Hit The Road, Josh

Hit the Road, Josh

By Joe Martinez

            Josh McDaniels thanked coach Bill Belichick for being his mentor during his time spent in New England.

            It is too bad the mentor did not advise the understudy how to give a press conference.

            McDaniels, the recently named head coach of the Denver Broncos, looked less like a head coach of an NFL franchise and more like Malcolm in the Middle trying to talk to a girl for the first time.  His awkwardness and wandering thoughts gave those watching that he will not have much respect from those in the locker room.

            Does this remind anyone of Lane Kiffin?  Kiffin was a 31 year old offensive assistant at the University of Southern California before being named head coach of the Oakland Raiders.  The idea was to bring a rejuvenated light to the team by means of youth.

            Mike Shanahan was not young, but he knew how to give a press conference.  More importantly, he knew football, at least the offensive side of the ball.  Pat Bowlen would have been better off overriding Shanahan and hiring a new defensive coordinator.  Under Mike Shanahan, Denver’s offense was ranked 2^nd.  The offensive line surrendered a mere twelve sacks on the season, a franchise low.  The offense flourished under the new Jay Cutler, who earned himself a trip to the Pro Bowl along with receiver Brandon Marshall.  Shanahan found a star in the making in rookie wide receiver Eddie Royal.

            The offense never looked better, even after losing eight running backs to season ending injuries.  Even rookie seventh round pick fullback Peyton Hillis made a splash at tailback before his injury ended his 2008 campaign.  With a surplus of running backs that fit Denver’s running scheme returning in 2009, fans could be excited.

            Mr. Bowlen, however, decided that they needed to go in a different direction.  Therefore, he fired Shanahan and, after only a couple of weeks, named Peter Brady the head coach of his franchise.

            The problem with the Denver Broncos lies in their defense.  The offense could have just been left alone while the team pursued a defensive minded coach.  It is hard to believe this young boy beat out such better candidates like Leslie Frazier, Raheem Morris, and the most sought after of them all, Steve Spagnuolo.  Bowlen now is on the hunt for a general manager.

            Isn’t the general manager supposed to be on staff when searching for a head coach?  This is like bench pressing heavy weights with a spotter.  If you slip up, your neck won’t be had.  Pat Bowlen, acting as his team’s general manager, made the call with Eddie Munster.

            Anything that happens is now indirectly your fault, Mr. Bowlen.

            McDaniels has recently named Mike Nolan defensive coordinator of the Broncos.  Many will remember Nolan who not so long ago was fired as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.  He did such a bad job, he was not even allowed to finish the season.  People will counter this, reminding that he was a defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens prior to his stint as the leader of the 49ers.  Let us not forget that the Ravens defense was primarily built under Marvin Lewis, now head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals.  Nolan just had to maintain the defense in all honesty.

            Bringing Nolan to Denver reunites him with a team he spent time with as a linebackers coach.  This move excites some, but worries others.

            McDaniels has made the decision not to retain offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Rick Dennison.  As previously mentioned, Dennison’s offensive line yielded a franchise low for sacks allowed this year.  Dennison has taken a few late round picks and a rookie left tackle and turned them into one of the premier offensive lines in the NFL.

            The new head coach will also not be retaining quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates.  Bates is credited with the resurgence of quarterback Jay Cutler, working with him and forming a near fraternal bond with the young man.  Bates also handled all of the offensive play calling last year, producing the NFL’s number two rated offense.

            Josh McDaniels has also announced he will not be keeping running backs coach Bobby Turner.  Bobby Turner is one of those assistant coaches that most head coaches dream about.  Turner is another assistant who has taken late round draft picks and castaways and made them into star running backs.

            Résumé?

            Let’s start with his first ever in a sixth round pick named Terrell Davis.  Davis was a nobody from the University Georgia who split time with Garrison Hearst was considered a “risky sixth round pick” who the Broncos decided to take a chance on.  Davis rose the depth chart from sixth string to starter by the end of training camp.  Davis went on to be the backbone of a Broncos offense that won two Super Bowls before he was 25.  He was a three time All-Pro selection and NFL Most Valuable Player in 1998.  He also earned the Super Bowl MVP honor in 1997.

            Davis was injured for the 1999 season after trying to make a tackle on a Brian Greise interception.  Enter fourth round pick Olandis Gary.  Gary went on to surpass a thousand yards that season despite being declared inactive for the first four games.  He suffered a torn ligament in his knee the following season.

            No problem.  Make way for rookie sixth round pick Mike Anderson.  A 27 year old rookie, Anderson ended up winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors as the starting running back of the Denver Broncos, having 15 rushing touchdowns and 1,600 yards from scrimmage.  Injuries befell Anderson, making way for rookie Clinton Portis in 2002.

            Portis blew up in Denver.  How much?  Portis had back to back 1,500 yard seasons in his two years in Denver while scoring 31 touchdowns.  Portis was such a star in the making, when he demanded more money, the Broncos were able to get All-Pro cornerback Champ Bailey from the Washington Redskins plus their second round pick (which turned into Tatum Bell).

            Injuries led to backup fullback Reuben Droughns taking time at running back.  Droughns, a cast-off from the Detroit Lions, gained shy of 1,500 yards from scrimmage, adding eight touchdowns.  That next year, he was traded to the Cleveland Browns for two starting defensive linemen.

            Anderson came back and teamed with Tatum Bell to nearly become the NFL’s first 1,000 yard duo in two decades (Bell fell short by 79 yards).  Since then, undrafted rookies like Selvin Young, Andre Hall, and Mike Bell have all made impacts at running back.  So it makes perfect sense to not keep Coach Turner.

            Josh McDaniels is bringing in a new offensive scheme to the Denver Broncos, trying to make Jay Cutler into a more traditional drop back quarterback as opposed to his bootleg mobility style.  Anyone who has seen Jay Cutler operate knows that he is better suited to throw while on the run as opposed to the pocket.  His overall quarterback rating is higher outside of the pocket than inside.  McDaniels says this style is what made Tom Brady the quarterback he is today and also allowed Matt Cassel to step in Brady’s shoes last year.

            Cutler was a passing leader most of last season and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl.  What did Cassel do?

            The new coach seems insisting on fixing something that is not broken.  He is trying to fix something that needs to be left alone.  He is going to try to fix something that was better before he showed up.

            He needs to leave the Denver Broncos alone in general.

            Beat it, kid.