(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
2008 Summary
For the Denver Broncos, 2008 was a tale of two seasons. The exciting beginning, and the disappointing end.
Mike Shanahan and his chosen project of the future, Jay Cutler, seemed to have something really special brewing in the early stages of the season, as Cutler led the Broncos to a 3-0 start while throwing for an eye popping 914 yards and 8 touchdowns.
But the entire time the Broncos were clicking on all cylinders offensively, Shanahan knew the Broncos were extremely fortunate to not be 1-2 at this point in time, given how badly their defense played and how they were literally given a victory by official Ed Hochuli.
Despite this, the Broncos offense was playing so well, that Shanahan and company thought they would weather the storm and get by on Cutler's golden arm.
Shanahan guessed wrong.
A blowout loss at the hands of lowly Kansas City would begin a skid for the Broncos in which they would drop four of their next five games, taking the 3-0 start and washing it away with seemingly the same ease as a Cutler deep ball.
After a loss to Miami at home, which saw the Broncos basically throw the ball on every play, Shanahan's group faced a short week and a huge road game against floundering, but still dangerous, Cleveland. They would go on to win that Thursday Night contest in another shootout - with Cutler throwing for 447 yards and 3 touchdowns.
However, the most alarming stat was not Cutler's passing yardage, but rather the fact even in spite of a game that ranked as the 3rd best outing in franchise history for a Denver quarterback - the Broncos still only won by 4 points against a 3-6 club starting a QB that had never started a professional game before.
And again, despite the defense being miserable, the Broncos kept finding ways to win, as they would defeat three of their next four opponents to take their record to 8-5 and all but clinch the AFC West.
Or so they thought.
With the Broncos only needing to win one of their final three games to seal a trip to the postseason, the Broncos defense surrendered 112 points to close out the year. The finale being a 52-21 drubbing at the hands of the San Diego Chargers, the 2008 AFC West Champions, who were left for dead a month prior to this contest.
The Broncos finished 2008 ranked 29th against the run and the pass, but with the way they played down the stretch, it's hard to find a defense that was any worse than the Denver Broncos.
Offensively, the Broncos finished 2nd in total offense and third in pass yardage per game. But a rash of injuries to the Broncos running backs made a rushing attack virtually invisible down the stretch.
Above all else though, the failure to close out the division would begin a chain of events that would shake up the Broncos franchise more than anyone could have possibly imagined.
Mike Shanahan and his chosen project of the future, Jay Cutler, seemed to have something really special brewing in the early stages of the season, as Cutler led the Broncos to a 3-0 start while throwing for an eye popping 914 yards and 8 touchdowns.
But the entire time the Broncos were clicking on all cylinders offensively, Shanahan knew the Broncos were extremely fortunate to not be 1-2 at this point in time, given how badly their defense played and how they were literally given a victory by official Ed Hochuli.
Despite this, the Broncos offense was playing so well, that Shanahan and company thought they would weather the storm and get by on Cutler's golden arm.
Shanahan guessed wrong.
A blowout loss at the hands of lowly Kansas City would begin a skid for the Broncos in which they would drop four of their next five games, taking the 3-0 start and washing it away with seemingly the same ease as a Cutler deep ball.
After a loss to Miami at home, which saw the Broncos basically throw the ball on every play, Shanahan's group faced a short week and a huge road game against floundering, but still dangerous, Cleveland. They would go on to win that Thursday Night contest in another shootout - with Cutler throwing for 447 yards and 3 touchdowns.
However, the most alarming stat was not Cutler's passing yardage, but rather the fact even in spite of a game that ranked as the 3rd best outing in franchise history for a Denver quarterback - the Broncos still only won by 4 points against a 3-6 club starting a QB that had never started a professional game before.
And again, despite the defense being miserable, the Broncos kept finding ways to win, as they would defeat three of their next four opponents to take their record to 8-5 and all but clinch the AFC West.
Or so they thought.
With the Broncos only needing to win one of their final three games to seal a trip to the postseason, the Broncos defense surrendered 112 points to close out the year. The finale being a 52-21 drubbing at the hands of the San Diego Chargers, the 2008 AFC West Champions, who were left for dead a month prior to this contest.
The Broncos finished 2008 ranked 29th against the run and the pass, but with the way they played down the stretch, it's hard to find a defense that was any worse than the Denver Broncos.
Offensively, the Broncos finished 2nd in total offense and third in pass yardage per game. But a rash of injuries to the Broncos running backs made a rushing attack virtually invisible down the stretch.
Above all else though, the failure to close out the division would begin a chain of events that would shake up the Broncos franchise more than anyone could have possibly imagined.
2009 Free Agency Additions:
CB Andre Goodman (Miami)
S Brian Dawkins (Philadelphia)
LB Andra Davis (Cleveland)
RB Correll Buckhalter (Philadelphia)
RB Lamont Jordan (New England)
S Renaldo Hill (Miami)
WR Jabar Gaffney (New England)
DT/DE Ronald Fields (San Francisco)
LB Nick Greisen (Baltimore)
WR Brandon Lloyd (Chicago)
T Brandon Gorin (St. Louis)
QB Chris Simms (Tennessee)
DT Darrell Reid (Indianapolis)
S Brian Dawkins (Philadelphia)
LB Andra Davis (Cleveland)
RB Correll Buckhalter (Philadelphia)
RB Lamont Jordan (New England)
S Renaldo Hill (Miami)
WR Jabar Gaffney (New England)
DT/DE Ronald Fields (San Francisco)
LB Nick Greisen (Baltimore)
WR Brandon Lloyd (Chicago)
T Brandon Gorin (St. Louis)
QB Chris Simms (Tennessee)
DT Darrell Reid (Indianapolis)
2009 Trade Acquisitions:
QB Kyle Orton (Chicago)
2009 Offseason Departures:
QB Jay Cutler (Traded to Chicago)
S Marquand Manuel (Detroit)
S Marlon McCree (Jacksonville)
T Erik Pears (Oakland)
CB Dre Bly (San Francisco)
RB Anthony Alridge (Washington)
CB Karl Paymah (Minnesota)
LB Niko Koutouvides (Tampa Bay)
QB Patrick Ramsey (Tennessee)
S Marquand Manuel (Detroit)
S Marlon McCree (Jacksonville)
T Erik Pears (Oakland)
CB Dre Bly (San Francisco)
RB Anthony Alridge (Washington)
CB Karl Paymah (Minnesota)
LB Niko Koutouvides (Tampa Bay)
QB Patrick Ramsey (Tennessee)
2009 NFL Draft:
1-12. Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
1-18. Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee
1-18. Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee
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