The Denver Broncos appear to have struck draft gold with 2011 #2 Overall Pick – outside linebacker Von Miller.  On Saturday Miller was named the NFL Rookie of the Year on defense.  Panthers quarterback Cam Newton joined Miller on the pedestal, bringing home Offensive Rookie of the Year after being drafted with the #1 Pick .

“It’s special because you only get one rookie season,” Miller said. “You don’t get two tries at it. It’s really a one-and-done thing. That was probably the most special thing about it – you only get one shot to accomplish this feat.”

Meanwhile, Tim Tebow was awarded GMC Never Say Never honors for his breathtaking comeback performances through a 6-1 Broncos streak that elevated them to the top of the AFC West.  The Never Say Never is given for, “the best moment or play of the year that represents determination and perseverance.”

Tebow rose above other candidates with two gutsy drives for a touchdown and then a 59-yard field goal in the final three minutes of a crucial win over the Chicago Bears in Week 14.  The Tebow-led Broncos ground out 33 hard-fought yards over 9 plays in overtime, and Matt Prater was true from 51 yards to seal the victory.

At the time Tebow commented, “If you believe, then unbelievable things can sometimes be possible.”

After he accepted the award this weekend in Indianapolis, Tim was sure to give more credit to his team.  “No matter how bad it looked or how bleak it was, we continued to fight and show a lot of courage.  So I’m very thankful for my teammates and my coaches.”

Tebow could have singled out Von Miller as a particularly important cog in the Broncos’ comeback machine.  After a 1-4 start, Miller sparked a defensive resurgence in six Broncos wins by averaging a sack, a defensive stuff, and almost 7 tackles per game.  And it was when Miller was slowed by a massive cast on his surgically repaired hand that Denver returned to earth, finishing the regular season on a three game losing streak.

For sure, the Broncos will need both Tebow and Miller to hold form and even improve if Denver hopes to play beyond the divisional round of the playoffs next season.

For his part, Miller swore to improve drastically in 2012.  “I have no doubt that I’ll be a totally different player next year. It will be night and day.”  Von will have a chance to improve under new Broncos Defensive Coordinator Jack del Rio.

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Todd Haley is a calm, composed game manager.

Josh McDaniels is a fiery, outspoken control freak.

The two AFC West head coaches meet twice a year into the foreseeable future, and a feud is already brewing.  After just three games playing opposing chessmasters, Josh has gotten deep under Todd’s skin without really trying.

Haley flipped on McDaniels after Josh’s Broncos handed Todd’s Chiefs a resounding loss at Mile High Stadium on Sunday.

When the two approached to shake hands, McDaniels extended a hand and Haley extended a pointing finger.  Haley was overheard saying, “There’s a lot of s**t being talked about you” before turning abruptly and walking away.

The handshake snub is said to have resulted from McDaniels’ refusal to take his foot off the gas late in the game.  The Denver D continued blitzing Kansas City quarterback Matt Cassel throughout the fourth quarter with the Broncos up by 20+ points.  Josh left Kyle Orton and most of the starting offense in the game late as well.

Haley apologized the next morning, saying he “Probably let the emotions of the situation get me too much.”  But Todd clearly felt justified in his critical view of McDaniels.

A Study in Opposites

In Kansas City, Todd Haley is surprisingly far down the chain of command.

He is very simply a game manager who allows high-profile coordinators Charlie Weis & Romeo Crennel to run the show.  Todd loses out on personnel decisions to former New England personnel guru and current Chiefs GM Scott Pioli.  Haley is there to moderate between the players and the real decision-makers.

In Denver, Josh has wide-ranging control.

When the Broncos went out and got Tim Tebow, it was Josh McDaniels that made it so.  When Denver took on a decidedly New England look in 2009, it was McD imprinting his football personality on the team.  When Pro Bowlers Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall were traded in consecutive offseasons, it was Josh demanding they be shipped out.

So when Todd Haley called off the dogs in the final game of the 2009 Season at Mile High, it was the gentlemanly, administrative thing to do.  Haley even denied dynamic runner Jamaal Charles a chance to break Adrian Peterson’s single-game rushing record.

And when Josh McDaniels pushed his team full-bore at the beaten Chiefs, it was the bloodthirsty general thing to do.  Rather than give Kansas City a late run to feel positive about, Josh told his team to hammer away mercilessly.

Some Unnecessary Justification

Differences abound in the two situations, of course.

Haley was triumphing in a relatively meaningless game for his team, and happy to see his team performing well at the end of a bad season.

The Chiefs had long ago been eliminated from playoff contention, and the victory was a prize heading into the long offseason.  That win in Denver avenged a rare Broncos victory at Arrowhead earlier in the season, giving Todd some job security as well.

McDaniels was working to pound his team into an unforgiving winning machine, and could certainly care less about hurt feelings on the opposite sideline.

Kansas City was the division-leader going into the game, and Josh likely still has designs on making the playoffs.  Denver had only played one previous game against the predominantly bad AFC West.  As terrible as the Broncos played during the first half of the season, McDaniels could still end up winning the division with a tear of wins against the Chargers, Raiders & Chiefs.

Really, though, justification is unnecessary.

McDaniels has every right to tell his team to pile on, and his team has every right to do it.  This is the NFL, not pee-wee league football.  Gamesmanship is an option at this level, not a requirement.

Todd’s snarky shout that a lot of people are “talking s**t” about Josh is a pretty chicken s**t comment to make.  Wagging a finger and chastising a fellow big league head coach in place of a post-game handshake is a pretty chicken s**t way to air a grievance.

Bottom line is this; Josh McDaniels and the Broncos owe Todd Haley and the Chiefs no consideration.  These are division opponents who could both benefit from the type of heated play that marked this rivalry for so many years.

Todd Haley’s example for his team is one of petty middle school outrage.  If the Chiefs have a problem with how the Broncos played a game, then they should look for revenge through competition not condescension.

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There is a brief moment after all the 7-layer dip has been mauled, the dead soldiers cleared, and the celebratory rampages have petered out into hungover walks of shame.  A moment when every team, save one, is once again equal in their quest for the Lombardi, and every fan equal in their deep dread at the prospect of another long offseason filled with Mike Mayock talking out of his ass.

It is this moment that I’d like to ruin with my final in a sporadic installment of…

2009 NFL AWARDS!

The Napoleon Award

Given to the smallest player to have the biggest impact in the league, this award clearly goes to Tennessee’s Chris ‘I’m Down Here’ Johnson.  Johnson, who’s body-to-helmet ratio makes him look like Rick Moranis in ‘Spaceballs,’ was clearly head and shoulders below the competition.  He joins the 2000 yard club with style after 17 weeks of schooling dudes who routinely get mistaken for livestock.  One must now wonder whether the diminutive ball-squirrel will be able to stay healthy in the face of rigors that would dispirit a Volkswagon twice his size.  Let’s hope for his sake that LenDale White can start producing more than a convincing case for Weight Watchers and give the mini-stud a breather.

The 8th Amendment Award

Awarded to the player who inflicts the most cruel and unusual punishment on his team’s fan base, this award goes to Jamarcus ‘Where The Buffet At’ Russell.  Beating out former AFC West foe Jay ‘Which Team Am I On?’ Cutler on the strength of his utter hopelessness, Russell’s play this year could only be described as ‘egregious.’  In direct contradiction to the previously held supposition of physicists the world over, Raider’s faithful discovered first hand that something can suck harder than a Black Hole.  Made all the more offensive by his salary ($61 mil over 6 years), Russell tortured silver and black fans for 9 straight weeks before a Constitutionally-required benching by Tom ‘Punchdrunk’ Cable made Supreme Court intervention unnecessary.

NOTE: Were owners eligible for this award, Al ‘Euthanasia’ Davis would be on the hook for hiring this klutz.  And for picking Wayward-Bay over Crabtree and Harvin – a decision which the Raiders’ cross-bay rivals no doubt still laugh about daily.

The Mini-Me Award

Given to the clone who most resembles his studly progenitor, this award goes to the up-and-coming Julian Edelman.  Clearly grown in the back of Bill Belichick’s closet using illicit scientific devices and DNA swiped from a drinking glass, Edelman is a dead ringer for the Patriots wideout/mongoose Wes ‘Slot Machine’ Welker.  However, like any copy, he just ain’t the same as the original.  But then again, even if he ends up being half the player Welker is, he’ll be a 2′ 8″ slot terror with 65 catches and well above-average whiteness.

The Brett Favre Award

Given to the player that most needs to RETIRE ALREADY, this award goes to Kerry ‘I Got An Extension, Bitches’ Collins.  The tottering spearhead of an 0-6 start by a team that proved to be playoff material needs to go the way of the Silver Fox and hang it up.  Then come back with another team.  Then really hang it up.  Then come back with another team, miss one final Super Bowl, and then really, really hang it up.  For good, this time.  We hope.  Dear God do we hope.

The Elderly Abuse Award

Given to the unit that most mercilessly pounded the ever-loving crap out of an AARP member, this award goes to Greg ‘I Blitzed Your Mother’ Williams and the Saint’s Defense.  The hitters from the Big Easy went straight Clockwork Orange for two consecutive weeks in the playoffs, driving both Kurt Warner and Brett Favre through the turf and into retirement (we hope).  Props to  the bloodthirsty New Orleans D for not going soft, even when it appeared that #4 may have actually dislocated a lung.  It’s hard to feel sympathetic for the grizzled signal-callers, though, as most peoples’ pity is being hoarded by the winner of…

The Epic Fail Award

Given to the player who f***ed up the most heinously in a single game effort, this award is a run-away victory for Nate ‘Heimlich’ Kaeding. Kaeding found out the hard way that drinking a fifth of Jim Beam and riding the tea cups at Disneyland may not be the best pre-game ritual.  The Chargers’ (soon-to-be former) kicker shanked a trio of make-able field-goal tries in the nail-biting divisional tangle with the J-E-T-S, essentially costing them the game.  It’s rare to see someone choke that seriously without it ending in: a) a trach-tube; or, b) a coffin.  And depending on how hard his (soon-to-be former) team-mates take it, either one could still be in Kaeding’s future.

Read about the Denver Broncos’ 2010 Season Prospects here

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Rumors have been circulating (primarily via Adam Schefter, former Denver Post beat writer now covering the NFL for ESPN) that the Oakland Raiders have emerged as a front-runner in the suddenly public race for Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. Once (and possibly still) the franchise player for Philadelphia, and the player who was recently dubbed as “my man” for the starting quarterback position by head coach Andy Reid, suddenly finds himself the center of a league-wide speculation sweepstakes. As we have seen in the past, this sort of widespread rumoring almost always ends with a deal. Recall the Jay Cutler situation – the deal to get Matt Cassel fell through, and once it became public reconciliation between a spurned player and his employer is rare.

McNabb has stated he wants to stay in Philadelphia, but should he get moved he prefers the Vikings. (What is it with aging quarterbacks and the Vikings, anyhow?) But the big rumor is that the Oakland Raiders, who have never been scared of aging players or high-dollar contracts, are looking to make the move and bring McNabb to the west coast. McNabb, who lives in Arizona, would probably welcome the return to the west. But what would that mean for the rest of the AFC West should the McNabb deal get done?

First – it means the Raiders will instantly climb out of the cellar and need to be taken seriously. Without taking the other teams in the division into account (which we will do momentarily), adding McNabb to the Raiders means they can finally take advantage of speed. It means that McNabb, with a strong arm, can heave the ball down the field and expect someone to catch it. It means that a team with an already solid and improving defense, while probably not serious championship contenders, must at least be taken seriously in wild card discussions. It means the Chargers will have to hold off two teams for the division, not just one.

For the Broncos – (and lets be honest here for a second: if they hadn’t just done the Quinn deal, wouldn’t you love to see McNabb on our own sidelines? The guy can run, he can throw, but alas, probably wouldn’t put up with the McDaniels way of doing business. Anyhow, I digress) – it means that they are not the lone pursuer of the Chargers. It means that twice a year, the corners will be put to the test. It means that a mediocre pass rush isn’t sufficient. And ultimately, it means there is one more team in the wild card hunt.

For the Chiefs, it means one more year in the cellars. The Chiefs are square in a rebuilding process, and this is not the year they emerge. They seem to be building for a solid future. I know the mantra in the NFL is “win now”, but the Chiefs fans should be patient, as Scott Pioli is slowly putting together a solid franchise. It’s the polar opposite of the current Raiders M.O., and in my opinion will be better for the long term health of the Kansas City franchise.

For the Chargers, it means an even messier division. Two slightly above average teams and one punching bag is better competition than they’ve faced in a while. The Chargers essentially have not improved, unless you’re an “addition by subtraction” kind of guy. They are the same team minus their former start running back, and a few defensive stalwarts. The Chargers strangle-hold on the division is over, and though they still remain the favorites, either Denver or a McNabb-led Oakland team could win enough games, and get enough breaks to win the crown in 2010.

They say they are nowhere close to getting the deal done, and I’m not convinced it will happen, but if it does, it makes for a major shakeup in the AFC West.

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It’s a bit unsettling to think that we’re looking back at a Broncos season that started with so little in terms of expectations, end in such a fiery demise after an 8-8 record. If you had told me in August that the Broncos would finish with 8 wins and just barely miss the playoffs, I would have been happy. Let’s be honest, we all would. But when we look at how this team actually fared, it’s not nearly as bright of a situation as we would certainly like to see.

We all know the story – 6-0 start, McDaniels looks like a genius, 2-8 finish, McDaniels plays the part of the goat. But let’s try to be a couple things here – 1. fair; and 2. honest.

Coaching is so important in the NFL. An NBA coach is essentially a figurehead, a baseball manager is highly important in strategy, but a football coach has to do it all. Manage the players, the staff, the gameplan, fundamentals, everything is on the head coach. That’s why these guys are often control freak, type A, workaholic kind of guys. It fits that personality. Quite honestly, I don’t want to spend much time evaluating the play of the Broncos, because the play (and the players) all come down to coaching decisions. The personnel on this team are direct results of decisions (often dramatic) made by McDaniels and his staff. Let’s look at some of the major issues of the year and you’ll see what I mean.

QB Play – this one is obvious. Orton is no Cutler. Then again, Cutler is no Orton. I’m not rehashing the trade, just saying that it would be foolish to ignore the long-term impact on this franchise the Cutler deal will have. Notice I didn’t call it the Orton deal – it’s the Cutler deal, even though he’s the departed player. Orton was fine, albeit without the arm strength (or opportunity) to stretch the field, which meant any slip on the O-Line meant Orton was going down.

O-line play – not to Denver standards. The confusion that must have been in place with the hybrid zone-blocking/power-blocking schemes must have been intense. Add in the injury to Harris, and that equals a slow Orton scrambling for his life much of the year.

RB – What. The. Hell. Sorry, that’s all I can say. 12th pick in the draft, and a team sorely lacking in defense adds a running back. On top of that, as if to say he knew it was a mistake, McDaniels then signed Buckhalter and Jordan (plus a few others who didn’t make the squad). Moreno could be great – but right now is walking the thin line that could lead to the dreaded b-word (bust). He dances, he doesn’t hit the hole, spends too much time running sideways. That kind of crap might cut it in the SEC, but though SEC fans are loathe to admit it, SEC is still college football, and most of their guys never play on Sunday. In the big time, you have to gain yards – move forward, and quickly because the tackles and linebackers are consistently faster than what you’re used to.

Do we have to even broach the Peyton Hillis subject? That whole situation belongs more in the general personnel decisions section than here, so I’ll get to that in a minute.

WR – Marshall is also another issue. The guy played the way he should have. Royal did the same, he just didn’t get the touches.

Special Teams. Oh Lord, the punter issue. Prater was fine, but largely a non-factor in the season, which is probably the best thing for a kicker. Make your kicks, and no one remembers you.

Defense. Here was the extreme improvement. Mike Nolan TORE IT UP – he brought in Dawkins, who brought an East Coast toughness to this wussy defense. Champ played to his normal standards, though I have to admit his coverage style of giving space then closing is painful to watch sometimes. It’s how he gets picks, but it’s also how he gets burned. Dumervil was a beast, and given time (and some more bulk), the defense will be ok.

Here’s what it all comes down to: McDaniels is demonstrating that his drive to prove he can be a head coach is blinding him to good decisions. Here’s the list:

• Obviously, Cutler. They didn’t get along, Bowlen had to get involved, you know the rest.
• Gets rid of the long-snapper, for an equally talented more expensive ex-Patriot long snapper
• Drops the punter mid-season, brings in an old tired punter who sucks, then at the end of the season re-signs one of the guys he cut.
• Peyton Hillis. Clearly a better answer than Moreno in short yardage, but sat. Even Jordan sat – Josh wanted Knowshon to be the man, never admitting the reality.
• Marshall – it seemed like they were fine, clearly they were not
• Scheffler – probably soured from day one and it finally blew up after some tough losses
• Play calling: if I see one more damn bubble screen I’m going to go postal. Highly conservative, play not-to-lose mentality.

What I see is a kid (my age, I know, but a kid nonetheless) who feels like the only way he can motivate his team is to scream, shout, curse, and threaten. It might work short-term (Giants game), but long-term, he’s not building respect. Heck, Tom Coughlin finally gained respect from his players when he quit demanding it, and by his attitude and demeanor COMMANDED it.

Now look at the division. The Raiders are still a mess, and the Chargers are playing good football – but I would suspect they are beginning to see the closing of their window. Maybe not, but I’m pretty confident that they’ll be on the downward slide – but not after a couple more years or so of dominating the division. The Chiefs are becoming the REAL Patriots of the west – Pioli now has Weis running the offense, and Crennel running the defense. And that team can run- the AFC West should be scared of that team in the near future.

Ultimately, McDaniels got what he wanted: his team. It’s all him. Hillis will be gone, Scheffler will be gone, Marshall will be gone. Dennison is gone to coach with Kubiak. Shanahan’s Broncos have now been scattered among the league like so much dust in the wind. Gibbs and Bates are heading to Seattle to join Pete Carrol, Mike of course is in Washington, and the players that Mike had that were actually worth something are gone. These are McDaniels’ Broncos, for better or worse. I’m hoping the worse ends soon. My prediction: Josh gets one more year. If next year seems as dysfunctional as this one, Josh will be gone and the Broncos will officially have become a lower-tier NFL team, once glorious but always in turmoil (see: Buffalo Bills).

The season was nice for a few big wins and wasn’t nearly as painful in the outset, but finished by crashing to the ground like a giant mylar balloon… oh wait. That’s the other debacle from Colorado news this year.

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McDaniels and Orton watch from the sideline

You know things are getting dicey when your 2 million dollar backup gets pulled in the first half for a quarterback with a gimpy ankle that can barely walk off the field. A week of practice would get Simms comfortable, the conventional wisdom said. The conventional wisdom hasn’t watched the Broncos yet this year. Simms was completely ineffective, only managing to complete 2 passes for 10 yards.

The turning point of the game, in my opinion, was the very first drive of the game. The Broncos opened up with an offensive drive that pushed all the way to the red zone, mostly due to Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter. The drive was stalled when Simms got caught from behind and dropped the ball. The Chargers recovered, and the tone of the day was set. Just like in Baltimore, when the tone was set on the first play, the Broncos would never recover from the deflation of missing the end zone on that drive. Later on, Moreno would fumble the ball at the goal line, and as a result the Broncos left 2 touchdowns on the table. Add a questionable on-side kick call by McDaniels which basically gifted a score to the Chargers, and the rout was on. The Broncos could do no more than post a meaningless second-half field goal, setting a new low for offensive impotence this season.

Instead of breaking down the failures point by point, I feel compelled to ask a couple questions that have been plaguing me the last few weeks. How is it that a team that went 6-0 by beating good teams and making remarkably astute halftime adjustments, appear so woefully inept and unprepared four weeks in a row? You could make the argument that the league has figured out the system, but you can’t tell me that Belichick hadn’t “figured out the system”. Wade Phillips couldn’t “figure out the system”? The difference is not that defenses have figured them out, it’s that Denver just seems unprepared. They aren’t making adjustments, they aren’t improving in the second half. Albert Einstein once said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.

Here’s another question – granted that Kyle Orton has a command of this offense that Simms just does not have, when down 23 points, why is Orton and his bum ankle on the field? I know you play each week to win that game and you play until the final whistle – I get that. But aren’t you better off either letting Simms take his lumps or giving Brandstater a few snaps, allowing Orton to heal further? The Broncos have a mere 4 days to prepare for the Giants on Thursday. If Orton reinjures his ankle, we’re in for the same results next week as we’ve seen this week. A season that once looked promising is now slipping away faster than you can say “wild horses”.The defense has gotten extremely soft in the middle, the offense has only managed 30 points in the last three games and looks completely lost. With today’s win, the Chargers retake control of the AFC West, and makes it all but impossible for the Broncos to make the playoffs.

Every week, I remind myself that the  wins the Broncos have are better than I thought they’d do, and so everything else is gravy. Unfortunately, the gravy has not been free flowing, and it’s still hard to swallow watching your team get utterly dominated week after week. Make no mistake – as they stand now, this team is bad. What makes it most painful, is that for six weeks we saw what they could do, and now we’re seeing the other side of the coin. Expect more of the same against New York this Thursday, and hope the long break allows Denver to get their heads on straight.

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