John Elway will rejoin the Denver Broncos as their Vice President of Football Operations starting today.  A press conference at Dove Valley confirmed what has been rumored for weeks.

John spoke on a wide range of topics, including the Denver Broncos’ decline under Josh McDaniels and possible replacements for the disgraced former head coach.  The Broncos are embroiled in a hunt for a head coach that will return Denver to the top of the NFL.

Elway spent Monday evening on the sideline at the Orange Bowl watching his Stanford Cardinal (12-1) rout Virginia Tech 40-12.  Wednesday afternoon John fielded questions about the possibility of bringing the coach behind his alma mater’s best-ever season, Jim Harbaugh, into the fold in Denver.

But Elway was noncommittal on the most pressing issue facing the Denver Broncos organization, saying he was looking for “the right guy” and also that many candidates for the position were not yet available for interviews.  Despite the constant blitzing pressure from an assembled press, Elway spoke confidently and gave away very little about the Broncos’ specific game plan.

John did reveal the organization’s concept for moving the Broncos forward in general, stating that “We’re not gonna make this team through free agency. We’re gonna make this a championship team by drafting the right guys.”

He continued by pointing to General Manager Brian Xanders, who held the same position under McDaniels, as the point man for building the Broncos back into a contender after a disappointing 4-12 season.  The Broncos will have the #2 pick in the 2011 Draft.

The nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback also answered a bevy of questions about Broncos starting quarterback Tim Tebow, selected by McDaniels & Co. in the 1^st Round of the 2010 Draft.  While Elway indicated that all current Broncos will be challenged to hold their spot on the depth chart under a new coach, he also defended Tebow as an outstanding individual, leader and football player.

“Tim Tebow is a darn good football player. What we need to make him is a darn good quarterback,” said Elway. “And I’ll tell you this: he loves the Denver Broncos.”

When pressed on whether or not the Broncos would retain Tebow, and whether the next Denver head coach would give him a chance to start, Elway was fairly blunt.

“I don’t think anyone’s going to come in and say, ‘I don’t want Tim Tebow’ and if they do maybe they aren’t the right guy for the job.”

Elway was consistently pressured to define his position within the organization, often brushing back comments about his lack of experience as an NFL Executive.  But John continually boiled his job down to something simple: remaking the Denver Broncos as a classy organization after McDaniels tarnished its image.

Elway made clear that he would always “do what’s best for the Denver Broncos”.  John sees himself as being a buffer between the players/coaching staff and long-time friend Pat Bowlen, owner of the Broncos since 1984.  Elway also owns a 10% share of the team.

“I don’t look at myself as an icon,” said Elway. “I like the challenges that Mr. Bowlen has given me here.”

John finished by talking about his motivations for taking on the high-profile, high-pressure job of rebuilding a once-proud franchise.

Elway talked about his kids being off at college and not needing him much “except when they need money”. He spoke about clearing his decision to return to football with his business partners and second wife Paige Green.  And he spoke about taking on this new challenge, repeatedly calling it “a mountain” to conquer.

“I’m a guy that likes challenges. I’m a guy that likes to compete,” said the man who brought two NFL Championships to Denver. “I played for 16 years, and I plan on this being a helluva lot easier on my body.”

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The end was mercifully quick… for Broncos Nation and for Josh McDaniels.

The Denver Broncos’ 12th head coach was fired on Monday after a disappointing loss to the arch-rival Kansas City Chiefs.  It was the Broncos’ 17th loss in their last 22 games, after Denver won the first six games of McDaniels’ tenure.

How could an era that began with such promise and fanfare go down in flames so quickly?

The Winds of Change

After blowing a three-game lead over the San Diego Chargers with three games remaining in the 2008 season and missing the playoffs, Pat Bowlen decided the time had come to dismiss the most successful head coach in Broncos history, Mike Shanahan.  Bowlen said that the next coach would not have the same power that Shanahan had in making personnel decisions.

After the long interview process, Bowlen offered the job to New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.  At just 32 years old, McDaniels became the youngest coach in the league.  Despite McDaniels’ youth and inexperience, the Broncos gave him the very power they had claimed he would not have.

McJayGate and the ’09 Draft

McDaniels would quickly make major headlines when he apparently contacted his old friends in New England to inquire about the possibility of a trade that would bring quarterback Matt Cassel to the Broncos.  Cassel took over the starting job in New England under McDaniels for the final 15 games of the ’08 season after a Tom Brady knee injury.  Denver’s incumbent QB Jay Cutler was incensed and, after the Cassel deal fell through, demanded to be traded.

McDaniels and Bowlen attempted to smooth things over with Cutler, but things deteriorated to the point that Cutler refused to take either McDaniels’ or Bowlen’s phone calls.  Bowlen had had enough, and traded Cutler to Chicago for QB Kyle Orton and draft picks.

The Broncos’ biggest problem under Shanahan was their defense.  Mike Nolan signed on as defensive coordinator after the ’08 season.  McDaniels signed future Hall Of Fame safety Brian Dawkins as a free agent, and was expected to focus on that side of the ball in the draft.

Instead, McDaniels used his first pick on Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno.  After McDaniels selected linebacker Robert Ayers with the 18th pick, he then made a move that raised a lot of eyebrows, trading a 1^st Round pick in the 2010 Draft to select CB Alphonso Smith from Wake Forest in the 2nd Round.  McDaniels used only four of his ten picks on defensive players.

6-0

The Josh McDaniels Era started with a bang, as the Broncos won their first six games of the 2009 season.  But let’s examine that surprising 6-0 run in hindsight.

Their first win, against the Cincinnati Bengals, was a fluke.  The Broncos were anemic on offense and fell behind 7-6 with just 38 seconds left.  Orton threw a pass to a well-covered Brandon Marshall.  The ball was tipped in the air and caught by Brandon Stokley with only open field in front of him.  Stokley went 87 yards for the score as the Broncos stunned the Bengals 13-7.  It was a win that came purely from luck… and Mike Nolan’s suddenly studly defense.

The Broncos then won 27-6 in their home opener against a weak Cleveland team led by an underachieving, once great in college quarterback.  What was his name again?  Oh, yeah!  Brady Quinn (more on him later). The following week they won again on the road against an awful Raiders team, 23-3.

Then came a tough three-game stretch against the Cowboys and Patriots at home, and the Chargers on the road.

Against Dallas, the much improved Bronco D allowed only 10 points, and Marshall scored the game-winning TD in a 17-10 win.  Then the Broncos beat McDaniels’ old friends from New England 20-17 in overtime.  However, they were helped by the fact that Tom Brady was still not at his best after his injury, and was throwing the ball as inaccurately as he ever has in his career.  The Broncos kept rolling with a 34-23 victory over the Chargers on Monday Night Football, thanks to Eddie Royal returning both a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns… a very rare occurrence.

The Broncos headed to their bye week on top of the world.

Reality Check

Then came the collapse.

The Broncos returned from the Bye and were blown out in Baltimore, 30-7.  They returned home and were dominated again by the Super Bowl Champion Steelers, 28-10.  The next week in Washington, the Broncos were playing well when Kyle Orton was lost with a sprained ankle.  Chris Simms took over at QB, and was awful, as the Broncos lost 27-17.  They returned home for a rematch with the Chargers and were blown out again 32-3.

The Broncos rebounded with a Thanksgiving Night win over the Giants, and a 44-13 drubbing of the Chiefs at Arrowhead.  They would then lose in Indianapolis despite Brandon Marshall’s record-setting 20 catches.  Then Denver really hit rock bottom.

They lost at home 20-19 to the Raiders, led by the worst draft bust in history; JaMarcus Russell.  The Broncos fell in Philadelphia and then at home in a 44-24 beat-down by the Chiefs as the improvement that the defense showed earlier in the year vanished.  Brandon Marshall was benched for the Chiefs game because McDaniels felt he was exaggerating the severity of a hamstring injury and was not giving his full effort to the team.

The Broncos finished the same way they did a year earlier; 8-8 and out of the playoffs.

2010

After the disappointing second half of 2009, Mike Nolan left the Broncos because of what was termed “philosophical differences” with McDaniels.  Linebackers coach Don “Wink” Martindale was promoted to defensive coordinator, the fifth man in five years to hold the position.

One of the surprise stars for the Broncos in Shanahan’s final year was running back Peyton Hillis.  He had rushed for 129 yards in a win against the Jets before tearing his hamstring against the Chiefs, ending his season.  Despite coming back healthy, McDaniels somehow didn’t see anything worth keeping in Hillis.  He carried the ball only 13 times in ’09, and was traded to the Browns for Brady Quinn.  McDaniels traded away two more stars when he sent Marshall to Miami and tight end Tony Scheffler to Detroit for draft picks.

In the 2010 Draft, McDaniels again made headlines when he traded up to the 25th pick to select Florida QB Tim Tebow, one of the greatest players in college football history.  There were questions about Tebow’s mechanics, and many wondered if he was worth a 1^st Round pick.  But his work ethic and character fit McDaniels’ blueprint of what a quarterback should be.

Again, McDaniels ignored his team’s defensive woes during the draft, using only three of nine picks on defensive players.

Alphonso Smith, for whom McDaniels had sacrificed a 1^st Round pick, never panned out and was traded to Detroit before the season began, a major admission of failure from the head coach.

The Broncos lost their opener in Jacksonville, and then rebounded in their home opener with a win over Seattle.  In week 3 the Broncos outplayed the Colts at home, but managed only six points in five red zone possessions in a 27-13 loss.  The Broncos won on the road in Tennessee to even their record at 2-2.

Strange Parallels

Then, once again, the collapse came.

For the second straight year the Broncos traveled to Baltimore and were blown out, this time 31-17.  After giving up a late lead to the Jets and falling 24-20, the Broncos once again hit rock bottom at home against the Raiders.

The Broncos were completely humiliated on their home field by their old nemeses, losing 59-14, and the fans’ anger against McDaniels intensified.  The Broncos traveled to London and lost to the 1-6 49ers, dropping them to 2-6 going into the Bye Week.

Denver was ranked dead last in the NFL in rushing, averaging well under 70 yards per game.  Meanwhile, Peyton Hillis was putting up huge numbers in Cleveland as a featured running back.  Brady Quinn, who had been inaccurate and ineffective in the preseason, was parked firmly on the bench as the 3rd QB on the Broncos’ depth chart.

Denver appeared to have turned it around after the bye week with a 49-29 blowout of the division-leading Chiefs.  But hopes of a late-season run were dashed when the Broncos were again dominated by the Chargers the following week, losing 35-14.  Five days later, McDaniels’ reputation took the worst hit yet.

Spygate II: Denver

The day before the Broncos played the St Louis Rams in Denver, McDaniels was fined $50,000, and the Broncos $50,000 more, after a Broncos assistant was revealed to have videotaped a 49ers practice the day before the game in London.  McDaniels had failed to report the incident to the league.  Josh claimed that video assistant Steve Scarnecchia, who was part of the Spygate scandal in New England while McDaniels was O.C., acted independently and that he never viewed the tape.  Many in the fan-base and media did not buy his explanation.

The Broncos lost to the young Rams, 36-33, in front of the smallest crowd in Invesco Field history.  McDaniels was losing the fans, but Pat Bowlen said that McDaniels would remain coach for the rest of the season.

The Broncos traveled to Kansas City with a chance to play spoiler to the Chiefs’ playoff hopes.  Knowshon Moreno was having the game of his life with 161 rushing yards, and the Broncos trailed just 10-6 with 4 minutes remaining.  McDaniels could have run the ball with his hot back or used play-action to open up the field. Instead, he had Kyle Orton, who was having his worst game of the year, drop back for two straight plays, throwing an incompletion and taking a sack.  The Broncos punted two plays later, and Orton threw another incompletion on the last play as the Broncos fell to 3-9, out of playoff contention for the fifth year in a row.

The End

Pat Bowlen had finally seen enough.  The day after the loss to the Chiefs, Bowlen fired McDaniels as head coach.  That amazing 6-0 start was nothing but a distant memory.

To be fair, I don’t believe Josh McDaniels is solely to blame for the Broncos’ downfall.  Pat Bowlen must accept a lot of the blame for giving so much responsibility to such a young coach.  Being a head coach in the NFL is difficult enough without the pressure of building the roster through free agency and the draft.  McDaniels was in over is head, and that is not his fault.  It takes years of experience to have that kind of power over an NFL franchise and be successful… experience that McDaniels has yet to gain.

From a coaching standpoint, I believe McDaniels is a good offensive mind, but he needs to make better use of the running game.  I know that the Broncos have a young offensive line, and Moreno is seen as an underachiever, but I have always felt that McDaniels was too quick to abandon the running game when they got off to a slow start.  There were too many times that the Broncos threw the ball 35-40 times compared to only 15-20 running plays.  McDaniels wanted to throw the ball all day long, and that usually is not a successful formula unless your quarterback is named Brady or Manning.

So, who will be the next man to lead the Broncos?  How long will it take for this once proud franchise to rise from the ashes?  The next several months should be very interesting in Broncoland.

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Eagles 34, Texans 24
The Texans put up a fight, leading 24-20 as the 4th quarter began, but Michael Vick scored a touchdown from 2 yards out and later hit FB Owen Schmitt for another as the Eagles won to keep the pressure on the Giants.

Chiefs 10, Broncos 6
The Broncos had a chance to play spoiler and steal this one from their hated rivals on the road, but poor play-calling in the final minutes by Josh McDaniels killed that chance.  Kyle Orton was terrible, completing only 9 of 28 passes, and the Chiefs rushed for 185 yards as they beat the Broncos in the final act of the tragedy that was Josh McDaniels’ head coaching stint.

Packers 34, 49ers 16
Needing a victory to stay within striking distance of the Bears after last week’s heartbreaker in Atlanta, the Packers torched the Niners at Lambeau thanks to a 298 yard, 3 TD performance by Aaron Rodgers.  I hope they don’t get superstitious and decide to wear those 1929 throwback uniforms for the rest of the year.

Vikings 38, Bills 14
After Brett Favre was knocked out with a shoulder injury, Tarvaris Jackson stepped in and quickly threw a pick-six to Bills CB Drayton Florence.  Jackson shook off the mistake, going 15/22 and throwing 2 TD’s to Sidney Rice.  Adrian Peterson added 107 yards and 3 TD’s on the ground in the Vikings’ best performance of the season.

Jaguars 17, Titans 6
Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew ran wild in Music City, putting up a career-high 186 yards, and controlled the clock keeping Titans RB Chris Johnson on the sideline.  Kerry Collins was ineffective at QB as the Titans’ suffered their fifth straight defeat.  The Titans have broken so many hearts in Tennessee, maybe Taylor Swift will write a song about their collapse.

Browns 13, Dolphins 10
The Dolphins are garbage at home.  That’s all I have to say about this game.  Borrring.

Bears 24, Lions 20
Again, the Lions put forth a great effort but just couldn’t quite finish the job.  With the Bears trailing 20-17 Jay Cutler threw to Brandon Manumaleuna for the go-ahead score midway through the 4th quarter, and the Bears held on for the win to stay in first place in the NFC North.

Giants 31, Redskins 7
Giants RB’s Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw combined for 200 yards rushing and scored two TD’s each, leading the Giants to the win and keeping them tied with the Eagles for the NFC East lead.  The Redskins were very much in the Christmas gift-giving spirit, committing six turnovers as their playoff dreams were virtually destroyed.

Saints 34, Bengals 30
For the second week in a row the Saints were nearly upset by one of the NFL’s worst teams, but survived.  Marques Colston caught a 3-yard TD pass from Drew Brees with 31 seconds remaining to give the Saints their fifth straight win… and the Bungles their ninth straight loss.

Raiders 28, Chargers 13
The Raiders played the role of The Grinch in San Diego as they dealt the Chargers a major blow to their postseason chances.  The Raiders gained 251 yards rushing while allowing only 21 yards on the ground to the Bolts, who lost their first December game since 2005.

Seahawks 31, Panthers 14
Marshawn Lynch scored 3 second half touchdowns to lead the Seahawks back from a 14-0 deficit to stay atop the NFC West.  The Panthers suck.  ‘Nuff said.

Rams 19, Cardinals 6
The Arizona offense is sputtering like a Ford Pinto, managing only 224 total yards against St. Louis and resulting in QB Derek Anderson getting benched…again.  RB Steven Jackson ran for 102 yards and a touchdown as the Rams won to remain tied with the Seahawks for the NFC West lead.

Falcons 28, Buccaneers 24
QB Matt Ryan led his sixth game-winning drive this season as the Falcons overcame a 10-point deficit in the 4th quarter to beat the Bucs and maintain the NFC South lead.  Ryan, AKA Matty Ice, is showing signs of greatness.

Cowboys 38, Colts 35 (OT)
Before traveling to New England, Peyton Manning had only thrown four interceptions in nine games.  Since then, he has thrown eleven in the last three games, including four returned for touchdowns.  The Colts defense allowed 217 rushing yards.  Manning threw two more pick-sixes plus another INT in overtime to set-up the Cowboys’ game-winning field goal, dropping the Colts to second place behind the Jaguars and leaving them in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in nine years.

Steelers 13, Ravens 10
This marquee game lived up to its billing.  Another great Steelers/Ravens slugfest in which Ben Roethlisberger’s nose was bent like a boomerang.  Troy Polamalu forced a late fumble by Joe Flacco to set up the game-winning TD for Pittsburgh, putting the Steelers in the lead in the AFC North.

Patriots 45, Jets 3
This marquee game did not live up to its billing.  Tom Brady sliced and diced the Jet defense for 326 yards and 4 TDs,  and Mark Sanchez threw three interceptions against New England’s league-worst pass defense as the Patriots embarrassed the Jets to take over the AFC East lead.  The Patriots and Falcons are tied for the NFL’s best record at 10-2.  Brady vs. Ryan in the Super Bowl?  Sounds pretty sweet to me.

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Josh McDaniels was fired by the Denver Broncos on Friday after going 3-17 over his last 20 games.  McDaniels was the third NFL head coach fired this season.

Broncos owner Pat Bowlen let the fiery McDaniels go one day after a miserable 6-10 loss in Kansas City to the division-rival Chiefs.  While nobody questions Bowlen’s motives following an embarrassing series of scandals and failures, the timing of the decision is somewhat suspect.

Bowlen originally stated last week that he would not fire Josh this season or next, but immediately began backtracking from that statement in subsequent interviews.

Now rumors are circulating that Bowlen fired McDaniels as a late-day birthday present to local blogger Ian Cerveny.  The date of the firing, December 6^th, coincides with the day 29 years ago that Cerveny was born in a Denver hospital mere hours after the Broncos wrapped up a thrilling 13-16 home win over those same Kansas City Chiefs.

When Mr. Cerveny was reached for comment, this interviewer was only able to discern a series of what sounded like deep, resounding gut-laughs followed by, “I want Bill Cowher for Christmas!”

With Josh McDaniels fired, the search for a new head coach is on in Denver.  The Broncos have not announced an interim head coach, and may hire a permanent replacement yet this season.

Former Denver Linebacker and current Colorado sportscaster Al Wilson has cited unnamed sources in claiming that Bowlen is targeting Air Force Falcons head coach Troy Calhoun.  The Falcons are based out of the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs 60 miles south of Denver.

McDaniels will still receive a paycheck from the Broncos next season, joining Mike Shanahan on Denver’s out-of-state non-working payroll.

Minnesota’s Brad Childress and the Cowboy’s Wade Phillips were also fired by their respective teams this season.

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Patriots 45, Lions 24
After surprisingly falling behind 14-3 early, Tom Brady turned on the awesome and scored a perfect QB rating; going 21/27 for 341 yards and 4 TD’s to lead the Pats to a Thanksgiving Day win over the feisty Lions.

Saints 30, Cowboys 27
The Saints saw a 17-point lead evaporate, and appeared headed for defeat until Dallas WR Roy Williams’ 4th Quarter fumble.  Drew Brees drove the Saints 89 yards in 5 plays, hitting Lance Moore for a 12-yard TD with 1:55 left.  Then the Cowboys missed a 59-yd field goal in the final seconds, extending the Saints’ winning streak to four games.

Jets 26, Bengals 10
The Jets’ Brad Smith scored on a 53-yard end-around, then again on an 89-yard kick return despite losing a shoe.  The Jets rushed for 170 yards, while the Bungles could only manage 163 yards total as they lost their eighth game in a row.  The Jets and Patriots, both 9-2, meet next week to decide first place in the AFC East.

Falcons 20, Packers 17
In a battle of the league’s best young QBs, the Pack’s Aaron Rodgers threw for 344 yards, including a 10-yard TD to Jordy Nelson on 4th down with 56 seconds left to tie it at 17.  Atlanta’s Matt Ryan answered with a stellar 24/28 performance, and was complemented by Michael Turner’s 110 yards on the ground.  Matt Bryant hit a 47-yard field goal with 9 seconds remaining to give the Falcons the victory, as well as the NFC’s best record at 9-2.

Texans 20, Titans 0
Houston’s Arian Foster ran for 143 yards, and caught 9 passes for 75 yards.  Titans rookie QB Rusty Smith was picked off three times in his first career start as the Texans earned the shutout.  But the game was overshadowed by the brawl between Houston’s Andre Johnson and Tennessee’s Cortland Finnegan.  Both men were fined $25,000.  They will seek to make that money back in their Prime Time rematch at UFC 127.

Vikings 17, Redskins 13
The Redskins managed only 216 yards of offense and were loudly booed by their home crowd.  Vikings RB Toby Gerhart rushed for 76 yards and a TD after Adrian Peterson’s ankle injury.  Brett Favre looked 10 years younger as he ran 10 yards for a first down late in the game to seal a Minnesota win.

Steelers 19, Bills 16 (OT)
After the Steelers blew a 13-0 halftime lead, the Bills were on the cusp of a major upset in overtime when WR Stevie Johnson dropped a sure TD.  Pittsburgh’s new kicker Shaun Suisham went 4/4 on field goal attempts, hitting a 41-yarder to win in OT.  Johnson later seemed to blame a higher power for his gaffe.  With the Bills’ luck over the years, there must be a lot of pagans in Buffalo.

Browns 24, Panthers 23
Browns QB Jake Delhomme narrowly beat his old team when John Kasay missed a 42-yard field goal for the Panthers as time expired.  Peyton Hillis rushed for 131 yards and 3 TD’s for the Browns, continuing his “Josh McDaniels is a Complete Moron” tour of NFL cities.

Giants 24, Jaguars 20
Eli Manning avoided the turnovers that have plagued the Giants in recent weeks.  He hit TE Kevin Boss for a 32-yard TD with 3:15 left as the Giants overcame a 17-6 halftime deficit and ended the Jags’ 3-game winning streak.

Rams 36, Broncos 33
The Broncos’ free-fall continued as the defense gave up 431 yards to the young Rams offense.  Sam Bradford had his first 300-yard passing performance, adding 3 TD passes as the Rams moved into a tie for first in the NFC West with Seattle. As bad as Denver’s defense is, I’m not sure that Elvis Dumervil would have made a difference.

Chiefs 42, Seahawks 24
The Chiefs offense racked up 503 total yards and controlled the ball for over 41 minutes.  Matt Cassel threw 4 touchdowns, 3 of them to rising star WR Dwayne Bowe.  Jamaal Charles ran for 173 of the Chiefs’ 270 total rushing yards.  I bet Seattle’s pretty happy that they don’t play in the AFC West anymore.

Dolphins 33, Raiders 17
Chad Henne returned as Miami’s starting QB and had his best game of the year, throwing for 307 yards and 2 TD’s.  The Dolphins gained 471 total yards in almost 42 minutes of possession time.  Oakland’s return to success may have been an illusion…

Bears 31, Eagles 26
Jay Cutler tied a career high with 4 touchdown passes, while RB Matt Forte added 117 yards rushing for the Bears.  Eagles QB Michael Vick threw for 333 yards, but also threw his first interception of the season as the Bears upset the Eagles.

Ravens 17, Buccaneers 10
Ravens QB Joe Flacco threw for 289 yards and 2 TD’s, including a 65-yard strike to TE Todd Heap that put the Ravens ahead for good in the 2nd Quarter.  Tampa Bay has yet to beat a team with a winning record.  The Ravens square off with the Steelers next Sunday night with first place in the AFC North on the line.

Chargers 36, Colts 14
Peyton Manning threw 4 interceptions, 2 of which were returned for touchdowns.  Manning has now thrown 7 picks in the last two weeks.  The Chargers played mistake-free as they handed the Colts their worst home defeat of the Peyton Manning era.

49ers 27, Cardinals 6
With two 3-7 teams playing, ESPN probably would have drawn more viewers by pre-empting this game with an infomercial for the Shake Weight.  After Frank Gore’s season-ending hip injury, 49ers RB Brian Westbrook returned to form, rushing for 136 yards and a TD.  The Cardinals only highlight was in the post-game press conference, where QB Derek Anderson threw a hissy fit when asked why he was laughing on the sideline while his team was getting smoked.

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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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Week One

Denver Broncos @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Sunday, September 12^th @ 1:00pm MST

The Jaguars have long been Bronco-bane.  The Brunell-led Jags denied John Elway an early first Super Bowl run that could have been #1 of 3.  And each time Jacksonville comes to Denver they manufacture a gutsy win.

This time a weak-kneed Maurice Jones-Drew is not enough to save the sinking Jaguars’ ship in their own house.  Kyle Orton neatly slices a young, untalented Jacksonville secondary into Jaguar sashimi.  (Great with ginger-miso sauce. Try it!)  David Garrard throws passes to himself in a desperate attempt to find a talented receiver.  And the Broncos win by two touchdowns on the road in Florida for the first time since the Cold War.

BRONCOS WIN 1-0

Week Two

Seattle Seahawks @ Denver Broncos

Sunday, September 19^th @ 2:05pm MST

New Seahawks coach Pete Carroll will carry the hopes of hundreds of thousands of fair-weather Seattle football fans into Denver on a sunny Sunday afternoon.  He will leave those hopes in a messy, grass and tear-stained pile in the darkest corner of the visitors’ locker room on his way out the door.

Seattle football fans will briefly turn their attention to the Mariners, followed by a desperate attempt to woo Kevin Durant and the Thunder back to Seattle, followed by years of virtual silence from the Seattle pro sports scene.

BRONCOS WIN 2-0

Week Three

Indianapolis Colts @ Denver Broncos

Sunday, September 26^th @ 2:15pm MST

Broncos fans will be feeling awfully positive about the 2010 season and a so-far shaky Colts team’s visit to the Mile High City.  That feeling will quickly be replaced by dread and then by abject horror as Peyton Manning exploits the Broncos’ lack of experience at cornerback behind Champ Bailey.

By the end of the day Josh McDaniels will have fired Defensive Coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale over “philosophical differences”, replacing him with a cardboard cutout of Dick Lebeau.  This move will be widely regarded as an upgrade.

BRONCOS LOSE 2-1

Week Four

Denver Broncos @ Tennessee Titans

Sunday, October 3^rd @ 12:00pm MST

Fantasy football owners who picked one of the three top Running Backs in their draft will each have an early-season home game versus the Denver Broncos’ Defense to look forward to.  MJD will have his way with the Donkey D in Week One, the scary-fast Chris Johnson will slash his way to a 200 yard all-purpose day in Week Four, and Ray Rice will have 100 yards receiving out of the backfield in Week Five.

Lost in all of this fantasy madness will be the Titans’ thorough domination of the Broncos in virtually ever phase of a game that serves to remind Broncos fans exactly how far their team is from ‘elite’ status.

BRONCOS LOSE 2-2

Week Five

Denver Broncos @ Baltimore Ravens

Sunday, October 10^th @ 1:00pm MST

As yet another upper-middling offense dices up the Denver D, a great movement will be felt in Broncos Nation.  What begins as a deep-seated rumbling will turn into a bowel-shattering earthquake of pent-up emotions.

“Where’s Doom?” women cry in unison.

“Is Elvis in the building?” sobs a twenty-something through thick orange face paint.

“Can we get a !*#$!% pass rush!?” screams a wore-torn veteran of forty football seasons.

Broncos Nation will have a good cry together.  Contrary to what chick flicks, bad novels, and your mothers always say, nobody will feel any better.

BRONCOS LOSE 2-3

Week Six

New York Jets @ Denver Broncos

Sunday, October 17^th @ 2:05pm MST

In Week Six a Broncos team desperately struggling to keep its head above water will meet a Jets squad that has fallen drastically short of lofty pre-season expectations.  Something has to give.

With the game on the line, Kyle Orton will scan the field for Brandon Marshall.  Realizing he’s in Miami (or jail… the vision is fuzzy), Orton will heave the ball to the southeast with all his might.  Rookie Demaryius Thomas will come down with a circus catch for the deciding touchdown, earning him the nickname “Baby, Baby TO”.  Thankfully, the name will not stick.

BRONCOS WIN 3-3

Week Seven

Oakland Raiders @ Denver Broncos

Sunday, October 24^th @ 2:05pm MST

Somehow the Broncos will not have played any of their AFC West competition through the first six weeks of the season.  That will change when the Oakland Raiders fly proudly into town on the wings of a one-game winning ‘streak’.

Idiot TV commentators will yammer on endlessly about how star Oakland cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha will shut down the Broncos’ offense all game long.  Josh McDaniels will prove them stupid and wrong by running four and five receiver sets all game long… and then throwing to the side of the field populated by lesser DB’s.

The strategy will work so well that Al Davis will spend what’s left of his fortune building a lab dedicated to cloning Asomugha.  Davis will succeed with his insane plan, but will not live to see the now embryonic Asomughas develop beyond their fifth birthday.

BRONCOS WIN 4-3

Week Eight

Denver Broncos @ San Francisco 49ers

(in London)

Sunday, October 31^st @ 5:00pm MST

The 49ers will henceforth have the dubious distinction of being the team that travels the furthest for a ‘home game’.  This NFL record could be broken if San Diego were to make the long trek to London for a ‘home game’.  However, the British (who still believe in fairies) do not believe in the existence of San Diego, and have sworn that they never will.

In one of the tightest games of the season, the Niners will ‘pound the rock’ and the Broncos will ‘air it out’.  British commentators will attempt to convert these terms into ones Londoners can understand by politely announcing that the Broncos are ‘passing air’ and that the 49ers are ‘getting the runs’.  After Denver squeezes out a narrow one in London, poop jokes by commentators will result in stiff fines from the NFL.

BRONCOS WIN 5-3

Week Seven

Denver Broncos @ Denver Broncos

BYE BYE BYE

In an epic Battle for the Ages, the Denver Broncos Offense (represented by Eddie Royal) defeats the Denver Broncos Defense (represented by Robert Ayers) in the Championship Round of a 36-hour bracketed Madden NFL 2011 Tournament.  Coach Josh McDaniels spends the entire tournament alternately yelling tearful encouragement and calling his players a variety of names rooted in types of fecal bacterium.

——————————————————————

Stay tuned for the Denver Broncos Second Half Preview article due for publication on Halloween Day.  Yes, per usual, the 2nd half of the Broncos’ season will be JUST THAT SCARY!!

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The 2010 Broncos season is just one draft, three shockingly random trades, and five months away.  The once proud residents of Broncoland, who have spent most of this offseason trying to avoid the new ‘all news is bad news’ flavor of the organization, are desperate to know how Denver stacks up against its 2010 competition.

What follows is an exact (mock) depiction of the Denver Broncos’ 2010 schedule.  While staring deeply into my future-sight crystal ball (it may have been a highball glass) I was able to watch the entire 2010 Broncos season unfold from on high.  Returning in a stupefied, half-conscious state, I wrote this article…

Denver Broncos @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Sunday, September 12^th 2010 @ 11:00 MST on CBS

The revamped Denver defense will hold down the inconsistent Jacksonville offense just long enough for Kyle Orton to find a tight end or something for the winning touchdown.  Josh McDaniels will be hailed publicly as a genius, but still reviled privately by 90% of his players. WIN 1-0

Seattle Seahawks @ Denver Broncos

Sunday, September 19^th @ 2:05 MST on FOX

Pete Carroll & his Seahawks will stroll into Mile High Stadium fresh off an emotional Week 1 victory at home versus the division-rival San Francisco 49ers.  Pundits will believe that the Seahawks are now a competitive team.  They will be wrong.

The Broncos’ offense will open up a minor can of whoopass on the defenseless Seahawks.  Having started the season 2-0, pundits will laud Denver as a challenger in the AFC West.  They will be wrong. WIN 2-0

Indianapolis Colts @ Denver Broncos

Sunday, September 26^th @ 2:15 MST on CBS

An 0-2 Colts squad will come to Denver off unexpected losses at Houston to the rising Texans and at home to Manning the Lesser and his hardnosed Giants.  Peyton Manning will finally warm up that terrifyingly mechanical Indy offense after two pitiful outings, followed by an undressing of the Broncos’ young secondary. LOSS 2-1

Denver Broncos @ Tennessee Titans

Sunday, October 3^rd @ 11:00 MST on CBS

Josh McDaniels will have his team playing tight, disciplined football by Week 4.

Unfortunately, the Titans have been playing tight, disciplined football (except for the postseason) for 15 years under Jeff Fisher.  McD’s Master Plan will not be enough to mash out a win in Tennessee.  LOSS 2-2

Denver Broncos @ Baltimore Ravens

Sunday, October 10^th @ 11:00 pm on CBS

Last season the Broncos were embarrassed at Baltimore 7-30.  That loss came after a 6-0 start, and it started Denver down a path to football purgatory (8-8).  In 2010, the Ravens will have a chance to deal Denver its first losing record of the season.  They will succeed.  LOSS 2-3

New York Jets @ Denver Broncos

Sunday, October 17^th @ 2:15 MST on CBS

The Jets will have an opportunity to start the season 5-0 with a favorable early-season schedule.  (Road games against beatable teams, home games against tougher teams.) Will the boys in green really come to Denver undefeated in Week 6?  I don’t know, my amazing Future Vision becomes blurry and disoriented at the New Jersey border.

What is certain is that the Jets will stroll into Denver with a winning record, a bye week on the horizon, and a serious case of unfocused play.  It happened to the Jersey Jets all last season, and it will happen again in Denver.  Lucky thing too, because the Jets are a title contender in 2010.  WIN 3-3

Oakland Raiders @ Denver Broncos

Sunday, October 17^th @ 2:05 MST on CBS

The Broncos have struggled with the Raiders in Denver the last two seasons.

This time McDaniels will have his team ready.  Josh McD is a lot of things… among them a sore looser.  Recognizing that he lost to a lesser team at home last season, McDaniels will outmaneuver whatever pasted-together coaching staff takes the Raiders sideline on this particular day.  WIN 4-3

Denver Broncos @ San Francisco 49ers

Sunday, October 31^st @ 11:00 MST on CBS

For some reason I blacked out during this portion of the Vision.  It may have been too much whiskey, we’ll never know for sure.  As a result this game will officially be noted as a sure-thing tie.  Good job Broncos.  Way to not lose.  TIE 4-3-1

BYE WEEK

Week 9

Josh McDaniels will utilize his Bye Week to place his best player on the trading block.  It will probably be DE Elvis Dumervil.  Luckily, other organizations will have stopped answering McDaniels’ & Errand Boy Brian Xanders’ phone calls weeks earlier after McXanders drunk dials his entire NFL contact list in a single night.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos

Sunday, October 31^st @ 11:00 MST on CBS

The Broncos are lucky to get Kansas City at home after a week of rest.

These Chiefs are on their way up the AFC West ladder.  A well-rested Denver defense does just enough to hold down the explosive KC offense, and Kyle Orton throws for 300 yards in the win.  Zombie Eddie Royal shakes off a headache and the thirst for sweet brain juices long enough to find his legs and grabs 10 balls for 100+ and a touchdown.  WIN 5-3-1

Denver Broncos @ San Diego Chargers

Monday, November 22^nd @ 6:30 MST on ESPN

The Broncos’ one and only trip to the Monday Night Football stage in 2010 will be an unmitigated disaster as the Chargers flex their dominance.

However, in an epic twist of fate, former San Diego Nose Tackle Jamal Williams, now decked out in orange ‘n blue, does a double underhook suplex on Chargers’ QB Philip “Perma-smirk” Rivers.  Philip breaks something important on the play, and the Chargers immediately regret trading their best backup QB in the offseason.  Undaunted, Norv Turner puts Darren Sproles under center and runs direct snaps to him the rest of the game.  Somehow this strategy works, or Josh McDaniels calls fifteen bubble screens to Jabar Gaffney or something, and the Broncos lose anyway.  LOSS 5-4-1

St. Louis Rams @ Denver Broncos

Sunday, November 28^th @ 2:15 MST on FOX

This late November game in the Mile High City will be played in swirling snow.  Knowshon Moreno will take the opportunity to run for almost 200 yards while only fumbling twice.  His three touchdowns will make it just better than a break-even day, and Elvis Dumervil will toss Rams quarterbacks all over the offensive backfield.  WIN 6-4-1

Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs

Sunday, December 5^th @ 11:00 MST on CBS

It’s a real shame the NFL scheduling czars didn’t see fit to make this a Monday night affair the next day.  The Broncos always beat the Chiefs on my birthday, December 6^th.  Check the record books, its true.  The day I was born, the Broncos beat the Chiefs on December 6^th.  A couple years ago Denver rocked the chiefs on my birthday.

December 5^th?  What a lame day.  And a lame loss.  The Broncos experience their typical late-season in KC shakes, and are pounded into the Arrowhead turf.  LOSS 6-5-1

Denver Broncos @ Arizona Cardinals

Sunday, December 12^th @ 2:15 MST on CBS

Poor, poor Cardinals fans.  Kurt Warner comes in and turns a perennial loser into a Super Bowl contender.  Then, like a flash, he’s gone, and with it any hopes of a return to the Big Game.  Luckily, Arizona still plays in the weakest division in football.  Unluckily, their soft schedule will not prepare them for a home game against the Broncos.

Denver rolls the Cards in an unseemly fashion.  WIN 7-5-1

Denver Broncos @ Oakland Raiders

Sunday, December 19^th @ 2:15 MST on CBS

Late in the season and needing a win to stay in the playoff hunt, the Broncos scrape together a gutsy win in Oakland.  For many Broncos fans, this game will look like an okay team turning the corner towards greatness.  Other Broncos fans will realize that it’s just the friggin’ Raiders and even a near-loss to Oakland is just a little disgraceful.  WIN 8-5-1

Houston Texans @ Denver Broncos

Sunday, December 26^th @ 2:05 MST on CBS

The Day After Christmas and all is not well,

For one Gary Kubiak is coming to town.

Mastermind Junior and dressed in all red,

With visions of playoff births stuck in his head.

McDaniels will scream, kick, bite & spit,

But the Ghost of Mike Shanahan presides over this.

At Mile High Stadium on this fateful day,

The Texans will win it running away.

LOSS 8-6-1

San Diego Chargers @ Denver Broncos

Sunday, January 2^nd @ 2:15 MST on CBS

A New Year and a new chance to smite the hated Chargers will instill a sense of purpose and destiny in the Broncos.  Having already locked up the shaky AFC West, the Chargers will rest Philip Rivers, who has his contract amended to read, “Philip shall not take the field if Jamal Williams and Elvis Dumervil have both lined up on the opposite side of the ball.  Failure to abide by this amendment shall result in the immediate launching of one Norv Turner from the nearest catapult or catapult-like object.” WIN 9-6-1

Denver eeks its way into the postseason with a 9-6-1 record, beating out at least three 9-7 teams.  A first-round rematch with the Jersey Jets lies on the horizon.  (End Vision)

Before you settle in for another non-stop media blitz populated by talking heads, draftnicks & pundits galore, take a moment to reflect on the 2009 season with Jerome V’s 2009 NFL Awards

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Miscues in ‘09 set table for 2010 Draft

The first day of the first draft of the McDaniels-Xanders era in Denver was, by most accounts, a disaster.  The Broncos had just traded franchise quarterback Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears for two 1^st Round picks, and expectations were high for how those picks would be used.

Then Josh “I Do What I Want” McDaniels and Brian “I Do What Josh Tells Me” Xanders traded the Broncos’ extra 2010 pick for the 5^th pick in the 2^nd Round of the 2009 Draft.  The player they grabbed with that pick?  Wake Forest Cornerback Alphonso Smith, who couldn’t muscle his way past the Ghost of Ty Law in the Broncos’ DB pecking order.

The two ’09 picks that preceded Smith were used to draft Georgia Running Back Knowshon Moreno & Tennessee Defensive End Robert Ayers.  Moreno started through the 2009 regular season, but lacked the explosive playmaking ability that made him a 12^th Overall coming out of college.  Ayers spent the majority of his rookie season injured, and the rest of it ineffective.

Time will tell whether the Broncos later ’09 2^nd Round picks, Safety Darcel McBath & Tight End Richard Quinn, will pan out in Denver.  Quinn will see a lot of snaps in 2010 since former 2^nd Round TE Tony Scheffler was exiled to the Detroit Lions on Monday.  We’ll know a lot about how the Broncos coaching staff feels about McBath’s NFL progress after this week’s draft.  If Denver grabs a free safety in the first three rounds, it may be a sign that McBath is a bust.

At least the McXanders combo will have a chance to right their early-round wrongs from ‘09 with three picks in the first two rounds of the 2010 Draft.

Late-round 2009 picks are projects best saved for later examination, but overall rounds 4-7 look pretty good for McXanders.  Safety David Bruton, WR Kenny McKinley & Fresno State QB Tom Brandstater all looked solid in 2009 preseason action against fellow late-round talent.  No doubt, McKinley and Brandstater are learning to do things the McDaniels way before they ever become major role-players in his offense, but Kenny in particular has shown exceptional talent for a 5^th Round Selection.

The 2010 Draft is nigh upon us

By the time this article publishes, we will be roughly 24 hours away from the start of the 1^st Round of the 2010 Draft.

The Broncos ended the 2009 season with a lot of clear needs on the defensive side of the ball.  Strong Safety is probably a concern, but Inside Linebacker and Nose Tackle take clear precedence.  That’s the entire middle of the Denver defense for those keeping track.

The Broncos’ primary offensive need is at Center after 2009 7^th Round selection Blake Schlueter ended up with the Atlanta Falcons.

Denver Broncos needs in the first 2 Rounds

The weakness at ILB will likely spur Denver to pick up exceptional Alabama Linebacker Rolando McClain in the 1^st Round.  Despite the defensive depth in the 2010 draft, the LB class is one of the weakest in years.  Plus, McClain is the type of run stuffing on-field coach that Brian Xanders & Defensive Coordinator Don Martindale (himself a former linebacker) can build the rest of the defense around.

Really, the interior of the offensive line was the only big issue for the Denver offense going into this draft until Brandon Marshall was traded to the Miami Dolphins last week.  Unfortunately for the Broncos, the WR class gets pretty light after troubled but talented receiver Dez Bryant, and there is no way that Denver wants another head-case wideout mucking up the locker room should he fall to the 11^th pick.

What does work out in the Broncos’ favor is that the top Center in the 2010 Draft, Florida’s Maurkice Pouncey, may be available when Denver makes their first pick of the 2^nd Round.  However, if McClain is off the board earlier in the 1^st Round, the Broncos may go ahead and grab Pouncey with the 11^th Overall.  By most accounts, Pouncey is 1^st Round material in a draft so loaded that many top players will be available in the 2^nd.

Who goes when will all come down to the needs of other teams, but ideally these will be the Broncos’ top two picks.

Another 1^st Round option is Tennessee Nose Tackle Dan Williams, although the NT class is deep enough that Denver can get a less expensive center for their 3-4 defense later in the draft.  Terrance Cody, Alabama’s behemoth Nose Tackle, may fit the bill.  Cody has conditioning issues, but may work well in a platoon with recently acquired veteran NT Jamal Williams (formerly of the San Diego Chargers).  North Carolina DT Cam Thomas should be available late in the 2^nd Round.

Ian’s Dream Draft: Rounds 1 & 2

All things being equal, it is difficult to decipher the tendencies of McDaniels and Xanders after their free-wheeling, pick-trading 2009 Draft odyssey.  If the stars aligned perfectly, the Broncos could spend the first two picks setting the middle of their defense & offense with Rolando McClain & Maurkice Pouncey respectively.

Since Denver has both the 11^th & 13^th picks in the 2^nd Round, taking Pouncey with the 11 and then the best Nose Tackle available at 13 makes a lot of sense.  However, my Dream Draft has another, considerably wackier outcome.  Pouncey Centered an outstanding offensive line as a Gator in front of Heisman-winning Florida QB Tim Tebow.

If Tebow falls to the 2^nd Round, the Broncos will have the rare opportunity to grab the Center/Quarterback combo that made Florida a National Title contender the last two years.  Pouncey is clearly the best Center in the draft, and should both he and Tebow fall to the early stages of the 2^nd Round, I would love to see both end up in Denver.

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The Denver Broncos should take a flier on Tim Tebow.  No doubt.

Proven talent, proven personality & versatility, wears the colors well.  But before we get into the many reasons that Timothy Richard Tebow would be a great fit for the Denver Broncos, we’ll address the immediate, “Are you kidding me!?” queries.

Are you kidding me!?  Tebow didn’t play in an NFL-type system as a Gator.  He won’t be able to run an NFL offense efficiently.

Tim Tebow threw 88 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in his time at Florida, and was the first college quarterback to both run and throw for 20+ touchdowns in a single season (2007).  Those two statistics speak volumes about his maturity as a young quarterback.  Add to that his Heisman Trophy as a sophomore, another NCAA first, and you’ve got a balanced playmaker who is clearly well ahead of the traditional QB learning curve.

Tebow did all of this without elite receiving options in the most aggressive defensive conference (SEC) in the nation.  If that doesn’t spell NFL-ready, I don’t know what does.

Give Tim Tebow a system and pro-caliber receivers, then watch him thrive.

Are you kidding me!?  Tim Tebow doesn’t have the traditional delivery of Peyton Manning and other elite NFL quarterbacks.

Tim worked throughout the last year to teach himself the traditional delivery that NFL coaches prefer.  He has succeeded at everything he’s ever done, and done so at an accelerated pace.  Tebow will master a new throwing motion in less time than it takes to teach a lesser two-way quarterback the new playbook.

Add to that his proficiency with a non-traditional semi-sidearm throw, and you’ve got the kind of versatility required to survive in the NFL.  Tebow’s natural throw is more useful on the run, and as a running quarterback he can challenge defenses to chase him outside of the pocket.

Pursuit or coverage?  Pick your poison.

Are you kidding me!? Tim Tebow’s Heisman-winning sophomore year was his peak.  He’ll never be as explosive as he was in his first starting season with Florida.

While Tebow’s passer rating and touchdown totals did decline each season as a Gator, his completion percentage spiked in his senior season at 70.1%.  That 2009 campaign saw Tebow playing alongside the least amount of offensive talent in his career, which explains the drop-off in passer rating and drastic rise in sack total.  Tim was dropped for a loss 25 times in 2009 compared to 15 sacks in 2008.

Despite the team-related struggles, Tebow still only threw 5 interceptions and made up for what his teammates lacked by rushing for over 900 yards.  That was a career best, and showed that Tebow was as explosive as he needed to be without pushing too hard.  Tim had less to work with, but didn’t make the mistake of trying to force plays.

That situation is precisely what Tebow will likely be walking into at his first NFL job, as the teams in need of his services predominantly lack both a star quarterback and elite receiving talent.  Those “welcome to the NFL” moments that have destroyed a laundry list of quality college quarterbacks won’t deflate Tebow.  His college career slowly prepared him to do more with less, and his decision-making is unparalleled in this draft.

So… why the Broncos?  They’ve got a signed starter in Kyle Orton, a quality backup in Brady Quinn, and a QB-in-training in Tom Brandstater.

Make no mistake, Kyle Orton is not a winning quarterback.

Orton is just good enough to not lose.  A winning quarterback goes out and takes the game by the horns.  Kyle’s above-average winning percentage in the regular season is purely the result of playing on good defensive teams with the kind of conservative approach that promises fewer mistakes.  (Orton was a loser in every game last season where his opponent scored more than 23 points.)  He will never win a playoff game, because that takes a quarterback who is capable of stepping up his game under pressure.

Brady Quinn may yet turn the corner as an NFL quarterback, but his statistical career to date is a nightmare.

In 14 NFL games over a 3-year career Quinn has thrown for 10 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.  In 10 games during the 2009 campaign, Brady’s passer rating only topped 75.0 twice… against Detroit & San Diego.  In half of those games it was worse than 50.0.

Quinn’s only wins last year came against Pittsburgh (a 13-6 suckfest) and Kansas City.  In his win over the Chiefs, Brady threw for a total of 66 yards and 2 interceptions.  He didn’t throw a touchdown in either victory, and 7 of his 8 touchdown passes on the season came in two of his ten games… against Detroit & San Diego… both losses.

Gag me with a spoon.

Tom Brandstater is presumably a system quarterback whom Broncos coach Josh McDaniels plans to mold into his perfect passer.

However, Brandstater is clearly not anywhere near ready to take the helm.  Otherwise the Broncos would not have marched the noodle-armed Chris Simms onto the field after Kyle Orton was injured at Washington.  Perhaps Brandstater would be better suited for the practice squad until he can top a trust-fund baby on the depth chart.

By comparison, Tim Tebow excels where each of these quarterbacks is lacking.

Tebow has guts and moxy where Orton has made a career of low risk, low reward quarterbacking.  Tim’s last two years in Florida compare favorably to Quinn’s last two in Cleveland considering they both played on untalented offenses.  Tebow manufactured yardage and wins in that situation while Quinn ceded time to Derek Anderson.  Brandstater is a slow-developing maybe-someday QB where Tebow is a proven winner who has quickly dominated every new or changed situation throughout his career.

And what about Josh McDaniels?  Why would he want a Tim Tebow on his team?

Because Tebow gives him options galore in an offense clearly working towards a highly complex, misdirection-heavy playbook.  (Wild Horses anyone?)  Not only is Tim a quick learner, not only does Tebow have the ability to run set plays, options & the occasional breakdown with maturity and efficiency, but he is also everything that Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall & Tony Scheffler are not…

Tim Tebow is a good kid.

We’re talking Christian Missionary good, Jesus-lite good… the epitome of all things positive in a prominent sports figure good.  Dude visits jails to bring the Good Word to those who have no hope.

And whether you agree with that message or not, you have to respect the fact that Tim Tebow isn’t doing community service because he ran afoul of the law.  Tim does it because he wants to, feels driven to, gains pleasure from doing so.  Who wouldn’t want to coach that kind of player?  Who wouldn’t want to root for that kind of guy?  Who wouldn’t want their kids looking up to him as a model for success?

Tim listens well, learns well, and stays out of off-field trouble.  He is the ideal student for a coach looking to bark orders and take no lip.  And yet, no matter how hard McDaniels pushes, Tebow will forever remain… the unflappable Tim Tebow.  McD couldn’t possibly break this kid or so much as hurt his feelings.  Tim works for The Man, and all else is a means to an end.

The foul-mouthed, no nonsense, my way or the highway coach who would just as soon spit on you as apologize, and the saintly son of a preacher who has never doubted his talent or his path since before he could grow chin hair.

They’re a match made in heaven.

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