Wow, tough game yesterday. The Playoffs really started three weeks ago with Carolina. I mentioned that then and would have before the Bills game, had I been in the country.
I didn’t see any of last weeks game against the Bills while in Mexico so I didn’t blog, sorry. It’s a little tough to get the internet down there in some of the remote locations and very expensive in others. It probably didn’t really matter with the Bolts being the end game for all the marbles. Turnovers and defense were the tell-tale here. Some folks that I’ve talked to today turned the game off after the third quarter. I didn’t because we have the ability to strike quick but couldn’t hold off the Bolts running game.
Tough season with all the injuries — as I’ve said all along. No excuses, they had a shot, and as a young group just couldn’t pull it together. There will be a lot of finger pointing going on and the papers already started this morning, saying the loss will be carried around by the players for years to come. The headline was about losing first place after being up by three games. In a season or two no one will remember that and who really cares. We didn’t make the Playoffs regardless of how it happened. That’s just junk to sell papers.
In 1985 we didn’t make the Playoffs at 11-5. I actually forgot that myself until I read it today. Stuff happens and my quote of “Good teams become mediocre fast with injuries”, stills stands. The Bolts are getting healthy and getting in the groove here at the right time and were the better team, hands down.
I’m hoping we can find some pass-rushing D-lineman in the draft or on the market because pressure on the QB is what will take the pressure off our secondary. I’m sure folks will jump all over Champ and Dre’, but you and I (not really) could stand back there if we had all day to pass the ball to crossing routes, eventually any receiver will get open. Champ is probably 65-85 percent healthy because groin injuries don’t heal well in a season. So I’m not the guy that singles folks out because at that level you can sometimes get by at 75 percent healthy, but not at the speed positions, I don’t care who you are.
I like what we have on offense and with a few moves on defense, I’m already excited about next year and I know you are too. Sure we’ll all have to pick a new favorite for the Playoffs, so we might as well start now.
Coop
“a few moves on defense”
Give me a break. The defense is utter crap. No amount of tinkering is going to change that. Bob Slowik as DC? A joke. Nate Webster as a starting MLB? Garbage. Watching our weak DL get pushed back play after play? Total frustration.
We can’t stop anyone. Cutler knows it, too… and thankfully he came out and said it. Hopefully that will help force Shanahan to address the issue properly.
Very disappointing…..I think it’s time for Shanahan to get someone in there who knows DEFENSE!!!!!Shanny needs to give up his GM position and get someone in there who knows defensive talent.I’m sooo sick and tired of our defense looking like total CRAP.Does anyone remember when Webster.D.J Champ and others were out?Our defense seemed to shaped up good when Larsen,Woodyard and Winborn were in as linebackers and Josh Barrett came in and made plays too.I think that tells the story right there.I say let those young guys start next season,they all seemed to play with HEART.Something i haven’t seen out D play with for a long time.I’m done,im so pissed off i can’t see straight.DO SOMETHING SHANAHAN!!!!!!
Shanny needs to go. This team was an embarassment to Bronco Fans and it has to be blammed on the man at the top, Mike Shannanan. He needs to be replaced. Is no longer able to manage this team. He was great for a period, but it is time to move on.
I dont agree with replacing Shanny, but given this past season and the track record Bob Slowik brought with him, i really think they should get a proven DC in there, They have a Playoff Offense and a Play School Defense.
Shanny is a great coach. No doubt about it. But I think its time for a change. The players need new schemes and new voices barking at them. Shanny can no longer captain this ship. He needs to go. As I said – he is a great coach and will do wonders elsewhere in the league. We just need a change. The players arent responding to him – and the fact that he does not want to replace Slowik is a joke. Time to move on. Get the Tuna to come run the GM spot. He can hire us a new coach and turn us around – just like he did with the Dolphins. What we witnessed on Sunday night was the most embarrasing game that I can remember. Enough is enough – its time for a change.
I just watched the “sounds of the locker room” and those guys looked like they were ready to go home. Well that’s where they get to go and watch what could have been. I know you have to move on and sulking over missing the playoffs isn’t going to get us back in but it just doesn’t look like anyone cares that they were embarrassed as a team. I guess the only left now is next season.
I don’t know if we should replace Shanny yet. While change is needed bringing in a new HC will be taken differently be each player. Some good some bad. Or it could go opposite and we could do way better. No one knows, I do know that if we do change HC then I don’t want to hear any BS about it. You make a move you stick to it. Besides Bowlen won’t let Shanny go.
My biggest three embarrassments of this season for fun.
1) 7 RB on injured reserve that’s not the lucky number 7 we need
2) Blowing the divisional lead and missing the playoffs when we could have clinched it
3) Knowing that Ed’s blown call won week 2′s game for us. Then having to hear it from everyone at work because they are stupid Chargers fans and I hate them and now they will never let me live down that the Chargers are better than the Broncos. And having to hear them talk about how the Chargers are going to the Super Bowl. Thanks gosh for my iPod.
Don’t hate on webster he is an emotional leader that played with intensity and also made very important plays… the defense was no where close to utter crap maybe the DC but not the defensive personnel the D-line was getting a good push all season but they were to basic with there stunts…Dumervil would get passed his defender but there would be no contain on the other side and visa versa, so there was absolutely no threat with the pass rush, not because theres no talent or size there but because there was never a real defensive gameplan and maybe they lack leadership in terms of line shifts and knowing when and where to crash the line…every game there were two things that were always lacking even when champ, DJ and Nate were out…no pass deflections and no QB hurries, and those categories are very important in changing the outcome of any game and they both go hand in hand… when theres no rush theres very few mistakes by the QB and when theres no pressure from the defensive secondary theres no time to get to the QB
Most of you bloggers dont know anything about football. I reading all your posts and im not sure if you wrote them or you had your wife do it for you. Shanny isnt going anywhere so shut up already. He is a hall of fame coach that specializes in offense and last time i checked we were ranked second in the league in offense. The problem starts with bowlen wanting to go cheap with everything. just look at all the job cuts and where we rank among other teams in payroll. You have to spend money to make money. We had the opportunity to go after big time free agents last year but instead we went and got niko, boss and mcree to fix a defense that sucked the year before. Shanny just covered for bowlen by saying he wants good character guys and thats why we didnt go after the high price players. Just look at all the free agent moves last year niko, boss, mcree, manual, colbert, djack, robertson and weigman. Weigman is the only one that was a good player for us. So all of you should of known before the season even started that our defense was going to suck and we would only be a 500 team at best. Our draft was great but our first few picks were all offense and it worked. Now we need to draft all defense and go after the proven high price players and quit penny pinching. If bowlen spends the money and we start making the playoffs he will make his money back 2 fold. so grow up all you bloggers and realize whats really going on, there is a reason why all those free agents we signed were cut from there previous teams. Its not like we offered them more money all we did was offer them a job.
Nate Webster can not tackle he’s got to go. I agree with lbwilson56 when larston and Woodyard were in there things seemed to be better. On the other hand at that time we had a running game with Hillis. Its a fact when you establish the run everything else will fall into place. Your running game keeps your offense going and keeps your defense off the field allowing them to rest. Our offense is great…. With no pass rush your DB’s will eventually get eatin up even my a mediocre WR.(Camarillo)..Also had 14net rushing yards that game….
Hey Coop!
You blame the team as a whole. Yes, I’m in total agreement that our D on Sunday night was the big letdown but I’ll say this till I’m blue in the face only because its true – WE WIN AS A TEAM AND WE LOSE AS A TEAM! So many of you are too frustrated and p’od that you refuse to take your own words… “we win/lose as a team” is reality so suck it up, admit that and then I just might admit we need a whole new defense minus replacing Champ and Dre. We need GREAT leadership on defense and everyone here knows that Champ is the guy for that… he’s getting up there in age yes, but that doesn’t mean its time for him to go just yet. He’s got more left in him to give to this team just like Shanny. And speaking of which, shut up about getting rid of Shanahan… it just sounds stupid to get rid of him, you all are frustrated I get that but there’s no need to go crazy. Its not all 100% his fault why we haven’t made the playoffs every single year and its not all his fault why we win or lose games. He’s apart of this team… we win as a team and we lose as a team. Alot of you are trying to shove down everyone else’s throats the idea or whatever to get rid of Shanny… I”m just returning the favor by telling you its the DUMBEST IDEA I’VE EVER HEARD OF!!
Defense needs ALOT of help – that’s an understatement but all we as fans can do is trust that we have another great draft like we did this year and that those guys can help us out. And hopefully some great defensive players will be put on the market for us to grab like Coop said. We need all the help we can get for our D.
With faith…
GO BRONCOS!!!!
sui generis….What games were you watching? columbusOHbronco hit the nail on the head. Our defense is why we are a 500 team, Period. In this league you get what you pay for and we have not one stud on defense. Webster starting is a freakin joke. DJ should have been moved to the middle with Woodyard starting the last game. But no, we went with the same players that started at Carloina and against the Bills yet we expected a different outcome against the Bolts? Freakin Genius…..Draft heavy on D, pick up a couple good/great D players in free agency and please get a kicker and we will be lights out next year. We have the 12th pick in the draft which will help. Guessing Maualuga or Mays from USC
safeties Nick Collins and Roy Williams; middle linebackers Jonathan Vilma and Mike Peterson; defensive linemen Terrell Suggs and Albert Haynesworth; running backs Derrick Ward and Darren Sproles; a few free agents anybody and what about a hard hittin safety like Mays from USC. Well said 07… SHANNY STAYS
I’m speechless. What I don’t understand, other than the horrible defence, is in almost every game these past weeks the opening drive is dominating and you’re thinking, oh yeah, these guys are clicking….and then the next drive either marches and then stalls or just stalls completly and can’t seem to get back on track until the game is out of hand.
Anyone have any comments on that?
Oh, and I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again………..Josh Bell looks so lost on that field and doesn’t have a clue how to cover or tackle. Cut him! In fact, I think the entire D needs to be dismantled and rebuilt with some studs in the mix. Pay the money and get some freaking talent!
It still comes down to getting the right people, in the right spots to make the defense better as a team. At times during the year the defense played well with rookies or backups at certain positions, that means that it can be fixed. As mad as I have been all year at Slowik, you also have to temper that with the fact he is still trying to implement a defense with players that were brought in to fit a different system than his own. This defense allowed some big plays in some games, but they also stopped some very good backs during the year. With good drafting this year things can be turned around, we don’t need a Steeler type defense we just need a good defense that can be consistant. Team sports require team work, and if one person doesn’t do their job, things don’t work very well. If you don’t think that one person can make a difference, watch the Chargers defense this year! The Chargers defense is not any better than the Broncos defense, and they only lost one player that started on defense. Considering the number of injuries it reallly is amazing that they did as well as they have. Nobody does well coaching under those circumstances, but the coaching staff kept them competitive. I know there needs to be changes made to both sides of the ball, but it is not something that can’t be fixed with some good drafting and or a few of the right free agents. This years draft was incredible so if they can repeat last years draft, the Broncos will make great strides next year and only get better. Just imagine what could be done with a decent defense. For those who will blame Shanahan for drafts that didn’t work out over the last few years, you need to think out how this draft was different this year versus the last few years. The only difference is Sundquist is no longer here, just maybe that was the problem, no doubt there will be some players that will not be back in orange and blue. I could list a few myself that I hope to never see back but, nobody asked my input so I will leave that up to the powers that be. Here’s to the start of a new year, Go Broncos
COOOOOOP!
How was the fishing bro?! I cooked 30 cornish game hens for Christmas.
Went to the Buffalo game and some socalled Broncos fans behind me told me to sit down HA! Went to the AV’s wings game and some wings fans behind me told me to sit down HA!…..and then this. WOW! I AM JACKS SENSE OF INFLAMED REJECTION.
Coop your right the D needs alot of help, especially up front but I also agree with 07elway that this was a TEAM loss like all losses are, like all wins are. IT WAS EQUALLY BAD ALL AROUND.
Sure we had the number two Offense in the league and the D was horrible but if you can actually see past what was done on the field you might see what wasn’t done on the field. TEAM LOSS.
The Offensive scheme does’nt control anything or set up anything. If your Offense gives up two turnovers every game the D will be put in a bad position. When you give up three 3&OUTS every game you put your D in a bad position. When you control the clock three out of sixteen games you put your D in a bad position. WHEN YOU HAVE A STRUGELING DEFFENSE WHY MUST WE CONSTANTLY PUT THEM IN BAD POSITIONS?!
Look I’m not trying to stick up for the D. they played poorly. I’m trying to open the eyes of some of these bloggers who can’t see straight.
COOP HAPPY NEW YEAR! ! !
GO AVALANCHE ! ! ! IT’S AVALANCHE SEASON…….
killerkod, thats exectly what I’m talking about. The opening drive usually started with good ballance, opening up with equal amounts of running and passing play’s ball control, and clock control, and then the O Coaches seem to abandon the running game as if they are playing Madden 2008(THIS IS NOT A VIDEO GAME!). pass, pass, pass. no ballance. I say the O Coaches cause I dont really know who to blame Shanahan, Dennison, or Bates. Coop who REALLY calls the play’s? I’m just glad some one else can see this.
GO AVALANCHE! ! !
I’m very surprised that the Broncos aren’t at least looking at a d-co-ordinator, there is some nice talent out there looking for work. (Nolan, Crennel, etc) I certainly don’t put all the blame on Slowik but it makes no sense to sit on your hands when you have the opportunity to improve a coaching position.
So…..how do we improve ??
1) It is time to open the checkbook for a d-lineman.
2) Move up and draft Curry, he is as good as it gets and would immediately improve the defense.
3) Move Woodyard to SS, we need him on the field, he has the size and speed to play SS and lets face it, DJ isn’t going anywhere.
4) Go with Larsen and somebody like Holtzclaw at MLB.
5) Draft Delmas for FS, we need another Atwater and he can definately bring the wood.
I look forward to 2009, we have been drafting lights out lately, and there is good depth talent wise at positions of need.
Here’s my highly biased opinion of the Broncos currently on our roster:
SPECIAL TEAMS
P
Kern is a keeper for the nerxt 10-15 years. He did an outstanding job. Much better than I anticipated.
K
Prater started out great and seriously faded. Sign some competition CFA’s.
LS
Leach Great long snapper. Good for another 5-7 years.
OFFENSE
QB
Culter All Pro caliber QB for the next 10-15 years.
Ramsey Worst backup in the league. want to know where he’s going to pass? Follow his eyes.
Hackney Keep him but bring in an experienced backup if one is available.
RB
Tatum Bell He’ll never be a featured back, but he’s always good for 5-10 carries. Keep him for now.
Cory Boyd PS at best
Alex Haynes Ditto
Anthony Alridge Showed promise. See how he comes off IR.
Andre Hall Ditto, but not as strong.
Michael Pittman Old, but a great montor to have around
PJ Pope Another Ditto, probably PS
Ryan Torian Great potential but will probably last only 2-4 years. He’s one of those players who, though no fault of his own, is almost always injured. Reminds me a lot of Jim McMahon. Incredibly talanted QB for the Bears but never played a full season in his entire career.
Selvin Young A very, vety disappointing year for him. Showed me nothing.
RB/FB
Peyton Hillis An ex exceptionally strong runner with 8-12 years ahead of him. I say bring back the old style 2 back formation with Hillis as FB and Torain, or whoever comes out on to as the HB.
FB
Hillis Wow!!!
Sprncer Larsen Shanny needs to decide what Larsens best position is and have him devote all his energy into learning it. Personally I prefer his at LB.
Andrew Pinnock Couldn’t learn enough in 4 weeks to be activated by a team desperate for a FB? a waste of money and time.
OT
Ryan Clady An All Pro Tackle for the next 10-15 years
Ryan Harris Also above average. Good for 10,-15 years.
Tyler Polumbus Good backup potential, but may end up on PS
Eerik Pears The reason Polumbus may end up on the PS.
G
Ben Hamilton Better than average guard with 3-5 years left
Chris Kuper Good man to have. Good for 8-12 years.
Pat Murray An unknown commodity good for backup
C
Casey Weigman All,Pro caliber center with 1-3 years left in him
Kory Lichtensteiger Probably our next long term center. Backed up every OL position. Good for 10-15 years.
Tom Nalen Please retire and get your knee(s) replaced. Should be a future HOFer.
TE
Daniel Graham Excellent blocker, fair receiver. Good for 4-6 years.
Chad Mustard Pleasse be kind to Chad and finally cut him once and for all.
Tony Scheffler Excellent receive, fair blocker Good for another 7-10 years
Jeb Putzier There’s a reason he was cut by several teams. Cut him.
Nate Jackson Keep him if we don’t draft a TE
WR
Chad Jackson He showed some potential as kick returner.
Daniel Jackson To oldd. Cut him.
Brandon Marshall All Pro caliber for many years to come. Good for 10-12 years.
Eddie Royal Ditto. They may well develope into the best 1, 2 combo the Broncos have ever had.
Brandon Stokley Excellent slot receiver. Good for 2-4 years.
Clifford Russell Cut him
Edell Sheperd Ditto
DEFENSE
DE
Tim Crowder He neother impressed nor unimpressed me.
Elvis Dumerville A major step down from the last two years. Peaked?
Ebenezer Ekuban To old and yet seemed to do better than all the other DE’s.
John Engelberger Another over the hill DE.
Jarvis Moss Number 1 pick not performing well enough to make the active roster!!! Cut him!
DT
Nic Clemons Barely adequate backup.
Kenney Peterson Adequte but nothing to write home about.
Marcus Thomas At least he palyed some this year.
Josh Shaw Backup
Carlton Powell untested rookie on IR. ????
LB
Boss Bailey Nothing he did made you say Wow!!!, but the inuries he suffered made it hard to evaluate him.
Loius Green Backup
Mario Haggan Ditto
Niko Koutouvides Cut him.
DJ Williams Keep him in his origianl position and he’s a better than average LB.
Nate Webster Can’t tackle. Cut him
Jamie Winborn BLLLEEEHHH!!! Has no concept of where his lanes are.
Wesley Woodyard Reminds me alot of Tom Jackson Shoukld be a starter next season.
Spencer Larsen Great potential. Should challange for asdtrting position next season.
SAFETY
Josh Barrett A lot of rough edges. Good potential, but ????
Vernon Fox Old. Cut him
Herana-Daze Jones Cut him
Marquand Manuel Cut him.
Marlon McCree Major disappointment. Hopefully he’ll do better next year.
CB
Champ Bailey All Pro caliber, but only 3-6 years left in him
Josh Bell Not impressed
Dre Bly Take a major pay cut or hit the road.
Karl Paymah Very disappointing year
Jack Willams Didn’t see enough of him to judge.
While it’s obvious that our safties and corners stunk up the place, how much better would they have been if we had a pass rush? Anyone defending against a pass can’t cover forever.
Wow…….they fired shanny…..
Well, a lot of you got your wish, Shanny was fired. I’m not sure how I feel about that, but it is what it is. I didn’t think it was time to let him go, but I’m just a fan so what do I know. Cowher would be a great coach or even Marty S but again, what do I know.
Great blogs Coop. Keep em’ coming!!!
GO BRONCOS!!!!
Alright, so just got the shock of my life… the braniacs above Shanahan decided to let him go. Now for all of you on here who said he should go… I will play the blame game when we get someone else and we go NOWHERE for the next 5-10 years. You will get such BS from me I’ll annoy you to death… letting him go has got to be the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard of and the fact that they actually did it just goes to show where their heads are – IN A PILE OF DIRT! I’m officially p’od! This is absolutely the dumbest thing Bowlen & Co., have ever done. When we have worse seasons than this one for the next 3 years… I’ll make sure of it personally to thank each and every one of you for the stupid idea.
I still have faith…
GO BRONCOS!!!!
I hope Bowlen has someone allready like Cower! To all who called for his head, Careful what you wish for.
Thank you Mike for everything you brought to Denver! Good Luck to you sir!
07elway…. I know you didnt want Mike canned but I know you love our Broncos first and foremost. We have been average for many many years and have had change at every position except Mikes. It was time to release him. Being 500 year after year is a joke. The Patriots lost Brady and still finished ahead of us so dont give me any excuses. Looking forward big time to next year……..Go Broncos
Hurts to see shanahan go….07elway i feel your pain man but give it a chance cuz if cowher comes in he can do a lot for this franchise i mean i give all the respect to shanahan but he is a offensive genius our D succed….he will land with the lions niners browns or somebody with a fatter wallet he gon be aiight…
I agree with 07elway…I shall play that same blame game and even if new coach succeeds, i will still credit it to what shanahan has built and that shanahan could have done just as well if not better this year. Shanahan without the broncos is like peanut butter without jelly. I wouldnt have minded this so much when we still had gary kubiak as our offensive coordinator…I believe he coulda taken over after shanahan and he had been with us long enough that we recognized him well and knew him but this is just a bitter taste in my mouth.
They should have given him one more year to draft defensive juggernauts instead of just mainly offense and seen how far we went…..Not many coaches would have been able to help this team excell with all the injuries we received…..what lost this was the maturity of the players and the fact that the people we started off the season werent the people we ended the season with….there was a constant change to the chemistry and rebuilding the chemistry when anyoen went down. Shanahan is the man and if he remains coaching the team the gets him will be very lucky…usually at this point i would say GO BRONCOS but today its GO SHANAHAN!!!!
Even TD (T. Davis) was shocked when he heard the news. I really think this decision was premature, but what’s done is done. If the team has a terrible record next year and misses the playoffs, I wonder who some of you will blame now that Shanny is gone. Cutler? He is already getting a lot of criticism, which is a joke. He is and will be a great QB. Give him a consistent running game and solid defense, look out. This will be a very interesting offseason and upcoming season.
1 playoff win in 10 years? Anyone else would have been canned years ago. Football is a game about what are you doing for me now. When Jake was benched for Cutler how many fans were fired up. Fact is its all about producing and Shannys 1 playoff win in 10 years is not enough. Nice to know we pay our head coach 7 million a year to be average? Look at Miami after there coaching change… If we win 10 games next year then I guess it was worth it. Thank you Pat for showing the NFL that 500 would not be accepted in Denver…
I hear all of you… about the only person I’ll give a fighting chance to will be Cowher but he’s already in talks with people on the East Coast so I don’t know if we’ll get that lucky. My entire life (literally), the only coach I’ve known to this team is Shanahan… all the others have come and gone, he always stayed. I will have the hardest time getting over this… I can get over any loss but this, this will take years. I wish him all the best wherever he goes, whatever he does but I just can’t fathom this. I haven’t felt this sick to my stomach since Elway retired. I just can’t believe they actually let him go.
I’m speechless, really I am. Depending on who the new coach is, I’ll still give him a chance like I always say with someone new but this bites! Absolutely sick to my stomach.
Thank you Mike for all that you gave to this team… coaching a Hall of Famer like Elway, getting us 2 Super Bowl wins, drafting Cutler, Clady and many other great players as well as grabbing future Hall of Famers like Champ… you deserve ALL THE BEST wherever you go and all that you do. This Bronco lovin’ girl will miss you VERY much. God Bless you!
With faith we get a genius to coach this team…
GO BRONCOS!!!!
I think Shanny should have been given the opportunity to resign. I don’t pretend to know the details, but from everything I heard, it doesn’t appear resigning was an option given to him.
For all you people who thought Shanny was the problem, hopefully he does not come back to kick Denver’s ass in the years to come. Who is going to do a better job than Shanny?
I agree with Adam Schefter and TD from NFL Network, along with a few others on this site. I don’t like this move or the way it was handled by Bowlen. Mike deserves respect from Bowlen, the organization and fans. As Adam S. says…”Mike is unquestionably one the best coaches in the league and anyone that knows football knows that.”
Ok ok ok enough already with this blame and point fingers sh*t! Shanny being fired is just like the season! What’s done is done and we can’t go back and change anything. We have to move fwd and prepare to support the next coach just like we did shanny.
This happens every year including this year when the Jets got rid of their coach who had a winning record. The NFL is all about WINS and LOSSES. Yes he was the winning head coach during our two superbowl wins, done alot of great things, etc etc etc. But when does not making it to the playoffs start to matter. Well it started to matter to Mr. Bowlen today.
Sure I would have rathered see Slowik go and I never ever would’ve thought that Shanny would be fired. For those of you who called for shanny’s head I’m not mad @ you like some of these other people. It’s not your fault he got fired. He just didn’t get the job done. Remember people it always STARTS AND ENDS with the head coach!
I WANT ALEX GIBBS ! ! !
Horrible move firing Shannahan. This team has been good for a long time. We haven’t been great, but competetive. Shanny was an offensive guy and the offense has always been great. Even with young guys, the offense did really good. Ultimately, poor defense and special teams over the last few years is what cost him his job. As the head coach/vice president, he pretty much made all the personnel decisions. He excelled on the offensive side of the ball, but failed on the defensive side. I wish we could have kept Shanny and perhaps tweaked his role to only include coaching. Bring in a big name defensive coordinator and some new lineman, but don’t fire Shanny.
I sure hope Bowlen isn’t going to hire some unproven flashy guy because that usually doesn’t work out. If we have to move on, we NEED a defensive minded coach. Bates does a great job as an offensive coordinator, and Jay and the guys seem to like him. Keep him, but please get a defensive minded head coach and a great coordinator.
Sadly, new head coaches usually want their own guys, so Bates will probably be gone too. What a shame. We have so much talent on this team. We just need a better scheme on defense and a few new guys. If nothing else, can we please get some guys in free agency that are proven pass rushers on the end and possibly a dominant tackle. Please.
WOW iv been a broncos fan ever since iv been a lil kid and just always read the blogs but after this dum move i hada register and say something the one thing that always made me proud of the broncos was shanny i ALWAYS had faith in him ya i questioned him a few time but he always came thro like against the chargers in week two i almost freaked when he went for two to win the game but he had faith in cutler and not only went for the win but ran the same play over again!! which other coach does that and succeeds even the whole icing the raiders kicker every other coach who even trys either it doesnt work or ends up screwing em and losing the game i mean really bowlen mike knows wat hes doing
who else are we gonna get! its never gonna be the same in denver honestly im scared of wats gonna happen i hope the new coach doesnt screw us over and try and change everything wow bowlen better hope he didnt just shoot himself in the foot and did us into an even deeper hole i mean if jerry jones has faith in wade philips to go another year after a pathetic season with the cowboys we should give our future HOF coach another year bc he finally found someone to build his team around after elway left and thats cutler and hes starting to really shine so best of luck to mike he deserves the greatest of respect from all Denver fans and to next year…lets hope we dont get screwed
and another thing the SHAFT OF 08 LIVES ON sunday i thought it couldnt get any worse with it only being a few days left but wow it only got worse lets hope something even worse doesnt happen tomorrow
adios Shannahan shoulda fired your defensive coordinator and kept Jake Plummer, and found some players with heart, this season ripped my spine out….
I REALLY WANT ALEX GIBBS ! ! !
broncofannsd said it best…more respect should have been given to shanahan…i dunno how it went down but this firing is a bit premature. he was given the chance to resign, step down, retire or w/e and leave the organization on a higher note and i don’t think any bronco fan will disagree with me….just poorly handled and i can’t wait to see the press conference tommorow…said day in broncos history….he couldn’t even have given us a few more days to let SD loss dissipate before he hit us with this other KO punch.
he wasn’t*
Well, It happened…and some in Broncos country are angry, some are sad and some are ecstatic. Myself, I have wondered if the hammer would drop the last couple seasons. Mike shanahan is arguably one of the best schemers in the history of the game and can pick apart any defense when he has the right personnel for the job…I’ll miss that. As a VP of football op’s his vision to build a team that he felt was the most competetive in the league fell short. I have no doubt that Coach Shanahan believed in the talent of every man on the roster, otherwise they might be somewhere sacking groceries. Unfortunately faith doesn’t guarantee a Lombardi Trophy. Give credit where credit is due and be thankful that Mike Shanahan was with this team at the twilight of John Elway’s career and delivered back to back titles when we needed them most. After all, were it not for that Elway/Shanahan/Kubiak chemistry we might be sitting here without even a single Super Bowl win to look back on. I must say that while it’s sad to see a coaching mastermind leave town I do have a strange sense of optimism knowing that we’ll soon have a whole new philosophy for our team to live by. New coaches who may be able to un-cover talents that previous coaches may have overlooked or that were thought to be wrong for a particular play calling style. New players, and hopefully a newly re-energized outlook for the 2009 season. After all, most of the “eminent brains” of football have, and/or eventually will part ways with their long-time homes. Coach Shanahan is no exception as we all now know. So chins up in Broncos Country…everything happens for a reason, and next year we begin a new chapter for the greatest team with the greatest fans in the entire league.
i hope ALLL of you whiners are happy, Shanahan getting fired is the worst possible thing to happen for the Broncos. Now everything he set up with this young team was for nothing. Gone is the offensive precision playcalling, the rollouts, the zone stretches.. he was a master of those. What the hell was the thought process here! Not only is the team set back for at least 3-5 years, we will never find a better coach that Mike for a LONG LONG time.. i will also rub it into you whiners when our team of such up-and-coming talent goes 5-11 next year cause our mastermind isnt on the sidelines.. thank you guys, thank you
I kinda hope Shanny doesn’t coach somewhere next year and shafts us by not being able to afford a top notch coach. It’s not like there is even a coach out there that will be able to deliver a championship to this team anytime soon anyway. Pat Bowlen FTL
I still cant get around this, why fire a guy who wins, look at his record. Sure the last 3 seasons havent been good, but we were trying to rebuild on the fly, and you have to put some account on the players and other coaches as well. Why, once everything seems in order, fire the man who set this up so perfectly. THIS TEAM DIDNT NEED CHANGE! IT NEEDED TIME! AND THE YEAR WAS 2009! WE ALL KNEW IT! BUT NOW THATS CHANGED
I can see why Shanny got fired. After all, he was 8 and 8. Let’s all forget that there are 17 Bronco players on IR at the end of the season. Last year was just as bad. Yep, that’s bad coaching. Make sense to me.
I can still remember what it was like watching the Broncos under Reeves. Completely boring and ineffective. Lose for at least half the game from awlful play calling and have Elway chuck it down field. At least with Shanny , when we were bad, we were average.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!…….. CALL HIM OUT COOP ! ! ! ! I’ll set up the squared circle.
Wow, that guys intense.
For the record, I don’t like how this went down, not at all.
Simply put, we were a “legit” d-coordinator away from fixing the problem.
There are several talented guys (D co-ord) out there right now.
Seemed like an easy fix to me.
Look,
Our offense was potent.
We can now draft talent.
Things are headed in the right direction.
So, why blow it up ?
Makes no sense.
How does 21 years come down to a 5 minute firing ?
Ego
Instead of fixing 1 problem, we created a bucketload.
cowher, aint gonna happen. martyball are you kidding me,brian billick sounds interesting,shefter says a young offense minded guy, excuse me the offense was fine it was the defense that stunk up the field.this is going to be interesting. hey i know are red miller and joe collier still around. maybe craig morton he won coaching the denver gold. LOL
I’m disappointed at Shanahan’s removal but we’ll see how this goes. As a fan, I’ve got to have faith but Shanny’s hard to replace. In any case, GO BRONCOS!!!
Come on COOP, he said he’s going to suit you!
Everbody knows that the Head Coach/Vice President thing just don’t work. Ask Mike Holmgren, Bill Parcells, and a few others who tried it. That’s one reason why we don’t need Cowher bc he’s power hungry. We also don’t need a big name coach to win! Who da hell was Mike Smith and Tony Sparano before this season?!? It sucks that Shan did get a chance to leave on his own term but we will be ok.
I really don’t like hearing people blaming Cutler for the Bronco’s problems. The guy is a gamer. When our defense plays well, he takes care of the ball and leads the team to victory. When the defense plays bad, he has to carry the team and ends up forcing things that arent there.
He has the right attitude to be a great quarterback year in and year out. And we all know he has the tools.
Think about this: Would any of you rather have any of the other young quarterbacks? (Leinart, Vince Young, Jamarcus Russell, Croyle, Alex Smith)
Given that this organization can put a real product on the field to support Cutler, he’ll win superbowls.