so good at it and all. I just hope you don’t have to WRITE/TYPE anything with your employment…. because you suck at it.
Later on, Broncosrule5201 (a.k.a. Ian Gold????)
P.S. Unless all of you are 12 years old and under, (which I’m sure a lot of you are…. Broncosrule5201), and/or you’re still in grade school, PROOF READ your own comment before you make an attempt at picking on someone.
Everyone’s “attacks” that are full of grammatical errors, spelling errors, “type-o’s”, etc…….. it only makes YOU look like the idiot.
I’m just trying to help. Seriously.
I am new to this blogging, I am not a young kid, but have been a bronco fan for 34 years now I have seen good and bad years , the winning was great and the losing hurt, from red miller to shanahan, from craig morton to cutler, no one can deny the broncos have kept our pulses racing and our blood pressure high, but that is what this team has alway’s done, we have been spoiled by our success in the 90′s and the oh so close chances to win in the playoffs, since but in today’s game unlike the past the cap dictates where you go who you can sign, with this team this year every fan read the stat’s of the players we signed such as bly,adams,rice,and henry all have had success in there history while being in the N.F.L but anyone who knows sports you can aquire all the talent in the world but still not have a team, aka. the yankees ring a bell. until this unit comes together as a team in which all these individuals have to decide that themselves, they will never be a team and win, if you could clone people like rod,bailey,lynch,al wilson whom I miss every week, these players all have something many of the others lack, I know it is like a line from a movie but they lack heart,and dicipline, many play for the money and nothing else, I have seen that many times when I have gone to home games and taken my son when he was young and my grand kids, many of these superstars by-pass the fans when entering or leaving after the game, that right there tells me they forgot what playing the game is about,and I see it this year it’s a game you play as a kid, and pretend to be elway, or T.D thats what al and rod brought to this team, you can blame Bates or shanahan but in the end any who have played the game no matter at what level you never quit learning,so quit blaming everyone else people and look at yourselves, in the end only youu can decide how you play
broncosrule5201… Please calm down, this is a forum, if you want to respond to his post with soemthing useful instead of childish banter then do so and do it correctly. Most of your post was almost illegible due to the horrific spelling and grammer. You obviously must be a child saying you have the same agent as Al Wilson and rumbling on about other random things that I don’t think anyone could truly comprehend. This has NOTHING to do with blitzing and it has NOTHING to do with Al Wilson. It has to due with the fact that EVERY SINGLE defensive player on the feild needs to want to win, and needs to work to win. We are not getting that out of all of our defenders, they obviously need to spend MORE time studying their new defensive scheme and practicing their executions in the new scheme. They also need to spend more time practicing their TACKLING, they are getting paid MORE than enough money to go out and practice tackling with dummies, run some sprints, lift, review their oppenents. This is supposed to be a JOB for them and they should be fortunate enough to be having this “job”, that I’m sure many peolple wish they had the natural talent, athleticism, height, and heart to have. And with every job comes work, and if you do not want to work then you will find it hard to stay employed and to find new jobs. And for playing football the only work you can do is to study your plays, know your executions, review your oppenents, and study the players you will be facing. You have to WANT to play football, I know for sure if I was a coach, (which I plan to try to do later in life as I’m still in college now), I would make it damn right clear to all my players that if they don’t want to put in that extra effort and don’t want to study as hard as I would as a coach, to get the hell out. I think thats exactly what Shannahan needs to do if he wants to continue to be a good coach. You can’t sign guys like Sam Adams and then give them wednesdays off, hell I wouldnt even give the day after the game off to my players, win or lose. The day after you should be reviewing the tape and pointing out EVERY single mistake a player made and reviewing it with them until they have it down. You seriously have to want to win and right now I do not see every single player on the Broncos showing that they want to win. I don’t know if its a lack of coaching, a lack of heart, or what but I just DO NOT see that from every player right now, I see it from a good bunch but not all. And all it takes is one man to not want it, to ruin a teams chances of winning, one man can ruin it for all, you need to make sure all 11 guys out there not only love the game, but are a student of the game, have pride in themselves and their teammates, and never want to quit. Until I see that “Want” in EVERY SINGLE player, I will not be satisfied as a Bronco fan. As a head coach, Shanahan really needs to start figuering out how to spot that desire in the players he choses to draft, sign, or trade for. Because if you can’t spot that in the player then why would you ever bother with him unless you feel your confident enough that you can coach him it. But as of right now I’m not seeing it in every player at all. Sorry for the rambling but thats our biggest problem in my mind, screw the schemes, the blitzing, the play calling, it all comes down to who wants to win, who has pride in what they do and who just wants to pick up that lofty paycheck each week and go home.
the broncos have some of the best coaches in the nfl on both sides of the ball and special teams. they have some of the most gifted and talented players on both sides of the ball and special teams. the schemes are proven. if DW was still around these guys would be having fun and playing good ball ! they will get it together , no one is going to want to play this team come the second half of the season! go broncos!
BroncoFan1018 you have made a point that know other here has made, it is fundamentals, how many times do you see the (Big Hit) which is a joke, so many want to be on the high light reel they forget what you should do, from pop warner to high school every coach I have known or who taught me you would do up downs or run till you dropped if you made an attempt to tackle without wrapping up, which my high school team this year as in the past found out, but somewhere after high school to college and onto the N.F.L these players weather on special teams ,defense,or offense have forgotten how to do the simple things right, you are so right in this, to bad they cannot take upon there selves to just do it right and give up the 3 or 5 yard gain and stop giving up the 20 or 30 yard gain.
Man did the tenor of this blog ever change. The shanks, knives, and throwing spears are to the right, the handguns, shotguns, and grenades are to the left. The last one standing that can say “Jean Kirkpatrick is nobodies baby!” five times fast is the winner.
Mr. Mason,
Thank you for the insight. That segment should be included in some journalism 201 classes. I don’t think that we need to worry about the negative feedback from the fans. Based on the blogs here they will all have killed themselves off by game time next Sunday. I can see Brandon Marshall standing in the middle of the field in Pittsburgh, looking for the Bronco fans, and wondering “Was it something I said?”. Not that it counts for anything but my favorite set of lines from “The Paper” are, “Bernie, do you have to smoke that thing in here? My doctor found nicotine in my urine.” To which Robert Duval replies, “Well then keep your d@*#$ out of my ashtray!” I see some similarities to whats happening to the Bronco Fan’s base. A little time, a little perspective, and a little confidence in our team would go a long way to fixing our collective mood. I agree with the fact that Shanahan is and should continue to be the Head Coach of the Broncos. Not that my opinion is going to sway anyone that could be involved in the Broncos decision making process. As to anyone who claims to know a Denver Bronco or any of their doctors I say this…Cool! The men and women who are or have been associated with the Broncos are people who live public lives and you meet them or people they associate with all of the time and these meetings are usually derived from the most pedestrian circumstances. I know the “Monster Meck” because we both own Akita’s and I met him at a Petco. I know Rulon Jones and Simon Fletcher. When they heard that Marcus Allen was studying martial arts and ballet to improve his balance and strength they went to study Tae-Kwon-Do at the now closed Littleton Korean Academy where I used to teach. And finally I know a couple of different Broncos that I won’t name whom I met when I was a bouncer at a Denver based “gentleman’s club” whose title has the word “Shotgun” in it. You never know where your going to meet people. What’s important is how you treat them when you do and I can say that they were all a class act, even the QB we had to eject from the club, a great story that shows the amount of class that the players wives have. I seem to remember Coach Shanahan winning the AP coach of the year award. I also remember that it was not during either of the two Super Bowl runs but the following year when the team was ravaged by injury’s, had issues with who Shanahan had selected for QB, and had a losing season (6-10). He’ll get it done. As for Jim Bates everyone thinks that the Miami and Green Bay teams he coached for just sprang to defensive dominance. It took time for those teams as well but when the finished product emerged it was monstrous (again a Halloween reaction like my first “nail in the coffin” remark, again I’m sorry) LPP has had his 15 minutes, now it’s time to collectively move on. I know that the reason for the severity of the reaction to the Broncos being 2-3 is due largely in part to the incredible passion the Bronco fans have for this team. Here’s an idea. The next time the Broncos come out onto the field lets follow the lead of the Bronco fan die hards and start cheering and raising hell from the word go and never stop. No matter the play calling, the mistakes, the touchdowns, or the first downs, don’t stop. I’ll bet you the team the Broncos are facing will panic by the end of the first quarter! Remember, the person you can’t stand to disappoint is the one that was always there for you. A teacher, a parent, a teammate! They were the ones whose eye’s you didn’t want to meet if you failed to give the effort, not if you simply failed. If we’re that collective person for the Broncos I know it will make a difference. Group hug on 1! LOL
Mike in San Diego
I think that the talk about Jake Plummer is just plain stupid. Even the mightiest of quarterbacks take time to develop. Names like Elway and Manning are just a few examples. I am an optimist and drove from Montana to watch the game and stayed the course even without a rein jacket. I know that the last game was something that happens. At least we can only improve. The thing that actually disappointed me the most was the fans. I have never seen anything like that in my years. We are there for a reason and that is too cheer for out team. If we can figure out the defense then the wins will start to come back. It is a long season and this is the hardest part of our schedule. I would rather start flat and then get hot at the end, just like the Rocks and Avs. Right now we could still go 10-6 and scrape our way into the playoffs. Everything is new and their is a lot of young or new players on this team. Let the pieces come together and if we are still bad then something bigs needs to happen. The basic point that I am trying to make is that their is always hope, a miracles in the Mile High city can happen. We needs lots of work but this team can be winners, maybe just a little more time is needed than the Bronco nation wanted. Hey at least the Rockies are kicking the sh#% out of everybody right now.
Football’s Future link Mason? Brings me back to the old days when I helped start that site, do the graphics and almost everything for it when I moderated.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane and don’t like MTS get to you.
What an exciting weekend we have ahead of us. The Broncos can’t possibly lose, and we will probably see two other teams in the division lose, which will cement us at 2nd place in the division. Best case scenario for us this weekend is KC loses (which is almost a guarantee) and who cares who wins the other game (Oak @ SD), we move ahead of the loser. A mediocre AFC West means the Broncos playoff hopes are still alive!
Things are looking up!
I know this is off subject, but why dont we look into signing jeremy bloom former cu standout as our kick returner? Looked over? I think he could use a second chance.
number83 and broncosfan1018 you guys must be lovers or something. Ok so let me get this straight so now al Wilson doctor is disregarding all medical procedures and telling you personal information about a patient, wow i’m sure thats happening, and as far as the spelling goes who cares I’m not trying to write an essay in here idiot the point was blitzing helped us win and the reason we lost to pit was because jake turned the ball over 4 times but obviously you failed to mention that. Now for your partner 1018, do you actually think that the players on the field are not trying? Is that the best observation you can make? That doesn’t even sound logical. All the players are not trying, well which players are they? From the coaches comments he said he didn’t see any players quitting, but maybe you were on the field and know better. I was just giving my opinion and you attacked me so who’s acting like a child? What I said was factual not some opinion by somebody who doesn’t know what hes talking about. So I’ll let you play English teacher and read over my comments, and then point out where I should of used verbs and nouns at. Regardless of what you fools think I still say Denver will when three games in a row before the face kc in November, and if you don’t put pressure on the qb in football you will not win many games, so go ahead and pick that apart.
number83 and broncosfan1018 you guys must be lovers or something. Ok so let me get this straight so now al Wilson doctor is disregarding all medical procedures and telling you personal information about a patient, wow i’m sure thats happening, and as far as the spelling goes who cares I’m not trying to write an essay in here idiot the point was blitzing helped us win and the reason we lost to pit was because jake turned the ball over 4 times but obviously you failed to mention that. Now for your partner 1018, do you actually think that the players on the field are not trying? Is that the best observation you can make? That doesn’t even sound logical. All the players are not trying, well which players are they? From the coaches comments he said he didn’t see any players quitting, but maybe you were on the field and know better. I was just giving my opinion and you attacked me so who’s acting like a child? What I said was factual not some opinion by somebody who doesn’t know what hes talking about. So I’ll let you play English teacher and read over my comments, and then point out where I should of used verbs and nouns at. Regardless of what you fools think I still say Denver will when three games in a row before the face kc in November, and if you don’t put pressure on the qb in football you will not win many games, so go ahead and pick that apart.
LPP has now graduated to attempted “mocking”. Oh well, I can’t say I didn’t expect it. I am, however, still awaiting any kind of response or factual evidence to back up his ludicrous claims. The only thing he’s come up with is winning record, and that myth has been completely debunked by numerous explanations of how the defense was plummer’s salvation.
LPP, you have no response to the real indicative statistics like points per possession, points per minute of possession time, or the percent of yardage gained by passing on scoring drives. All of these stats would be a real indicator of just how much credit the QB can take for wins and losses, and all of these indicators are significantly in Cutler’s favor.
I re-emphasize my claim of your tunnel vision. The only thing you have said, and the only thing you continue to say is “Shannahan made a mistake benching Jake”. And yet you can provide nothing to backup your demented opinion, and you refuse to respond to any of the several well thought out and valid points made on this board.
Once again I admonish you to get over it, or at the very least, go beat your dead horse in your own pathetic little corner of cyberspace and leave the Broncos, and their real fans in peace.
we need changes, change shanahan, change bates , change cutler, please Pat Bowlen
bronco_Hyde, here’s a fact, Jay Cutler over 10 games has now averaged 19.2 points per game, getting closer to the 17.7 that got Jake fired.
Look, we understand Jake is gone. Matter of fact he’ll be in lovely Southern California next weekend in a professional handball tournament if you want to fly down and see him. But, that’s not the point. We cried and rallied with such a passion to keep him at the QB position last year, because we knew EXACTLY what would happen if he was benched.
Nobody backed us up, everyone called for jake to be benched and when we saw the number of sites and blogs decicated to bashing Jake, we decided to stand up for THE RIGHT decision.
We never knew how right we’d be. At this point, I don’t care if it’s DIRECTLY Shanahan’s fault or Cutler’s, or Champ Bailey’s sisters fault. The team has become such a skeleton of it’s former self, that you CANNOT help but find the heart of where all went wrong.
We’ve given facts, records, stats, Darrent Williams saying the team gave up, etc. No one listens. Jake talked to the Raiders over the summer, you should be counting your lucky stars he didn’t sign with them. Three weeks ago, the Broncos would have been Slapped across the mouth by Jake w/the Raiders, but since Josh McCLOWN was in there, Denver escaped with Mike’s questionable time out.
With all that said, JAKE took the Broncos farther than any quarterback since Elway, and from the looks of it, Cutler will not do that for years, if ever.
Jake averaged 17.7 points per game in his 10TH SEASON in the NFL. Cutler is averaging 19.2 with a WORSE defense and a different O-Line this season thus far. Did I think Jake should have been benches last year? No, but would it have made us win the SB.. No. We woulda got beat in the playoffs either way, so its beating a dead horse. Cutler is the furthest thing from our problems right now, coach Shanahan may be a problem but Cutler is definitely not. The players need to have desire and show heart, they need to go out there and want to play and study to play instead of just going out and half assing it. The defenders are not showing that they care at all and a lot of the young guys are still trying to learn and need time. Cutler is by far NOT the problem, or any problem, he needs time to develop just like MOST quarterbacks too, and at this point I’d say hes devolping at a pretty decent rate, at least he has a chance to develop, something jake never did.
LPP doesn’t need to back up the truth. This isn’t just a two-year problem. The Broncos haven’t been a real threat for years and part of the problem is the worshipful attitude towards Mike Shanahan. Even if you think he should stay, calling him a Mastermind or Genius seems a little out of whack. His two championships teams had the most stacked rosters in the league…Elway, Shannon, Rod, Atwater, McCaffrey, TERRELL, Romanowski, Nalen, Elam…it’s not that it takes a genius to win with these teams, it’s that it takes an idiot to lose with them. Shanahan’s most impressive accomplishment was 05, not 97-98. He will never do a better coaching job than that. But it’s not 05 anymore. They’ve been getting consistently worse results with a supposedly better (paper) team. And not only that, the 05 team was NOT THAT GOOD. They hit the right teams at the right times (Raiders in a tailspin, San Diego a year from clicking, New England beat up, avoided Peyton Manning.) Now that they have a supposedly stronger roster, they stink. 41-3 had better damn well be a wake-up call because if the team finishes 6-10, 5-11, it’s going to start all over again… “Who will Shanahan find to save this team?” How bout we start with names like…Bill Cowher? Marty Schottenheimer? Pete Carroll (ick)? Who’s the coach of Appalachian State? How about the guy from Friday Night Lights?
So sick of the Jake took the team further, he is ONE MAN, get over it. Jake did not do that all on his own, the DEFENSE which has 11 men on it helped to get them to the AFC championship and so did the other 10 men on offense. Jake was the quarterback, yes, but he alone did not push them to the AFC championship, however he alone did play a big role in that loss with his HORRIBLE play. The biggest problem this year, right now, which is all that matters, is that the players dont have the desire they need to win, maybe that is due to a lack of coaching, maybe its just the attitude of the players, not everyone cares as much as others. Whatever the case may be right now its the players who are letting us down the most. If the defenders would study their executions longer and work harder in all aspects of life and football then they would be playing well. If on offense cutler, javon, marshall, and stokley would go out and throw together, practice routes and mesh then they would all be on the same page a lot faster than by just going to the mandatory practices and grabbing a paycheck. And special teams.. I don’t know how to fix that problem since Hixon was supposedly practicing extra and still not getting it done, perhaps that may be a coaching issue, or a lack of blocking by the other 10 guys, special teams should be practicing a hell of a lot more to fix their problems if you ask me. Also I’d suggest Hixon and Clark sleepin with a football and carring it with them around the house to work on their fumbling problems, or at least Clark since Hixon is gone now..
You know why we should worry about Cutler? Forget that Shanahan has only ever showed real faith in one Hall of Famer, let’s look at who his immediate on-field counterparts are–
Travis Henry: philanderer (that means man-ho,) drug offender, a guy who seems to be trying to spawn his own pee-wee football team. (I like him, just think he’s an idiot.)
Javon Walker: spoiled whiner who once threatened to retire if he didn’t get a huge raise after missing an entire season with ACL problems.
Brandon Marshall: obviously a real crowd-pleaser, that kind of recent outburst does not speak well of Marshall’s wisdom and maturity.
Do we really want these guys as the keys to young Cutler’s development? Think hard before you answer. Javon Walker is a total Randy Moss personality type (with less talent)…and the team situation is degrading. Ask the Vikings and Raiders how that turned out with Moss. Actually, you can ask Green Bay how that turned out with Walker. Who wants Cutler trying to gain confidence and experience in a (crap)storm?
Sorry to sound so negative, but there’s not much positive about this year until the next win.
Gary Kubiak might’a learned Cutler something, but it’s hard to say…he handled Griese too…
I love how LPP uses stats that actually prove Cutler as quarteback as evidence against him.
Keep smokin’ buddy, it seems to keep you motivated! (for something..)
THUNDERSREVENGE….name sounds like a Chargers Cheerleader on the weekends….
But anyway, the difference between the stats of 17.7 and 19.2 ARE NOT THE ISSUE….The issue would be Jake’s 7-3 record compared to Jay’s 4-6…..
That does not work against me, but if anyone forgot, Jay Cutler had a 11 wins and 35 losses record in college, but it wasn’t his fault there either, it was his TEAMS!
I love how you are all SICK of the Jake vs Jay debate, but y’all talk about it as much as I do! YES!
A loss is never the fault of one man, you win as a team, you lose as a team. Get over yourself LPP, Jakes retired, let him do so in peace. Jakes W-L record his first 10 starts as a rookie… 3-7. So cutler is one game above jake right now with his first 10 starts. Stop with your MISLEADING information LPP. Your most informative information comes when you talk about the poor coaching, because that at least has not been disproven or proven yet. This could still be a result of coaching as we will not know if it is until they either turn it around or hire a new coach. Only time will tell for that.
Bronco Fan….
You make no point….Jay Cutler IS and HAS BEEN surrounded by Playmakers, with the ARIZONA franchise having ONE PLAYOFF WIN in its HISTORY all DUE to JAKE PLUMMER, I’d say Jake as a rookie would have done much better.
But as you all say, let’s leave it alone, I’ll leave Jake out, but every time the Broncos prove they’re not a shadow of their former selves, I’ll blame it on whoever I want.
I’d say Jake had equal, if not better, talent around him than Cutler does in their first 10 starts. Cutler has, Brandon Marshall, only a second year player still learning the game. Brian clark, a second year player. Javon Walker, who has been injured for the past 3 loses. Stokley who just came off a season ending injury and is in his first season with the Broncos. Scheffler who is a second year player still learning the game. Finally, Graham who just signed with Denver this year and is known to be a better blocker than a receiver. And as for the running back position.. Travis Henry who’s actions speak for himself up to this point(9 children and substance abuse).
Jake plummers 1997 team had Rob Moore who was an established veteran Wide receiver and a 1st round draft pick. Larry Centers, who was not the best rushing fullback, but was exceptional at receiving and blocking. Jake also had Frank Sanders who was a 3rd year reciever, selected in the 2nd round, that notched in 1000 yards in the 1997 and 1998 season. And then the other two reivers on Jakesteam both
I’d say Jake had equal, if not better, talent around him than Cutler does in their first 10 starts. Cutler has, Brandon Marshall, only a second year player still learning the game. Brian clark, a second year player. Javon Walker, who has been injured for the past 3 loses. Stokley who just came off a season ending injury and is in his first season with the Broncos. Scheffler who is a second year player still learning the game. Finally, Graham who just signed with Denver this year and is known to be a better blocker than a receiver. And as for the running back position.. Travis Henry who’s actions speak for himself up to this point(9 children and substance abuse).
Jake plummers 1997 team had Rob Moore who was an established veteran Wide receiver and a 1st round draft pick. Larry Centers, who was not the best rushing fullback, but was exceptional at receiving and blocking. Jake also had Frank Sanders who was a 3rd year reciever, selected in the 2nd round, that notched in 1000 yards in the 1997 and 1998 season. Then the other two reivers on Jake’s team both, Kevin Williams who had a carrer 323 yards and 1 Touchdown a season average. And then Anthony Edwards who had a career 310 yards and 1 Touchdown a season average during his 3 years with the Cardinals.
Both Jake and Cutler are had excellent kickers on their team during their first 10 starts aswell. So to say that Jay has a lot more talent is just being ignorant, Jake had two 1000 yard recievers and then 2 below average ones while Jay has been working with mainly rookies and his best receiver being injured for 3 of his loses. Plummer however was given his chance in the many years to come and never truly devoloped into an elite cornerback, Jay Cutler now is givin a chance to develop which he may or may not do, but arguing whether he will or will not right now is sheer speculation.
Basically, give it a rest, let Jay have his time to either prove or disprove himself being you go bashing him anymore. As for the coaching, you can bash them all you want because shanahan has been given almost 10 years since the last SB win and has not made it to another one yet.
Wow. If people are going to start saying that this Broncos roster reasonably compares to the 90′s Arizona Cardinals, we’re in real trouble.
Whitehoss I’d suggest reading the complete posts of LPP and myself to understand what we are discussing, a roster consists of offense and defense. We are just discussing the offensive weapons, such as, fullback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end. He claims plummer had 0 talent around him when he infact did have talent and some veteran talent at that. Whereas Cutler has mostly young talent that needs time to develope, especially with Walker and smith out for the past 3 and 5 games respectively.
I’m just happy that people are posting on Saturdays! Since I now have to work a 4 or 5 hr day on some Saturday’s….THIS IS GREAT NEWS TO ME!
But at least the Broncos wont get a WHIPPING this weekend! And don’t forget everyone, to see your favorite Denver QB ever, head on down to Fountain Valley, Ca next weekend to see Jake kick some butt all over the handball court!
HECK YEAH!
Shows what a Bronco fan you are LPP!
Thunder happens to be the name of our Mascot!
Why don’t you find another team that would benefit from your madness
You know….. the white horse that carries the team colors into the stadium. Or do you only show up when the crowd gets restless
Believe me, I’ve seen every word. Those Arizona teams had terrible offensive lines and maybe two guys who were reasonably good on defense. You can’t compare a rookie win/loss record when one guy’s defense is one of the 2-3 worst in the league, unless you are suggesting that the Denver defense really is one of the 2-3 worst in the league personnel-wise. If you want to be even more apples and oranges, who has the bigger supposed advantage, the guy coached by Vince Tobin or the guy coached by Mike Shanahan.
Finally, I’m not going to be naive and say “bring Plummer back,” but it seems to me a big sticking point here is “oh, of course Jay isn’t going to be as developed now as Jake Plummer was after ten years, he needs time to develop” when the ENTIRE argument a year ago was “Jay is better than Jake RIGHT NOW.” Whether that is true or not, don’t backpedal when the poor kid starts faltering. Just do what I do, blame the coach and GM for not giving him the right help.
Well, let me just say……I will be laughing the rest of the weekend at the mere mention of VINCE TOBIN, ahhahahahhahahahhahahahahahahah.
Oh and to Thunders Revenge, yes, though I’ve been a Broncos fan for nearly 30 years, you’re RIGHT, I did not know the horse was named “Thunders Revenge.”
I’m just not sure it was always named that, but if it was, then maybe you ought to suit up the horse and let him throw the pigskin, or kick it, the horse would probably be able to kick down field 70-80yards!
At this point in the season our defense is one of the worst in the league, champ is getting burnt and so is Dre Bly because they feel they need to help stop the run over the pass.
We let up 41 points to the chargers. 38 points to the colts, 14 points to the bills when they had J.P losman, 20 points to okland, 23 points to jacksonville.
We are ranked 31st agains the run and are only first in the NFL in PYA because teams don’t need to pass, they just run to all over us. You only pass if the run isn’t working and the run is working overtime against our defense.
Arizona in 1997 was a modest 15th in PYA and pretty bad against the rush at 27th in RYA. I think our defense has much better players on it but the scheme we are running is just flat out not working right now and until they turn it around we will continue to lose games. Also don’t forget 3 of Cutlers loses have come without Javon Walker who is the only veteran presence at Wide Reciever.
Sure we have a better team than the 1997 Cardinals had, I’m not denying that. But plummer did have talent around him on offense when it came to reciever as a rookie. He also had one of the best receiving fullbacks in Larry Centers.
Overall the whole argument is pointless Jake was 3-7 in his first 10 games, Cutler is 4-6. They both need time to develop, Jake was given his time and never amounted to one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL with his erratic playing. Cutler is now developing and I will not pass judgement on him until the end of next season when he has had 2 full years as a starter. So I’d hope we can leave Cutler alone for a bit and lets focus on the defense which is the one thing that is a actualy concern this year thus far.
NEVER AMOUNTED TO AN ELITE QB>?
He has the 3rd best winning percentage in the last 7 years behind Tom Brady and Payton Manning!
DAMN, Jake must have stolen a lot of guys girlfriends when he was in Denver to have so many haters!
Yea and its not the result of him alone, look at how well denvers Defense played during those years he was in denver. Also look at his TD to INT ratio and the play by play of most of the games along with the 1000 yard rushers we had.
The Broncos in 2003 under Jake where ranked 22 in Passing Offense and 2 in Rushing. On defense in 2003 the Broncos where 6th in PYA and 7th in RYA.
In 2004 they where 6th in Passing Offense and 4th in Rushing. On defense in 2004 the Broncos where 4th in RYA and 6th in PYA.
In 2005 they where 18th in Passing Offense and 2nd in Rushing. On defense in 2005 the Broncos where 2nd in RYA and 29th in PYA.
Like I’ve been saying, wins are not the result of one man and loses can not be blamed on one man. Did Jake play well while on Denver, yes he did, did he play consistently well, No.
Was he a rookie while on Denver… no. He was a veteran and by those years in his career you would hope he would be consitent and he was not. His overall TD to INT is DEAD even. Check out Peytons and Bradys.
wow thats funny I’ve been saying it was the scheme the d was running and I got riducled for it now 1018 is saying the same thing, i guess since his buddy number83 is not around he can speak the truth. Pretty good stats are defense had in 2003-2005, you know why that was? We were blitzing. Everybody seems to be missing the point. Yes we are 2-3 but we are 1-1 in are division, are we have to do is win a few games in a row and everything will return to normal
Broncosrule it has nothing to do with blitzing, blitzing is not a scheme. A defensive scheme has to do with the execution of each position, each positions role. Last year our defense did not blitz enough and we payed the price against good teams like the Colts. I agree we should send more blitzes but that is not a scheme, a blitz is a like a call you make during certain situations. Do I think Jim Bates should call some more blitzes.. yes, look when he did against buffalo it worked very well and Lynch even recorded a nice sack. I also think we can turn it around if the defensive players put more time in learning the new scheme and perfect their executions in the new scheme. If they do that it will also allow bates to feel more confident in sending a blitz.
WhiteHoss, A small point of order. The Broncos you mentioned, Shannon, Rod, Atwater, McCaffrey, TERRELL, Romanowski, Nalen, Elam, were many things but to consider them the members of a “stacked roster” is ridiculous in the extreme. The 98′ Bronco Super Bowl team was the first of its kind as it’s starting offense consisted of nothing higher than a third round draft choice. Elway was the only first round pick. In fact if you were to ask anyone, Mason included, I’d say the words to describe the rosters of both Super Bowl teams might range from “Unthinkable” to “Who?”. Stacked wouldn’t even enter the conversation. You might also care to remember that players like Romanowski and Eddy Mac were cast offs from the 49ers. McCaffrey was a third round pick of the N.Y. Giants in ’91 and was told there that he was too slow and not quick footed enough to play in the NFL. Romo was also a third round pick. We all know that Rod Smith was an undrafted free agent, Sharpe was a seventh round pick, Davis a sixth, and Nalen another seventh round selection. True, every one of the aforementioned players, yes I include Davis in this statement, is a future Hall of Fame caliber player but that wasn’t known at the time. In fact Davis and Smith became Broncos in ’95 meaning they were entering their third year when the Super Bowl came calling so to say they had a stacked roster is foolish. We don’t know what will become of 75 percent of the players we have on this roster so don’t try to judge it now. Does anyone want to tell me that they know the fate of Cutler, Young, Marshall, Harris, Bell, Sheffler, Moss, Dumervil, Thomas, or Crowder. All of whom have or will have playing time this year and all of whom have no more than two years of experience under their belt. Lets back off, sit down, and watch. No one seems to realize how young this team is or that they are playing for an offensive and defensive set of coaches that have some of the most complicated schemes in the entire NFL. And no we can’t simplify it anymore. The Broncos are already playing vanilla ball. It will come and one day we may look back and say “Can you believe how inexperienced this team was. And to think there were people that thought we didn’t have any talent.”.
Mike in San Diego.
AndrewM, just wanted to thank you for the post here – it was really illuminating and good for some perspective during this (much needed) bye week. I think I’m less worried about the Broncos than some are – and don’t get me wrong, I’ve been embarrassed by their play so far this year – but it is a) still early b) they are still learning a new scheme, c) have had some bad injuries. The latter is what worries me at this point. I could see the opposite of last year happening: in 06 their defense was stellar to start the year and their offense couldn’t gel; this year their defense started off horrible and, well.. their offense has been erratic too. But I see the D getting better and the offense has some question marks due to injuries (and the Travis Henry situation). All that said, and even with the tough schedule, I have faith the Broncos will be in this thing. Too much talent and too much time left in the season.
Btw, well said, above, Mike.
Thanks again for the forum, Andrew.
From watching the games this weekend, I am confident the broncos will turn the season around. Besides new england who’s organization just seems to be a step ahead of everybody else, we can compete as long as the players are put in the right situations to win. No more zone plays on third and long, no more allowing the opponent to start at the 40 yard line, and if we could involve the tight ends more we will be fine. I know stopping the run is key but if you dont score you dont win. We have three games we should win before heading into arrowhead, so lets be positive and watch our broncos perform like they should.