If Mike Shanahan is a good coach than Josh McDaniels is a great coach. At the tender age of 33, McDaniels gets it. He approaches the game from a "win or die" mentality and is all business when it comes to running this organization. He's smart, he's young, he's a dick, he's a hardass, he's the guy I want running my team. He doesn't have that charismatic charm that the media loved with Mikey but charisma doesn't win you football games. What wins you football games is by not being a dumbass and making the right moves in the offseason. You can see it with this Broncos team who is 3-0. But wasn't Shanahans team last year 3-0 at this point?? Yes, but they were a mediocre football team that was ready to (and did) fall apart in the upcoming weeks. This years Broncos team is build to last and they would have unquestionably crushed last years squad.Josh McDaniels' press conference yesterday might have been the most impressive I have ever heard from a Broncos Coach. His comments really struck me, and to be honest, impressed the hell out of me.
First, McDaniels was asked how he would keep his team humble after starting 3-0...
"Just show them the film. Show them the film. We have got a 50-play cut-up we are going to watch during the squad meeting, and it is not all bows and ribbons. They see it. They saw it every week that we have played so far that, ‘Boy! If we had only done these five or six things better, it could have been an even better performance, and we could have won by a bigger margin.' When players see that, you don't have to convince them that they need to improve. They know that they have got to get better. The biggest thing that you can do is take the things that we didn't do well in the film and go out there on a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and go out there and actually emphasize it and put a period in practice where we have to do this better. Yesterday, our field-goal protection was not very good. We are going to work on field-goal protection on Wednesday Thursday and Friday this week. They will learn how important that is and they are going to see how important it is when they see it"
That is exactly the answer I want to hear. Think about it, the Broncos started 3-0 last season but they proceeded to fall apart, finishing 5-8. If anyone should feel uncomfortable being 3-0, it is Denver Broncos fans. I looked back to some comments Mike Shanahan made after the Broncos beat the Saints last season to go to 3-0. Here is what Shanny said about Denver's defense who had just given up 32 points:
"I am not alarmed at all because if you get that kind of effort overall, good things are going to happen. We just have to get better on third downs. They were 8-14 on third downs, and they had a third down and 12 and a third down and 7 when it was 21-3 and that game was almost over. You just have to be on with your zone drops and you have to make a tackle here and there. It is something we can work on, especially with that type of effort. That was as hard as we have played in a long time."
Think about that for a second. His team had just given up 32 points, and he was not concerned because there was 'good effort'?? I'm sorry Mike Shanahan, I didn't know this was an elementary school gym class where if you just went out there and gave a small bit of effort you pass the class with an A+. I think that the sprinters in the Special Olympics give good effort too but that doesn't mean any of them can challenge Usain Bolt. I just don't get how you can have such a huge sense of satisfaction when your team only won because Mike Gramtica missed a game winning field goal. See the difference?
McDaniels' decision making goes wayyy beyond player personnel. Even thoguh he hasn't even been in the league very long, he know's what coaches to bring on board with him. Especially, defensive coordinator Mike Nolan. Nolan has been a huge success and shows just how confident McDaniels is to bring in a former Head Coach. Another hire, one on the offensive side, can't be ignored either. McDaniels took a lot of heat for dismissing Jeremy Bates and bringing in former Panthers QB coach Mike McCoy. Sure, McDaniels call the plays on offense, but has anyone seen how the Panthers have looked on offense this season? Anyone notice how badly Jake Delhomme has played? The Panthers are missing McCoy, and the Broncos have him. Right now I would put this coaching staff up against any in the NFL.
Just to show how good this team really is, ask yourself who the worst player is on this 53 man roster. Go ahead, I'll give you a minute........ Do you need more time because honestly it's a tough call because every player is pretty good. This jsut shows how well coached and put together this footballteam is. Who are we going to draft? Because every position is pretty solid. All the picks will just be upgrades. This is nlike last years team where I could name tons of scrubs who didn't deserve to even be in the NFL. And Shanahan even started these talentless clowns. So with that, let's play a little game called "Where Are They now?" Here is a look at where the former starters on offense and defense are now:
2008 Broncos Defensive Starters:
Dre Bly: Backup cornerback for the 49ers.
Niko Koutouvides: Third string MLB for Tampa Bay
Nate Webster: Unemployed.
JamieWinborn: Unemployed.
Dewayne Robertson: Unempoyed.
Ebenezer Ekuban: Unemployed.
Tim Crowder: Unemployed.
John Engelberger: Unemployed.
Marlon McCree: Unemployed.
Calvin Lowry: Unemployed.
Nic Clemons: Unemployed.
Boss Bailey: Unemployed.
Louis Green: Unemployed.
Marquand Manuel: Back up safety for the Detroit Lions.
2008 Broncos Offensive Starters:
Tatum Bell: Unemployed. (well employed at the Arvada mall selling cell phones)
Ryan Torain: Unemployed.
Michael Pittman: Unemployed.
Selvin Young: Unemployed.
PJ Pope: Unemployed.
Anthony aldridge: Unemployed.
That's a whole lot of players who didn't even get to see training camp this year. Oh, and let's not forget to add one more person to that list.
Mike Shanahan: Unemployed.
