Bronco futility; Another late season collapse creates uncertain future

Another Broncos season has passed, and it once again ended in mediocrity. After a 6-0 start to the season, the team finished 8-8 for the second straight year. Broncos fans were once again teased by their team, before enduring another complete collapse. 

The outlook before the season was grim for the Broncos. Mike Shanahan, the head coach who led the Broncos to two Super Bowl titles, was fired by the team after last season. He was replaced by 32-year old Josh McDaniels, whose first major move was taking part in a dispute with Broncos QB Jay Cutler, one of the league’s best young quarterbacks. Cutler was upset that the new head coach was involved in possible trade scenarios that would send Cutler away. McDaniels, Cutler, and the Broncos owner could not collectively come to an agreement, as Cutler did not trust McDaniels. The Broncos had no choice but to get rid of Cutler, the quarterback who was supposed to return the team to its glory days of John Elway. The Broncos ended up trading Cutler to the Chicago Bears for draft picks and QB Kyle Orton, who would take over the starting role. Without their future Hall of Fame coach and their young star QB, the Broncos began what was set to be another disappointing season.

However, 2009 began like a miracle year for the Broncos. The rookie head coach led the Broncos to a 6-0 start including 4 wins over teams that would make the playoffs. All the parts were clicking offensively, as rookie RB Knowshon Moreno became the featured back, and QB Kyle Orton threw 9 TDs and only 1 INT in the first 6 games. Newly acquired Safety Brian Dawkins helped lead the defense to great start, allowing only 11 points a game. The Broncos were a “sure-thing” to make the playoffs, as they still had 2 games left against the lowly Kansas City Chiefs and an easy game against the Oakland Raiders. 

After their 6-0 start to the season, the Broncos didn’t have a game week 7. Broncos fans could relax without any worry for their team. I hope they enjoyed it, because this was the final moment of bliss that the season would provide. The Broncos would finish the season by losing 8 of the final 10 games, and would once again miss the playoffs. The only bright moment the Broncos had the second half of the season was a Thanksgiving Night win over the New York Giants followed a by a win over the Chiefs the following week. These two wins revived the Broncos playoff hopes, before four losses to end the season put the nail in the coffin. 

The San Diego Chargers ended up winning the division, although the Broncos had once led by 3.5 games. This may revive painful memories of last year’s Bronco collapse, once again at the hands of the Chargers. In 2008, the Broncos held a 3 game lead over the Chargers with 3 games to go. The only possible way for the Broncos to miss the playoffs was in the unlikely scenario that the Chargers to win their final three games while the Broncos lost all three of theirs. This situation nevertheless occurred, as Chargers embarrassed the Broncos in the final game of the season 52-21.

This offseason the Broncos will look to improve their defense, as well as their depth at the Wide Receiver position. Star WR Brandon Marshall is on the same page as the Broncos after spending the much of the season in upset. The Broncos will look to use their #10 overall draft pick to find some young talent. Many believe they will draft Oklahoma WR Dez Bryant, while others think that Alabama LB Rolando McClain will be a Bronco next season. 

Despite their team’s late season collapse, Bronco fans remain confident that McDaniels is the right coach to lead their team to success. “The Broncos need more heart. They need to be gutsy,” said sophomore Matt Valeta. “Josh McDaniels obviously showed that he is a good coach, and I have faith in his abilities for next season.”