Yes, I understand that Mike Shanahan won two Super Bowls in Denver.
I understand that before last year, he hadn’t had a losing record since 1999.
I understand that he has the best record of any coach head-to-head against the best coach of his generation, Bill Belichick (5-2, winning 5 of the last 6 match-ups).
I understand all of this.
I’m just curious how long he’s going to be allowed to wallow in mediocrity before he’s actually held responsible.
The Broncos have turned into one of those perennial also-rans. They’re never bad, they’re always on the fringe, but they’re never a Super Bowl threat either.
If the NFL were truly a “what have you done for me lately?” league, Shanahan would be fighting for his job this season.
Since John Elway left, the Broncos have been mediocre.
They’ve had some decent seasons, they’ve even managed to win a playoff game, but they haven't been a threat to win the AFC since the 90s.
And this year is no different.
Jake Plummer was a terrible quarterback. Jay Cutler is not Jake Plummer. That said, he’s not John Elway either.
Cutler has a fantastic arm, as strong as they come in the NFL. The problem is he’s convinced he can squeeze a football into a golf ball sized hole, and this tends to get him in trouble.
He does have a premier weapon in Brandon Marshall. Off field issues are a concern, but they lucked out when his suspension was reduced to one game. If he can get his off-the-field situation in check, he’s a superstar in the making.
The other wide receiver, Darrell Jackson, is 72 years old. Keary Colbert is a good fourth or fifth receiver. Brandon Stokley is underrated. Eddie Royal should be a decent third option.
Daniel Graham is a great blocking tight end, but doesn’t offer much in the passing game outside of his blocking. He’s questionable, both on the injury report and the scouting report.
Selvin Young was tremendous last year. I’m a little concerned about his durability, but if he can stay on the field he’ll be fine.
Of course, the Denver offensive line can make almost any running back look good. Ryan Clady should be an excellent addition at left tackle. Tom Nalen is old, but he knows the Denver zone blocking scheme better than anyone. Ben Hamilton and Chris Kuper are both perfect fits for the Denver system.
One thing you have to give Shanahan credit for: he knows how to pick offensive linemen who can thrive in his system.
Defensively, there are some holes. The secondary, however, is not one of them.
Dre’ Bly would be a number one corner on almost any other team, but in Denver he’s comfortably behind Champ Bailey. Together, they can shut down even the best WR tandems.
Hamza Abdullah is tough to beat deep given that he’s faster than anyone else on the field most times. Marlon McCree should do a good job filling in for the departed John Lynch. He might even be better at this point in their respective careers.
I’m not sold at all on the defensive line.
Dewayne Robertson was a bust in New York. Sure, he was playing in a system that didn’t exactly fit his strengths, but he didn’t show me anything that would lead me to believe a system change would turn him into an all-pro.
29 comments Last one added 9 months ago — Leave a Comment
Duane Burgen 10 months ago
From the AFC Championship against Pittsburg until today the Broncos have rebuilding, especially the offense. They bottomed out at 7-9, and have good solid youth at QB, RB, WR, OL, and TE. Their offense is set to become one of the best. The hole on defense are somewhat patched up and if they can limit teams to under 21 points a game they should win a bunch of games. 11-5 and a wild card this year.
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Craig Garrison Sr 10 months ago
Shanahan has been allowed to let his other coaches make his team better than it should be and take the credit for it. Who enabled that running game to be SOOOOO good for sOOOOOOOO long? Alex Gibbs. And when he left, Shanny's offense quickly fell apart. Better this year right? Lets wait and see. How many d-coordinator is he gonna go thruogh anyway? And for any Shanny fans who would like to argue that this guy is something more than just a good offensive coach(I'll give him that for sure), you need to take a closer look at his drafts and free agency work for the last 10 years.
Nice article Sean.
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William Lipp 9 months ago
shanahan created the zone blocking scheme, alex gibbs is getting paid big bucks to make another denver line and can't quite get it done while shanahan has rebuilt the line...also you do know that nalen missed all of last season, it was definately a rebuilding year for this year maybe next, go broncos
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Craig Garrison Sr 9 months ago
Only time will tell whether or not Shanny has actually rebuilt the line well, and whether or not Gibbs can get it done in Houston. And by every acount that I have ever heard, the zone blocking scheme was Gibbs all the way back to his college days, and the Denver running game has been hurting for more than just last year.
One great game against the RAIDERS doesn't show the job completed.
Though it does look as if he has finally hit on several good draft choices. Again though, only time will tell for sure.
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EndZoner 10 months ago
Sean, lest I remind you, my Raiders were a 52 yd FG hitting the top of the upright away from sweeping the Donkos. Did you forget that 34-20 drubbing you received last December? Just a little more research next time...
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Sean Crowe 10 months ago
OK, so if last year's Raiders played last years Broncos the Raiders might win? Is that your point?
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EndZoner 10 months ago
No, Sean, my point is that my Raiders are a better team than last year and your article is pointing out the weakness of the Denver team. Therefore, the conclusion that the improved Raiders and will sweep the weakened Donkeys. I will be there a week from Monday!
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Sean Crowe 10 months ago
Good luck! I might be predicting a Denver win, but I'm not rooting for it.
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William Berry 10 months ago
This is Cutler's first year knowing he has diabetes. His last year might be like Big Ben's year after the motorcycle accident.
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Jose Rodriguez 10 months ago
Just so u know, the broncos have been 83-61 (.576) since winning their second superbowl which is pretty good compared to most teams in that span. The Raiders however have been 19-61 (.237) since losing their last superbowl, so raiders fans shouldnt even be talking.
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Geoff Townsend 10 months ago
Mediocre is an understatement. The Broncos have fallen behind the Nuggets, Rockies, and Avs in the last few seasons because they continue to serve up more of the same.
Shanahan allowed the offensive line of Elway's days to grow old without bringing in solid recruits. They are just now starting to plug in the new guys.
I agree completely about the linebacking corps. There just isn't the intensity in the middle when Romo was playing, or when Al Wilson hit every friggen thing that came through the line.
The D Line is porous at best, too. Just as you said, they will be run on.
It is going to be a long season at Invesco.
Good read.
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Raider Card Addict 10 months ago
Ah yes, it's refreshing seeing the denver fans vainly attempt to be critical of anyone writing about their club. But it is good that someone else besides the Raider fans knows that Shanahan has had a bad 10 year period.
I think the most telling stat, for this period, is that in the years since the 98 Super Bowl, the Broncos have won only one playoff game, if they make the playoffs at all.
Several times, they'd get there, then get clobbered by the Colts.
Do have to give them props, for beating the Patriots one year, though.
But considering that age is their number one problem, Shanahan can't call a timeout on this one.
Good article, Sean....but I would put them at 7-9, or lower.
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Sean Crowe 10 months ago
Thanks Raider Card.
We'll find out early. If you're right, the Raiders will beat the Broncos week one. If that happens, then I'm wrong with my win totals for both the Raiders and the Broncos.
I have family in Denver. When the Patriots were terrible, they would call me and mock the Pats every year. There's nothing I like more than watching the Broncos lose. So we'll both be rooting for the Raiders in week one...
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MATT SCHNELL 10 months ago
raider fans are halarious......how you can even show your faces or digital liknesses are amazing.....you have been the sorriest franchise in football....if not all of sport for the past 5 seasons....if the broncos ever win 19 games in 5 seasons i will be focusing on my teams woes and not concerning myself with other teams....in a way i am sad because the bronco-raider rivalry has lost some of it's zip....why???? because no one cares when you smash a team that considers a 5 win season an improvment
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Raider Card Addict 10 months ago
Um, MATT.....I see you fill in that wonderful group of people with no long-term memory loss. First of all, this "Sorriest franchise in football" still has 3 rings. Your team only has 2. We have 400 wins, denver has 378. The Raiders have lost only twice, while the Broncos have tied the likes of the Bills and the vikings, for most losses. Even head to head, with the last 5 years, your team hasn't caught up. You're still down, 39 wins to 54 against us.
To give it to you, in more blunt terms, you'd have to sweep us, every year 8 more years, to finally pass us. And the Raiders would have to lose every game, for two seasons, and the Broncos would need to be perfect, for two seasons, to pass us in overall wins.
So, Go crawl back to denver, and help Shanahan pack his bags, loser.
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Jose Rodriguez 10 months ago
To show Raiders fans everywhere how much bad luck the Broncos had to have last year to lose 9 games, here i go...
They had to lose their #1 RB (Travis "Going for 10 kids" Henry) for most the season, lose their #1 Reciever (Javon "Hows the Champagne" Walker) for most the season, lose two of their best o-line veterans (Tom Nalen and Ben Hamilton) for ALL of the season, lose Champ Bailey and John Lynch for a combined 4 games, and of course lose all four of their overtime coin flips (while still managing to win two of them). And Raiders fans... if Shanahan hadnt called a timeout in OT, Kiffin and the Raiders wouldnt have won their next game because Lane Kiffin did the same exact thing calling a TO on a FG, and he thanked Shanahan in the press conference.
True...the Broncos have only won 1 post-season game since '98, but Shanahan blamed a lot of that on Jake Plummer not playing well in the playoffs which is why he benched him in the '06 season for Cutler. Now with all of our young talent and new defensive scheme, i think that as long as we dont have AS MUCH injuries as last year...the Broncos can easily go 11-5 and have a great season.
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Sean Crowe 10 months ago
Shanahan can blame Plummer all he wants. Ultimately, he's responsible because he brought Plummer in!
Yes, they had bad luck. But part of that bad luck was in relying on older players, players with a history of injuries, and players with character issues.
Shanahan put the team together. It amazes me that he can make excuses for it's performance and get away with it...given he's 100% responsible for everything that happens on the field in Denver.
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Raider Card Addict 10 months ago
Actually, what still surprises me, is most people forgot Shanahan's greatest blunder. Remember Brian Griese? AKA the next John Elway? Boy there was a QB he got right on.
The biggest problem Denver has right now, is they lost the recipie that got them to a super bowl. A good QB, a great running game, and useful WRs, and a good hands TE.
At first, they needed a QB to replace Elway, but then Terrell Davis went down. Before they could replace TD, Griese didn't pan out. So, your team brought in Plummer.
I'd consider Plummer to be like our belief in Kerry Collins. Could make good numbers, but couldn't get the big prize. I remember Plummer's game, in 2004, passed for 499 yards....and still lost the game, with 3 INTs.
Now, everyone in Denver, just like good robots, thinks that Cutler will be different. Why? Does Denver have an TD Running game? How about 2-3 WRs who can catch everything? A TE like Shannon Sharpe?
Lastly, do they have the defense, that won't rank 30th against the run in the league again?
Go look at your IR....I'm betting against it.
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Jose Rodriguez 10 months ago
Sean, yes Shanahan did bring in Plummer. When he was with the Broncos, he had a (.722) regular season record which was third best in the league. However he only managed to play good in one of the playoff games (Patriots).
Yes, he made a mistake bringing in Travis Henry and Javon Walker but he brought them for performance on the field. Henry was leading the league in rushing yards until he got hurt, and Javon Walker had 228 recieving yards until he got surgery in week 3. They both had character issues, so Shanahan got rid of them.
True, Shanahan is responsible for the game plan and play calling, but cant you really blame him completly for Plummer throwing interceptions and fumbling the ball...i do admit Shanahan deserves SOME blame.
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Josh Harris 10 months ago
Your an idiot Sean.
Have you payed attention to a single thing this off season? If I am not mistaken, Marshall is our #1, Royal is locked in at #2, and we have arguably the best slot receiver in the NFL at #3.
Our offensive line may look questionable on paper, but did you go to the Broncos TC? Or even watch any of the Pre-season games? Our O-line looks a hell of a lot better than last season, (thank God)
our D-line looked like it got a complete overhaul, stopping the run is, in my eyes, not a problem anymore.
Now, he had every right to blame Plummer for our post-season troubles, because it was mostly his fault.
Shanahan was right to bring him in, because Jake was a great QB, that is, until it came time for a big game.
Plummer was a choke artist, and THAT is why we have only won ONE playoff game, but yet, we have only had two losing seasons, (one that came the season after Elways retirement, the other, a season plagued by injuries and led by a QB with an unknown diagnosis of diabetes.) and made the playoffs 4 times, making it to the AFC Championship in 2005.
Correct me if im wrong, but better late than never right? If we hadn't started re-building NOW, we wouldn't have Cutler, we wouldn't have Marshall, we wouldn't have Dumervil, and the other young guys that will do awesome for this team, so I love the fact that we are re-building now.
You love seeing the Broncos lose? Then this article is pointless because your opinion is incredibly biased.
Don't say that you aren't rooting for Chokeland to win their opener one minute, and say you want the Broncos to lose the next.
Your no better than any other ignorant Raider fan.
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Sean Crowe 10 months ago
You lost all credibility as soon as you said "Jake was a great QB"...
I never said I wasn't rooting for Oakland. I am rooting for Oakland. I thought I was pretty clear on that. That said, I'm a Pats fan. Trust me, Raider Nation and I don't agree on much of anything.
We just both happen to hate the Broncos.
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Josh Harris 10 months ago
How was he not a great QB? Other than the fact that he couldn't get things done when it mattered most?
We might has well have had Tony Romo playing for us during that span.
Look at the numbers, buddy.
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David Trent 10 months ago
What i plan to see when the raiders face the broncos is that there running game will be great but there passing terrible, the broncos will down that sh down. On the broncos they should be able to beat this easy team real quick, come on the raiders i will be surprised if they lose to them.The raiders will probably a 6-10 record. The score 21 to 10 broncos win.
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Jose Rodriguez 10 months ago
I know that preseason games dont mean anything scorewise, but if you look at last years preseason the broncos were getting destroyed on in the running defenses which was a preview of things to come. However this year the Broncos have brought better personel and a better defensive scheme and have looked great against the run in the preseason...so i dont think the Raiders will be able to run all over the Broncos, and they deffinetly wont be able to pass on Champ and Dre (the real 2 best corners in the league). So overall considering that the Broncos offense is already top 10 material, and that the Raiders have a lot of problems on offense (Injuries to your WR and FB, Javon Walker "The Cry Baby", and Jamarcus Russell who is pretty much a rookie QB this year) im thinking the Broncos win an easy one 24-10.
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Raider Card Addict 10 months ago
I remember most of Yahoo thought the Broncos were going to win last year, too.
The percentages, had the Broncos beating the Raiders, in Oakland, at 76 percent.
Then reality set in, to the tune of 34-20.
Now, both teams have done things differently. Shanahan, in covering his own tracks, got his GM fired. They drafted some players, like Clady on the offensive side of things, but it comes down to who is going to stop McFadden? Each team that felt they had him solved, gave up a chunk of property, when they didn't feel he had done anything....kinda lulls you to sleep, then hits you between the eyes.
That, and it'll be interesting to see how many picks Cutler winds up with.....and which poison he has to take...Hall, Nmandi, or a mistake over the middle for Morrison to pick off.
The only thing the Broncos can hope for, is that Gibril Wilson isn't playing up....if he is, there's no running lanes.
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Sean Crowe 10 months ago
Raider Card,
Hall can be picked on. He's good, but he's also been burned a LOT the last few years.
-Sean
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Raider Card Addict 10 months ago
Understandable, Sean, any CB is going to be measured against his other number. For example, if you compare Hall to Nmandi, no comparison.
Same thing works against Denver. No one throws to Champ Bailey's side, without good reason, but Dre' Bly is good for some TDs....just ask Brett Favre, from last year.
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David Trent 10 months ago
Hall is overrated. The broncos should do alright running the ball against the raiders D line but cutler will have to throw short passes an maybe a few long passes to get the first down an watch out for there corners. On the other side the raiders will mostly run the ball with most of those rb that they have. Oaklands passing did a few upgrades(walker being the only one) an will have a bit of trouble with the broncos secondary. An i still think the broncos will still pull off the win 21-10
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Sayre Bedinger 10 months ago
Sean, I'm going to have to disagree with you on the mediocrity statement. The Broncos have had only two losing seasons in the last decade and a half, and have consistently been in contention for a playoff spot. Even last year, when all hope seemed to be lost, they had a shot at it. Until they lost to the Houston Texans, they were still in the playoff race. I think the Chargers reign in the AFC West is finished, and the crown is there for the taking. They simply have to many key players out injured. I'm gonna go with a 10-6 to 13-3 prediction, and if the Broncos win 11 games they will win the division.
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