On the Chopping Block

Yes, I'm back to talk more about the Broncos. Yesterday we learned that the Broncos and Mike Nolan (the defensive coordinator who finally helped make the Broncos defense respectable again) have "mutually agreed to go their separate ways." This is just the most recent example of the absolutely horrible decisions that have been coming out of Denver all year. I mean, it isn't exactly as if you took a step backwards after you hired Mike Nolan. I mean, if you look at the exceptional start that the Broncos had, it had far more to do with the defense than the incredibly system that McDaniels brought in. Look at the scores of the games. In the first 6 games, there was only 1 game where the Broncos D allowed more than 17 points, and only 2 where they allowed more than 10. And the highest point total for the Bronco offense in each of those 6 games was in San Diego (34 points) where they had 2 kick returns for touchdowns by Eddie Royal. So you take those 14 points away, the offense only scored 20 points.

Here's my assessment of the situation. Look at the way that McDaniels has handled himself throughout the year. Runs out Jay Cutler. Suspends Brandon Marshall. Fit pitching on the sidelines, never playing Peyton Hillis, benching Marhall and Scheffler. This guy is far more concerned with people knowing that he is the one in charge than actually making sound decisions. With the playoffs on the line, you don't bench your best players. If I were Mike Nolan, I wouldn't want to be on this guy's coaching staff either. I mean, how much longer would it be before this guy, who is an offensive guy, comes over and starts trying to tell me how to do my job, or benches my players?

Here's the bottom line. Before Mike Nolan, the Bronco's defense was pathetic. It is true that they totally buckled in the last game of the year, but that is far more about McDaniels than Nolan, in my opinion. The players quit on McD, not on Nolan. Nolan is one of the game's best defensive minds. He has shown that everywhere that he has been, and just a day after parting ways with the Broncos, the Dolphins have already picked him up. The quickness of that should show you how highly people in the league view him. By letting him go, the Broncos will get somebody else who isn't as good, continue their theme of instability in the Defensive Coordinator position, and have players have to learn another whole new system on defense. This is a joke. The only thing that is going to get better for the Broncos after this year is their draft position, because they are going to win fewer games.

The real problem lies with McDaniels. This guy thinks he's Bill Bellichick. One problem, though, he isn't. He is convinced the only way to do things is the way things happened in New England. He only wants his guys, not Shannahan's, or Nolan's, or anybody else's. He is going to make the Broncos worse before he makes them better, and we will see that in the next year. I seriously hope that he will not be around after his contract ends.