Alphonso Smith: Nickelback or Caped Crusader?

Of all the Draft day moves made by the Denver Broncos, the one that seems to be getting the most heat is trading next year’s first round pick to Seattle in order to grab Wake Forest’s Alphonso Smith early in the second round.

They say he is too short, doesn’t play a position the Broncos need, will play on nickel and dime packages at best, and that even if those things weren’t true…nobody in their right mind trades a first-round pick for a second.

Throughout this article I will set the world straight, showing once and for all that they are wrong on all counts and will soon be seeing this guy leap tall buildings in a single bound.

At 5’9″ he lacks the size to be a dominant defensive back:

How do we judge a defensive back? While it is true that some of the best defensive backs don’t get thrown at much (e.g. Champ Bailey), for the purposes of this article I will be focusing on the illustrious interception. Let’s take a quick look at the top 10 INT hawks from last year.

*85 percent are under 6′ tall     

*INT Leader Ed Reed ~ 5″11″

*Troy Polamalu, Cortland Finnegan, DeAngelo Hall, and Andre Goodman ~ All 5’10”

*Jason David- Tied for sixth in the NFL in interceptions is an inch shorter at 5’8″

In light of this I think one needs to reconsider what role height plays in being a great defensive back.

Well then, if they are a little short what is a vertically challenged DB to do?

It’s all about the back peddle. Alphonso Smith has the ability to run backwards, while at the same time crouching like a cat, ready to pounce. Seeing it is believing.

He doesn’t play a position of need:

Au contraire mon fraire.

There is this ridiculous notion that since the Broncos are switching to a 3-4 defensive scheme, they must reach for the sky to grab a Nose Tackle and Defensive Lineman, even if they have more pressing issues. Yes I said it..they have more pressing issues.

Where do I get that notion? None other than the famed architect of the Orange Crush. Joe Collier thinks that while the line is important you don’t have to break the bank.

“Variety is what the 3-4 can give you.You can play the 3-4 without having superstars, so to speak, in the defensive line.” Joe Collier

What could possibly be more important then?

Lack of turnover production was the single biggest weakness for the Denver Bronco’s defense in 2009. How could that be? Well lets take a gander at last year for Denver.

*31st in the NFL in interceptions ~ They had six…no that’s not a typo

*T31st in Turnover Differential ~ -17…even Detroit was better

*32nd..Dead Last…in Overall Takeaways

But hey the Defensive Line was way more important even though….

*26th in the NFL in total Sacks ~ Not great but consider that Elvis Dumervil played half the season wearing a cast

So yes, we did need help in the backfield. In 2009 Denver had possibly the worst secondary in NFL. Was it reaching then, if the greatest ball hawk to come out of college in years fell to the second round because he was two inches shorter than your “prototypical” defensive back?

He will play on Nickel and Dime packages at best:

Lets just play make believe and assume that Alphonso Smith will only be a nickel and dime defensive back. For whatever reason the common conception, misconception at that, is that nickel and dime packages play a small role. That might have more credibility if the team you are playing has no passing attack.

But that is not the case for the the teams Denver is playing in 2009. So for Denver having a great nickelback on 3rd-and-long will be invaluable. Lets take a look at where Alphonso Smith might come in handy in 2009.

*Of the Top 10 Passing Attempting Teams in 2008- Denver will face over 30 percent of them

*Of the Top 10 Passing first Down Teams in 2008- Denver will face 50 percent of them

So you tell me…how is this guy not the best thing since sliced bread?

You don’t trade a first round pick for a second, ever:

This aspect of the argument is really the one that is up in the air. Alphonso Smith can be Defensive Rookie of the Year, but if the Broncos have a losing season and the Seattle pick is high, it will be regarded as a bad move no matter what.

In reality, this will not be settled until we see how the player Seattle drafts turns out. Just because it is in the 1st round, is no guarantee of success. So really at this point it is all semantics.

But mark my word, within a few seasons Alphonso Smith will be wearing a cape.

What Is Josh McDaniels Doing with the Denver Broncos?

Since being hired as the Broncos head coach early this offseason, Josh McDaniels has the Broncos organization headed in the wrong direction.

At the end of the Broncos’ disappointing 2008 season, they fired long-time coach Mike Shanahan. Shanahan was the longest-serving coach in franchise history. He was very successful in Denver, winning two Superbowls.

To replace Shanahan, the Broncos brought in former New England offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels. At the time, it looked like a good move to start rebuilding for the future. 

McDaniels comes from a very successful organization in New England. There have been a handful of coaches who have left New England for head coaching jobs. Romeo Crennel, Al Groh, Eric Mangini, and Nick Saban have all come from the Bellichick coaching tree, and none of them have gone on to be successful head coaches in the NFL.

In three years as the Patriots offensive coordinator, McDaniels was very successful. In 2007, the Patriots offense set NFL records for most touchdowns and points scored.

Since becoming head coach of the Broncos, McDaniels has made a series of moves that have the Broncos heading in the wrong direction.

Shortly after arriving in Denver, McDaniels managed to drive one of the top young quarterbacks out of town. The Broncos traded Jay Cutler and a fifth round pick to the Bears; and in return they received a first round pick in the 2009 and 2010 drafts, along with a third round pick in ’09.

Other than Cutler, McDaniels got rid of 10 other starters from the 2008 season.

At the beginning of his reign, McDaniels decided to make a difficult transition from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 scheme.

In the 2009 draft McDaniels, did not acquire the right players to help make a successful transition to a 3-4 defense.

With the Broncos’ first pick—12th overall—they selected Georgia running back, Knowshon Moreno, after already signing two veterans in free agency. The Broncos didn’t need another running back, but it was a good pick for the future.

With their second pick—18th overall—they selected Robert Ayers out of Tennessee.  Ayers was not a great pass-rusher at the college level. This pick is not a good one for a team that is converting to a 3-4 defense, simply because he just doesn’t fit.

At the beginning of the second round, Denver traded their 2010 first round pick to the Seahawks to acquire nickel corner Alphonso Smith out of Wake Forest. The way things are shaping up, the pick is likely to be a Top 10 selection. Not a smart move.

With the 48th pick in the second round, McDaniels took free safety Darcell McBath, after already signing veterans Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill in free agency. 

Late in the second round, he traded two third round picks to move up and get Richard Quinn, a blocking tight end. You never take a blocking tight end in the second round, and you most certainly don’t trade two third round picks for one—no matter how good he may be.

In the fourth round McDaniels drafted yet another free safety.

In the whole draft, McDaniels totally neglected to address the defensive line. The Broncos’ defensive line has clearly been the weakest group on the whole team. You can’t play a 3-4 defense without a strong front. What was he thinking?

The Broncos look like they will, once again, be at the bottom of the league in defense.

After all this, things continue to get worse in Denver. The team’s best receiver, Brandon Marshall, has requested to be traded. Marshall has led the team in receptions the last two years with over 100 receptions each season. There could be a few reasons why Marshall wants to be traded.

One, Marshall sees the direction this franchise is headed and doesn’t want to be part of a losing team. Like most players in the NFL, Marshall wants to get paid. The best chance to get the most money is while his stock is high. He knows that, with Cutler gone, his production will likely decline. He either wants his money now, or he wants an opportunity to earn it somewhere else. If the Broncos lose Marshall it will just add to the problems McDaniels has created this offseason.

Who knows, maybe it’s all part of McDaniels’ genius master plan. Maybe he will surprise and prove everybody wrong.

After a successful 14 seasons under Mike Shanahan, the Mcdaniels Era looks to be a sad one in Denver.

Denver Broncos 2009 Draft Report Card

Denver Broncos – Draft Report Card

Written By: Bill Riley

DENVER BRONCOS Draft Grade:                          C Fantasy Impact Grade:         B   The Cradle of Running Backs got another in Knowshon Moreno.  Moreno will pick up a lot of blocking responsibility in the shotgun, and he can handle it.  If he can’t (and who would put money on a Denver running back putting together a full season?), Correll Buckhalter, LaMont Jordan, Selvin Young, and Peyton Hillis will pick up the slack, and in that order.  Sure, the Broncos reached a bit for Moreno at pick 12, but who cares?  He’s the guy they needed, especially since Kyle Orton will need a stout running game.   The second pick, Robert Ayres, is a speed merchant but only put one good season together in Tennessee.  Can he do it in the show?  I think the best safety they picked was the second safety they picked; David Bruton could be pretty darn good.   Fantasy Advice: Sure, Shanahan is gone, but you can usually count on the pile of running backs in Denver to be a mile high.  Moreno is a good one and should get plenty of work, at least in the first half of games.  I think Denver will be pretty bad this year, so that should steal some carries.    Article can also be found: http://www.ecouchcoach.com/articles.php?id=28

Denver Broncos Officially Rebuilding

Regardless of what happens with Brandon Marshall, the Denver Broncos are officially in a rebuilding phase.

The fan base and commentators seem loathe to admit it, but the Denver Broncos are deconstructing in order to reconstruct.

Apparently the fans believed that hiring a new coach meant leaving the team exactly as it was, without any major restructuring or upheavals of any kind.

It was assumed that McDaniels would come in, leave all the offensive pieces in place, and then promptly rebuild the defense through the draft and free agency.

A pretty big assumption considering this was a coach who came in and heavily emphasized a “system” approach. Players will fit the system, not the other way around. This was a known quantity from day one. Not believing that things would change, and change in a big way, was extremely naive.

Denver fans set themselves up; they believed change to be a painless and easy process. It’s not. It’s painful and messy.

There’s a lot of negative commentary out there: McDaniels is destroying the Denver Broncos, he’s losing the locker room, he’s chasing off star players.

Anyone who has ever managed anything of any kind, knows that one must initially come in hard and strict, and then slowly loosen up over time. Coming in wishy washy is what REALLY loses locker rooms. It’s much harder to regain control than it is to have it in the first place and then begin to soften a little.

In reality, it’s a brilliant move by both Bowlen and McDaniels.

This is how the cow ate the cabbage. PERIOD. There’s only one way to skin a cat. PERIOD.

Those players with weak stomachs and intent of bloodless coups shall walk the plank.

Which is exactly how year one of rebuilding should go. In this way, Josh McDaniels is more like Tom Coughlin than Bill Belichick.

Coughlin was often critized for coming into the NY Giants with an iron fist. But, alas, it worked, and as he loosened up (ever so slightly) in coming years, the Giants improved.

When it comes to the the 2009-2010 Denver Broncos, think of one of those home makeover TV shows. The kind where they come in, and instead of just repainting, patching a hole in the roof, buying some new furniture, and call it good, they instead bulldoze everything down and start rebuilding.

The end product produced from the bulldozer/rebuild approach, is always better than the patch the roof/hang new curtains approach.

For Broncos fans, it’ll mean perhaps having to sit through a rough season or two in order to get to a playoff caliber team. It’ll also mean getting over it. Broncos fans and Denver area reporters and commentators are going to have to let it go.

Shannahan is gone, Culter is in Chicago, and Brandon Marshall may very well end up being traded away for future draft picks…

What did you expect?

There’s a new Sheriff in town, and his name is Josh McDaniels.

Let’s face it: Denver had become a very mediocre team. As a Bronocs fan living out of state, I became very bored with the organization. Assuming I’m an average fan, the lack of interest generated from a .500 team cannot be a good thing.

Now, however, the average fan is paying attention again. As they say in Hollywood, the only bad publicity is no publicity. We’re watching again. For some of us, rebuilding is exciting. Certainly more exciting than 9-7, 7-9, and 8-8. Yawn.

You better believe many of us fans that had gotten a bit bored of the Broncos will be tuned in to this franchise in 2009.

The shortest tenure of any modern era Denver Broncos coach was Wade Phillips and his two year stint back in 1993 and 1994. He went 9-7 and 7-9. Barring a major personality conflict with the owner, you have to imagine that McDaniels will get at least three years to prove himself.

So settle in to that reality all you “glass is half empty” fans and commentators. Bowlen has made it clear that McDaniels is his man. And McDaniels has made it abundantly clear that he is THE MAN.

The bulldozer has flattened the old house. Brick by brick, the new house is rising up.

It’s a new era in the land of orange. Get used to it.

 

Who Will Make the 2009 Denver Broncos’ Final Roster?

This past week’s cuts started me thinking about what the Denver Broncos active roster will look like and the gauntlet of competition that a football player will have to endure to make an NFL team.

The Broncos released five players Thursday including linebackers Boss Bailey and Louis Green, safety Herana-Dave Jones, running back Kestahn Moore and cornerback Rashod Moulton.

Though none of these cuts may have come as much of a surprise to any Broncos fan, they are nonetheless interesting because they begin to shape the 2009 Roster.

It was necessary to bring the roster size down to 80 because that is the maximum number of players an NFL team is allowed to bring to training camp. more cuts will follow in the coming months as each NFL team continues to whittle down their rosters as the dawn of a new season creeps ever closer.

Cuts can happen at any time during training camp when it becomes apparent to the coaches that a player is simply not able to keep up and compete with the others at his position.  There are also some set times where teams will be required to dump players from their rosters.

After the third preseason weekend the rosters are required to drop to 65 players or below and after the fourth and final preseason weekend all NFL teams are required to have an active roster of no more than 53 players as they head into the regular season. 

Each team is also allowed to form a practice squad, which may consist of no more than eight players.

That means that there are 19 more broncos on the current roster who will not even make Denver’s practice squad. 

After that there are eight more players who are on the bubble and will fall just short of making the roster and will have to settle for serving time with the team on the practice squad in hopes of improving their skills for another shot somewhere down the line.

53 of the current 80 players will make the active roster, but even then they will have to compete each week in order to make the 45 man game-day roster, which will no doubt change each week depending on the team’s game plan.

All of this does not even mention the competition between the players who make the roster to gain playing time on Sundays, let alone to secure a position as one of the 22 starting Denver Broncos.

With so much turnover in the off-season between coaches and players alike, there are few players who can rest assured that they will be one of those starters.  Even a Champ Bailey needs to work and both mentally and physically to adapt to scheme changes and prove his worthiness to his new set of coaches.

With all of this in mind, here are my predictions on where the current 80 players on the roster will end up going into the 2009 season.

Cut List

#   Name                Pos. Ht. Wt.  Age  Exp. College

60  Matt McChesney  G  6’4″  307   27  3rd  Colorado

72  Pat Murray          G  6’3″  310   24  1st  Truman State

61  Mitch Erickson     G  6’6″  290   23  2nd  S.Dakota St.

76  Tyler Polumbus    T  6’8″  310   23  2nd  Colorado

68  Stanley Bryant    T  6’5″  282   23   R    East Carolina

77  Brandon Gorin     T  6’6″  308   30   7th  Purdue

87  Jeb Putzier        TE 6’4″  256   30   7th  Boise State

82  David Grimes     WR 5’10” 177  22    R    Notre Dame

84  Brandon Lloyd   WR  6’0″  194  27  7th   Illinois

12  Matthew Willis  WR  6’0″  195  24   3rd   UCLA

11  Kenny McKinley  WR 6’0″  189  22    R    S. Carolina

17  Lucas Taylor      WR 6’0″  185   22   R    Tennessee

42  Ryan Torain        RB  6’1″  225  22  2nd  Arizona State

99  Mathias Askew    DT  6’5″  302 26  2nd  Michigan State

57  Mario Haggan     LB  6’3″  263  29   7th  Mississippi State

51  Lee Robinson      LB  6’3″  245  22    R   Alcorn State

37  Tony Carter       CB  5’9″  177  22    R   Florida State

39  Vernon Fox        S   5’10”  203  29  8th  Fresno State

4   Britton Colquitt    P   6’3″   205  24   R  Tennessee

 

Active Roster

Offense

#   Name                 Pos. Ht. Wt.  Age  Exp. College

62  Casey Wiegmann   C   6’2″  285  35  14th  Iowa

67  Kory Lichtensteiger  C  6’3″ 295  23  2nd  Bowling Green St.

73  Chris Kuper           G  6’4″  302  26  4th  North Dakota

50  Ben Hamilton       G/C 6’4″  290  31  9th  Minnesota

78  Ryan Clady          T  6’6″   325  22  2nd  Boise State

74  Ryan Harris         T  6’5″   300   24  3rd  Notre Dame

71  Clint Oldenburg   T  6’5″   300  25  2nd  Colorado State

89  Daniel Graham    TE  6’3″  257  30  8th  Colorado

88  Tony Scheffler   TE  6’5″  250  26  4th  Western Michigan

81 Richard Quinn     TE  6’4″  260  22   R   North Carolina

15 Brandon Marshall WR 6’4″  230  24  4th  Central Florida

19 Eddie Royal         WR 5’10” 182 22 2nd Virginia Tech

14 Brandon Stokley  WR  5’11” 192 32 11th S. Western-Louisiana

10 Jabar Gaffney     WR  6’1″  200  28  8th  Florida

16 Chad Jackson     WR  6’1″  215  24  4th  Florida

8   Kyle Orton          QB  6’4″  216  26 5th Purdue

2  Chris Simms         QB  6’4″  220  28 7th  Texas

3  Tom Bradstater    QB  6’5″  222  24  R  Fresno State

27 Knowshon Moreno RB  5’11” 205 21  R  Georgia

28 Correll Buckhalter  RB  6’0″  217  30 9th Nebraska

32 Lamont Jordan      RB 5’10” 230  30  9th Maryland

22 Peyton Hillis         FB 6’1″  250  23  2nd Arkansas

Active Roster

Defense

 

#   Name                 Pos.  Ht.  Wt.  Age  Exp. College

91 Ronnie Fields        DT  6’2″  315  27  5th  Mississippi State

79 Marcus Thomas    DT  6’3″  305  23  3rd  Florida

71 Chris Baker          DT  6’2″  326  21   R  Hampton

69 J’Vonne Parker      DT  6’4″  325  26  5th  Rutgers

90 Kenny Peterson     DL  6’3″  300  30  7th  Ohio State

98 Ryan McBean        DE  6’5″  290  24  3rd  Oklahoma State

65 Rulon Davis          DE  6’5″  281  25   R   California

64 Everette Pedescleaux  DE 6’6″  305  23  R   Northern Iowa

75 Carlton Powell       DT  6’3″  300  23  2nd  Virginia Tech

92 Elvis Dumerville    DE  5’11”  260  25  4th  Louisville

96 Tim Crowder        DE  6’4″  275  23  3rd  Texas

56  Robert Ayers    DE/LB 6’3″ 272 23    R   Tennessee

95 Darrell Reid       DL/LB 6’2″ 288 26   5th  Minnesota

55 D.J. Williams       LB   6’1″  240 26   6th  Miami (Fla.)

54 Andra Davis       LB   6’1″  250 30   8th  Florida

59 Wesley Woodyard LB 6’1″  230 22  2nd  Kentucky

46 Spencer Larsen  FB/LB 6’2″ 240 25 2nd Arizona

58 Nick Greisen       LB  6’1″ 250 29  8th  Wisconsin

24 Champ Bailey    CB  6’0″  192  30  11th  Georgia

21 Andre Goodman  CB 5’10” 190  30  8th  South Carolina

33 Alphonso Smith  CB  5’9″  193  23  R  Wake Forest

25 Joshua Bell        CB 5″11″ 177 24 2nd Baylor

26 Jack Williams      CB 5’9″  185 23  2nd Kent State

20 Brian Dawkins     S 6’0″  210  35  14th Clemson

23 Renaldo Hill        S  5’11” 205 30  9th Michigan State

31 Darcel McBath    S  6’0″  198  23  R  Texas Tech

36 Josh Barrett        S  6’2″  225 24  2nd Arizona State

30 Davis Bruton      S  6’2″  219 21    R   Notre Dame

 

Special Teams

#   Name                Pos.  Ht.  Wt.  Age  Exp. College

5 Matt Prater           K    5’10”  188  24   3rd  Central Florida

1 Brett Kern            P     6’3″    205  22  2nd  Toledo

66 Lonnie Paxton     LS    6’2″   260  31  10th  Sacramento State

 

Practice Squad

#   Name                 Pos.  Ht.  Wt.  Age  Exp. College

63  Blake Schlueter    C   6’3″   284   23    R     TCU

35 D.J. Johnson         CB  6’2″  200  23     R   Jackson State

94 Jarvis Moss           DE  6’6″ 265  24    3rd  Florida

93  Nic Clemons         DT  6’6″  300  29  3rd   Georgia

70  Seth Olsen           G  6’4″   306  23   R   Iowa

34 Darius Walker       RB  5’11”  205  23  3rd  Notre Dame

85 Marquez Branson   TE  6’3″  248  22   R    Central Arkansas

83 Nate Swift           WR  6’2″  195  23  R  Nebraska

I am sure that there will be plenty of disagreement on these predictions.  I made my picks based on my personal opinions of the player’s abilities and the experience these players have had in McDaniels system.  The list is open to debate, so let me know what you think.

Should the New York Giants Take a Chance on Brandon Marshall?

As another part of a troubling offseason for new coach Josh McDaniels, reports have come out that another offensive star wants out of Denver.

The first time it was quarterback Jay Cutler, who was angered after McDaniels tried to pick up his former quarterback in New England, Matt Cassel. Cutler was then shipped off to Chicago in return for Bears quarterback Kyle Orton.

Now it is wide receiver Brandon Marshall who’s at odds with the team.

Many things have factored into Marshall wanting out. It has been said that Marshall wants a pay raise and was also mad with the Broncos medical team for misdiagnosing a hip problem.

So when a wide receiver pops up on the trade block, the usual names show up. Giants, Jets, and other teams who have an inexperienced or just poor wideout corps. Then, the question arises: Would I want to see Marshall wearing the Giants uniform this upcoming season?

Last year Marshall piled up 104 receptions, 1,265 yards, and six touchdowns to get himself a Pro Bowl spot.

With those stats, why wouldn’t you want him, right?

Well, Marshall has had off-field issues, something that the Giants don’t want to have to deal with after enduring Plaxico Burress’s troubles last year.

But, then again, there is the inexperience of this year’s Giants receivers. 

Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, Sinorice Moss, Domenik Hixon, and Ramses Barden is the outlook of this year’s receiving corps. Nicks and Barden are rookies, while Hixon and Moss have three years of experience and Smith two.

While Brandon Marshall was drafted the same year as Moss and Hixon, his talent is no question among the best in the league. But would the Giants be willing to put up with his off-field issues, which could be magnified in New York?

I don’t think so.

Like I said earlier, after having to put up with Burress last year, the Giants will not likely want more problems. They want to be in the spotlight more for good things on the field than bad things off of it. 

That and the fact that Tom Coughlin is a coach that especially doesn’t like players with off-field issues. 

So while the receiving game may seem better with Marshall, I think the Giants will let him go to the Jets or Ravens and instead rely on the arm of Eli Manning, the running game, and their young receivers.

Is the Denver Locker Room Already Lost?

Just a quick question for all those who have played for a coach they either don’t
trust, don’t like, or any combination of the two: Would you play for Josh McDaniels?

I don’t mean would you suit up and do your job, but would you be willing to walk
through the fires of hell for him?

The wording’s a bit overdramatic, maybe, but with the current situation in Denver, and this new-found attitude in the organization, I can’t help but wonder if he hasn’t lost the locker room two months before coaching his first game.
 
Is it entirely his fault? No. However, it does seem that he has owner Bowlen’s ear and wallet, and Pat seems to be alright with that. The Cutler debacle aside (I mean, we all know how badly and amateurish he was in handling the Prima Donna quarterback situation), McDaniels is only fueling the fire of doubt by now telling everyone that things are going to work out with our No. 1 receiver and that Brandon Marshall will be a Bronco this year.

Meanwhile, Marshall is letting anyone willing to listen that he loved his time in Denver but it’s time to move on.

Hmm, who to believe here?

Obviously, somebody is not being entirely honest in this situation, and after watching
McDaniels parade around with a Cutler jersey just days before sending him to Chicago,
the pendulum seems to be swinging away from Josh.

Should Cutler have been traded? If you’re asking me, I would say yes. Should the new head coach have engaged in a pissing war with the QB in such a public way? God help us if he really thinks that is how to handle a player in the NFL.

So now here we are again with Marshall, two sides and two different stories. I reiterate, would you fight for a guy that has this recent history, the only history you have to pull from?

Determining who’s telling the real truth doesn’t matter, really, because the Broncos will struggle this season regardless. Brandon certainly has a laundry list of troubles with the law, his health (hip), not to mention the way he’s handled this situation.

But has this rookie head coach lost his team already? Is there no hope for the future? If you can’t trust a man, you won’t follow him anywhere, much less into battle.

Trust is a sacred word with athletes, because without it, you’ll never gain their hearts. 

For what it’s worth, I hope Josh is right this time; we need Marshall in the 
orange and blue if this season is to be a success. I just wonder if it’s too late to 
pump the brakes and start over. Here’s to hoping for less junior high “he said, she 
said” and more bloody knuckles in the dirt.

Here’s to letting the pads do the talking, right men!

Is the Denver Locker Room Already Lost?

Just a quick question for all those who have played for a coach they either don’t
trust, don’t like, or any combination of the two: Would you play for Josh McDaniels?

I don’t mean would you suit up and do your job, but would you be willing to walk
through the fires of hell for him?

The wording’s a bit overdramatic, maybe, but with the current situation in Denver, and this new-found attitude in the organization, I can’t help but wonder if he hasn’t lost the locker room two months before coaching his first game.
 
Is it entirely his fault? No. However, it does seem that he has owner Bowlen’s ear and wallet, and Pat seems to be alright with that. The Cutler debacle aside (I mean, we all know how badly and amateurish he was in handling the Prima Donna quarterback situation), McDaniels is only fueling the fire of doubt by now telling everyone that things are going to work out with our No. 1 receiver and that Brandon Marshall will be a Bronco this year.

Meanwhile, Marshall is letting anyone willing to listen that he loved his time in Denver but it’s time to move on.

Hmm, who to believe here?

Obviously, somebody is not being entirely honest in this situation, and after watching
McDaniels parade around with a Cutler jersey just days before sending him to Chicago,
the pendulum seems to be swinging away from Josh.

Should Cutler have been traded? If you’re asking me, I would say yes. Should the new head coach have engaged in a pissing war with the QB in such a public way? God help us if he really thinks that is how to handle a player in the NFL.

So now here we are again with Marshall, two sides and two different stories. I reiterate, would you fight for a guy that has this recent history, the only history you have to pull from?

Determining who’s telling the real truth doesn’t matter, really, because the Broncos will struggle this season regardless. Brandon certainly has a laundry list of troubles with the law, his health (hip), not to mention the way he’s handled this situation.

But has this rookie head coach lost his team already? Is there no hope for the future? If you can’t trust a man, you won’t follow him anywhere, much less into battle.

Trust is a sacred word with athletes, because without it, you’ll never gain their hearts. 

For what it’s worth, I hope Josh is right this time; we need Marshall in the 
orange and blue if this season is to be a success. I just wonder if it’s too late to 
pump the brakes and start over. Here’s to hoping for less junior high “he said, she 
said” and more bloody knuckles in the dirt.

Here’s to letting the pads do the talking, right men!

Turbulent Times Typify the Denver Broncos in ’09

It seems not a day can go by with another part of the Denver Broncos’ roster being changed in some way, shape or form.

Beginning with McDaniels, and subsequently GM Brian Xanders’ hirings, the Broncos have changed significantly. Xanders was handed a list of seven players to cut in his first two days, which included Dre’ Bly, Dwayne Robertson and Jamie Winborn, among others.

After that, came the signing of many, many free agents, including LaMont Jordan, Jabbar Gaffney, and Lonnie Paxton, all from New England, as Denver is now “Patriots West.” Other big names McDaniels and Co. have signed for the Broncos this off season include Brian Dawkins, Correll Buckhalter, Andra Davis, Renaldo Hill and Darrell Reid.

Overall, including undrafted college free agents, the Broncos have signed 30 free agents so far this offseason, meaning these will definitely not be your Dad’s Broncos.

This offseason has not been all about free agents though, as Denver made the biggest trade in the NFL so far, getting rid of a cry-baby QB, sending a message through the entire organization: Love it or leave it.

Fans cried in their beers as “the next Elway” seemingly slipped through Denver’s hands.

The draft was full of surprises for the Broncos, as they did not select primarily on the defensive end, another choice that was berated by fans and analysts alike.

Now, Denver’s best receiver in Brandon Marshall, one of three Broncos to make the Pro Bowl in 2008, has asked for a trade, which has fans wondering what has happened to the once proud franchise a mere 10 years after back-to-back Super Bowl wins.

In the midst of Marshall going Madonna on us, four more cuts were made Thursday, including Champ’s brother Boss Bailey, who I thought would have a great chance at starting come September.

All of this turmoil has tried Broncos’ fans, who had grown accustomed to Mike Shanahan’s relatively consistent ways. Denver wasn’t the best team in the last few years, but at least we all knew what to expect.

I’ve talked to many Denver die-hards lately that are now actually questioning their fanhood and loyalty, as they worry about every little thing McDaniels does. Some on B/R are even questioning whether or not McDaniels will be fired before even coaching a game.

I look at it this way; Shanahan was new once too, and made questionable moves, including starting a 6th-round running back that became a Super Bowl and NFL MVP. Shanahan was blessed by his players, and some gambles paid off for him, quickly, gaining Shanahan not only the “mastermind” nickname, but also the admiration of fans and players alike.

McDaniels too must get lucky, and possibly the “gamble” he took on a running back, Knowshon Moreno, will pay off for him as well. In the very least, McDaniels must be hoping that Kyle Orton can play well, and if he can’t, McD and the Broncos will continue to be the laughing stock of the league in 2009.

But really, while fans that have claimed they bleed orange and blue have began questioning Denver’s NFL franchise, mostly due to McDaniels; I have enjoyed taking the ride along with him.

Why worry about every move that McD and the Broncos make? Denver is now officially rebuilding, and maybe wiping the slate clean is the best restart for the Broncos.

While Shanahan was a great coach, likely a Hall of Famer, he was never perfect—and we shouldn’t have perfect expectations of McDaniels either.

The best way I’ve found to look at the situation is like this; McDaniels could either be Wade Phillips, or Mike Shanahan.

On one hand you have Phillips, who, after getting the head coaching position, went 16-16 with one playoff game loss.

On the other, you have the savior and greatest coach the Mile High city has ever seen.

The worst-case scenario is McDaniels hitting the reset button on the franchise, coaching a few years, then getting canned much like Phillips did.

The best-case scenario is McDaniels coaching for 10-plus years, at least taking the Broncos to another Super Bowl, if not winning a championship or two. He could even earn some catchy intelligent sounding nickname like his mentor Bill Belichick or Shanahan; possibly “Baby Genius.” 

In all, Broncos’ fans must realize we’re not in control of the organization, Pat Bowlen, who recently admitted to the Denver Post that he is now experiencing short-term memory loss, is.

The saddest truth could be this, the Denver Broncos are now looking more like the Oakland Raiders; with a young no-name head coach, a bunch of rag-tag players that no one else wants, and an aging owner that may be losing his grip on reality, acting too nostalgic for the old days.

Although, Denver could truly become “Patriots West”; with an awesomely explosive offense, a threatening defense, and a team-first mentality.

We will all have to see.

The best thing for us as fans and pundits to do is, sit back, enjoy the ride, and see where McDaniels takes us.

Let’s hope it’s back to the mountain top, not down the plank to the Raiders’ level.

What are They Doing in Denver!?

What is up in Denver? 

I was against the firing of Mike Shannahan, but I understood it. He had few playoff wins and no Super Bowl appearences since the departure of Elway. I was, myself, getting to the point at which I was going to call for his job, although I thought he should have been given at least one more year, but as I said I can understand why he was fired even if I don’t agree with it. 

I was even somewhat behind the hiring of Josh McDaniels. I thought, coming from the Patriots, he was a fairly good pick. But then he came in and completely tore apart the team.

I was so pumped for this season—I thought Denver really had a chance to compete for a title, especially with the arrivals of Lamont Jordan, Corell Buckhalter, and Brian Dawkins. 

But McDaniels immediately came in and tried to trade Cutler, who was, in my opinion, the franchise player on the team. He is also arguably one of the best quarterbacks in the league. 

Yes, Cutler was kind of a baby after the attempted trade for Cassell fell through, and he refused to try and make it work in Denver, but he never should have been put in that situation. What other head coach would ever dream of coming onto a team and immediately trying to trade a starting quarterback the caliber of Jay Cutler? 

The Broncos were lucky they were able to get Orton. And now Brandon Marshall wants to be traded, so now the starting quarterback and best wide receiver on the team in 2008 will likely not be with them in 2009.

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