The Denver Broncos have been known over the past few years as contenders. They have been AFC champ's six times, twice a super bowl champ, and consistently have made the playoffs.
So why are they slipping now within the last two years since the 2005 AFC championship game against the Pittsburgh Steelers?
There are many reasons why this team is having a hard time. For one, they have been sustaining many injuries over the past two years, from Al Wilson, to Javon Walker, to the tragic death of a great cornerback Darrent Williams. This team has seen its share of unfortunate events.
But what has happened with the Denver Broncos and the mystic about this team? The feeling that every time you enter the Mile High Stadium no matter if you are the New England Patriots, or the Pittsburgh Steelers, you are destined to lose?
There can be many answers, but my simple one is too much change and too much youth. The Denver Broncos have one of the youngest offenses in the NFL and that will lead to some inconsistency sometimes.
But the great news is, and I mean great, is that the third year for a young player is his breakout year. Especially with Mike Shanahan. Under him, many players have thrived in their third year. Just look at the chart.
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QBs IN THIRD SEASON UNDER MIKE SHANAHAN
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Year
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Position
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Team
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QB (Yr.)
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Team Rec.
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Playoffs
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Notes |
 |
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1982
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Off. Coord.
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Florida
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Wayne Peace (3rd)
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8-3
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Bluebonnet Bowl (L)
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School-record 70.7 completion percentage |
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1986
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Off. Coord.
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Denver
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John Elway (3rd)
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11-5
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Super Bowl XXI (L)
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First Pro Bowl selection, ninth in NFL in passing yards (3,485) |
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1991
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Off. Coord.
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Denver
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John Elway (3rd)
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12-4
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AFC Championship Game (L)
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Pro Bowl, eighth in NFL in passing yards (3,253) |
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1994
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Off. Coord.
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San Francisco
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Steve Young (3rd)
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13-3
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Super Bowl XXIX (W)
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NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP, Pro Bowl, first in NFL in passer rating (112.8) |
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1997
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Head Coach
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Denver
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John Elway (3rd)
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12-4
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Super Bowl XXXII (W)
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Pro Bowl, fourth in NFL in TD passes (career-high 27), sixth in NFL in passing yards (3,635) |
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2001
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Head Coach
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Denver
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Brian Griese (3rd)
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8-8
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None
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Eighth in NFL in TD passes (career-high 23) |
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2005
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Head Coach
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Denver
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Jake Plummer (3rd)
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13-3
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AFC Championship Game (L)
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Second in NFL in INT avoidance (1.5) and set club record with 229 consecutive passes without INT, seventh in NFL in passer rating (90.2), selected to Pro Bowl after injuries |
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Third-year won-loss record (seven seasons): 77-30 (.720) So is this the year for Cutler? I along with many others say yes. He is already under the radar for what he can do. Now with his diabetes, people will even think more that he cannot perform. That couldn't be farther from the truth. He has gotten his strength back and his weight back up. Also, do not forget about Brandon Marshall, as long as he can stay out of trouble he will be in the top five for receivers. I see an amazing year for Marshall this year. I am talking about 14 TD's and 1500 yds. receiving. Do not listen to all the other media when they say that the Broncos will have a losing record this year and won't make the playoffs. Look at all the young talent they have that will only get better over time. Here are some names for you that have proven themselves. Elvis Dumervile, Jarvis Moss, Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall, Selvin Young, D.J Williams, Tony Scheffler. Also the rookies look to be coming along as well too. Ryan Clady and Eddie Royal should contribute immediately and should be a pleasure to watch. The Broncos have the talent and the coach, they will soon catch up to the Chargers maybe this year or next. Look for the Denver Broncos to have an 11-5 or 10-6 record this year based on the schedule. |
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comments (21) write a comment »
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4 months ago
No i would have to say they are closer to be being pathetic than contenders.... But hey, look on the bright side. They might be able to finish ahead of the chiefs... might
from 4 months ago
of course a raiders fan would say something like this, finish with more than 4 wins in a season then talk. you don't know football history like i do so keep your bias opinions off of the page
from 4 months ago
lol of course a Raiders fan would say that, because broncs fan doesnt want to admit the Raiders are on the rise and the broncs are on the decline. i mean what did broncs do to really make themselves better than last year. Raiders were in every game except one progressing through last year with new coaching. now with the same coaching staff got much better talent on both sides, but especially offense. JR has the study habits of Peyton this year and has been the hardest working Raider. the sky is the limit. if Raiders play to the potential they have this year, well leave broncs in the dust challenging the Chargers. and if any major injuries happen again with chargers Norv wont get them out of that funk.
4 wins last year is meaningless. to say that means you have no understanding of the dynamics of our season. we crushed the broncs second game of season, shouldve beat them first time we played with the new coaching staff just getting started. dont talk about history you cant analyze diddly. saying we only had 4 wins is ignorant. we couldve easily been 8-8, easily, and there was only one game that really wasnt close every other game was. and now we have an easier schedule this year.
from 4 months ago
You bucking idiot. JM sucks ass, and all he is gonna do is run the ball, yea, your running game might look pretty good, but your passing game and your defense is going to suck ass.
Yea, your on the rise. Hey, you might finish 6-10 this season, taking each season two games at a time might work i guess.
What have you done to fortify your team? Other than waste your salary cap on injury-prone players?
Please, just shut your stupid mouth and learn a little about your team.
from 4 months ago
LOL, learn a little about my team, dude your soo ignorant your killin me. starting off with JM shows how stupid you are, its JR idiot. you dont even know his initials and you say learn something about my team. Dude i know all about my team and you know nothing. JR is going to toast your sorry Cutler. Cutler wouldnt even throw Asos way and he said he wouldnt. yet JR torched mr all pro chump bailey on his first throw. lol yes go back to football 101 first. ill bet i know more about your team than you and i dont even care at all what their doing. i only care about mine. comments like yours shows your just another super ignorant fool who hasnt proven anything and has no sense of logic or reasoning. oh yeah and we torched your sorry team last game. we couldve easily swept you guys with a new coaching staff and whole new system. get a clue idiot.
from 4 months ago
Have you even been paying attention to what was happening to Cutler last season?
Do you think maybe losing 32 pounds, and being consantly fatigued every play has something to do with why Cutler slipped last season?
Hmm... I wonder why that is... Oh yea, maybe it has something to do with him playing with type 1 diabetes for 3/4 of the season last year.
Why dont you do a little research before you go bashing on a QB who carried a team to 3 more wins while he was so exhausted after each play, he could barely call the next one.
I was going to say JMR, dumbass but its a little thing called a typo.
You have also failed to tell me what makes your team so much better than last year, other than who you got in the draft, which you guys are gonna overplay Darren McFadden his rookie year, because the Raiders are dumb like that, and he is gonna get injured and there goes your little "team savior" and i guess you will have to start throwing to JW..... Oh wait, you might not be able to, as he will reaggrivate his knee injury and sit out the rest of the season. Nice job picking up these injury-prone guys.
Guaranteed the Broncos sweep the Faiders this season. Just wait for it, buddy.
4 months ago
It takes a lot of optimism to believe that Denver will be a contender this year! But there is a possibillity. Any team that has good leadership has the chance to turn it around. Mike definitely qualifies as a good leader, good luck on the upcoming season!
4 months ago
They will compete if Dre Bly plays a whole lot better and thw offense can click and score points highest they can finish is 2nd behind the Chargers lowest they can finish is 3rd in front of the Chiefs
from 4 months ago
def agree with that, i can see the broncos finishing 10-6 with how easy the schedule is. I think the third year is always the charm, that is why im so optimistic. The Broncos may be a surprise team this year. only time will tell
4 months ago
the Denver broncos are not even close to contending in the AFC west or as a wild card. they are one of the worst teams in the entire NFL. they have not improved themselves, in fact they have lost some key players like Javon Walker and they have done nothing to improve their defensive and offensive lines. they are the third best team in the division as the raiders and chargers will fight to win the AFC west.
from 4 months ago
you go nick, tell em like it is. there is absolutely nothing that stands out to me about what the broncs did to improve. yet we have Tom Cable, some continuity with same coaching staff, Dmac, Hall, Wilson, these guys are major faces of the NFL, uh who did broncs get. oh yeah and then theres Javon Walker who Morrison had great things to say about him. And Drew Carter is a stud WR. weve completely added top notch talent, yet broncs got nobody to talk about. not to mention that JR is a completely different person than last year. this guy has been a real leader in the offseason which is what you want your QB to be, not like tentative Cutler. Plus JR has the best physical attributes of any QB. hes the biggest strongest mobile with the best arm in league QB, and yet he has the study habit of Peyton Manning, and the work ethic of Kobe Bryant. w/out even seeing any games this season that kind of attitude will breed success. not to mention all the playmakers we added that we were missing last year. this year and following are gonna be fun times for Raider fans.
from 4 months ago
Drew Carter a stud wide receiver what the hell? what's his best year 25 catches if that come on steve.
The Raiders blow. They are basically playing with a rookie qb he is going to have growing pains. The Broncos may not be as talented as years past but at least their d is okay. Jay Cutler is going to have a breakout year and lead the broncs to a 10-6 record the Raider maybe 6-10 come on Drew Carter a stud Ha! Oh and have fun with Javon he'll play good for a couple games get hurt and do nothing then complain about not getting the ball. What the is up with the Tommy Kelly signing that was one of the stupidist moves I have had the pleasure to see.
from 4 months ago
Ok Steve, first of all, do a little research before you go attacking my team. We got Dewayne Robertson in FA, Moss coming into this season as a healthy 2nd year D-lineman, Dumervil who is going to improve from 12.5 sacks to 13-14, and is going to make your chubby little 1st overall pick cry on the bench on 4th and long.
And Cutler? He is maybe the strongest (emotional and physical) player in the NFL. You try and get diagnosed with diabetes and well see how you hold up. Its not even phasing him, and he is a hell of a better player than he was last year.
We fortified our O-line by drafting Clady, Harris maturing as a starter, adding Dylan Gandy from the Colts, and having Hamilton and Nalen back from injuries, this O-line is gonna be very strong.
Just keep trying to bash my team, there will always be something to counter it because raiders fans are morons and you still havnt told me what you have done to make your team better this year.
Let me know.
4 months ago
this article barely has anything to do with talent, but with the simple fact that under the third year QB's dominate for mike shanahan because they learn the system and can perform. If this chart is correct the broncos will have a good season despite what they have been going through. this is why i wrote the article
4 months ago
HAHAHAHA, "[Jamarcus]...with the best arm in league QB, and yet he has the study habit of Peyton Manning, and the work ethic of Kobe Bryant."
Are you kidding me? Why stop there? you forgot to say how he has the focus of Tiger Woods and the abs of Usher....
Comments like this is why Raiders fans are laughed at by the rest of the league. I know its rough having the offseason be the most exciting time for your team, but c'mon Steve, don't kid yourself. Talk up your boys while you still can...
And I agree. I would also be SUPER PSYCHED for Tom Cable and Drew Carter!!!
4 months ago
Wow... who let the Raider fan in!? :^)
The original article has some valid points, but I do not fully buy the "youth and inexperience" arguement to explain Denver's fall last year. I actually argue the other way, age was our problem. The injuries you point out have everything to do with age and wear and tear on the body.
If you look at the trend, many teams are making a huge push towards the youth movement, KC coming to mind. KC historically bought the best available FA/Seasoned/Aged Vet to fill in as a stop gap in hopes of making the play offs the current year. Raiders are currently do that now. They have drafted some quality players, but Al still seems to be looking for that one fix that will put the team over the top immediately. Much like pop music today, the NFL has become about winning now, not tomorrow. Look at Marty in Seattle. A great winning season and he is fired.
The comment about the 3rd year though seems to really hold out. Year 3 is generally when a play gains maturity and intelligence plus the day to day working knowledge of defensive and offensive plays.
Just my limited two cents worth.
4 months ago
Nice article Brendan, i think that the Bills and the Broncos will be fighting for a spot in the wild card race, i cant wait til that December 21st matchup, im calling Bills win 23-20.
4 months ago
Few things to point out on this article. A few years, isn't 10 years ago, or exactly how long it's going to be since the last time the Broncos won a Super Bowl....or for that matter, appeared in one.
Secondly, apparently the firing of Denver's GM prior to the draft shows that Bowlan is losing faith in the leadership. However, many at ESPN, and NFL Network were wondering why you'd fire the GM, when he isn't the one on the sidelines calling the plays?
Thirdly, is Denver's approach of trying to slap a player into position, and hoping it works. They got rid of Henry, and brought in Pittman. Depending on if Young is ready for a primetime dance, or it's running back by committee, It's not the same old dance.
BTW, for those of you who are number jockeys, can you name who was the primary runningbacks on each of those teams? The QB can only do so much....until you have a running back to carry the ball. That's also why John Elway lost 3 Super Bowls, before Terrell Davis saved his butt twice.
Be critical of a raider fan all you want....I learned the best way to beat an enemy, is to study him. And right now, the most telltale sign of this, was when Denver got beat first by Oakland, in Oakland, and then the Texans, led by Kubiak knocked them out of playoff contention.
People are figuring out Shanahan.....the Colts know this very well.....and word is getting around.
from 4 months ago
hahaha dude. Stop going into the past, its about now. Mike is a good coach and he knows what he is doing. Trust me when i say this Selvin Young is our franchise back. Look what he has done. 5.2 per carry as an undrafted rookie free agent. Young has more talent than many other RB's and he did it behind a depleting denver O-line. The Broncos fired the GM because Mike makes all the decisions any ways and the drafted players in denver in the past have not been good. So its time for change and that is why the Goodman brothers took over. People are not figuring out Shanahan at all. Do you forget what he has done i know you are old enough to remember him developing Steve Young into a Super Bowl MVP QB. Also John Elway. Mike will do the same with Jay Cutler, have you looked at the third year chart with QB's under Mike Shanahan it tells a story of its own. Im not here to argue with rival fans. Im just here to write articles
from 4 months ago
hahaha dude. Stop going into the past, its about now. Mike is a good coach and he knows what he is doing. Trust me when i say this Selvin Young is our franchise back. Look what he has done. 5.2 per carry as an undrafted rookie free agent. Young has more talent than many other RB's and he did it behind a depleting denver O-line. The Broncos fired the GM because Mike makes all the decisions any ways and the drafted players in denver in the past have not been good. So its time for change and that is why the Goodman brothers took over. People are not figuring out Shanahan at all. Do you forget what he has done i know you are old enough to remember him developing Steve Young into a Super Bowl MVP QB. Also John Elway. Mike will do the same with Jay Cutler, have you looked at the third year chart with QB's under Mike Shanahan it tells a story of its own. Im not here to argue with rival fans. Im just here to write articles.
4 months ago
Figuring out what? That he is a great coach? I think they kind of know that, what with winning back to back Super Bowls.
Typical raider fan, just bashing on a team you obviously know nothing about.
Yea, Elway couldn't win those 3 Super Bowls because his RB's were inconsistent. He didn't have all the weapons like Brady and Manning did when they won their Super Bowls. He couldn't just count on the passing game.
So yea, TD did save him.
Without Shannahan, the Broncos would be nothing, kind of like one of the most pathetic teams in the league.... but you know what thats like don't you? Raiders fans are gonna be disappointed again next year, im sorry, but JMR wont get it done for you, and Walker will get hurt, you will burn out your little first round pick, and your defense isnt good enough to secure even a 6-10 season.
Sorry.
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