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I would never thought I would see this day, but it is justified though.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/colum...9&sportCat=nfl
I would never thought I would see this day, but it is justified though.
I actually didn't think he coaching was that bad this year, though. I have NEVER seen a team lose so many guys at one position as they did at running back this season. Couple that with Cutler's tendency to mix in an absolutely bonehead play every now and again, and that offense was pretty much nonexistent. The defense just stunk. No pass rush, no consistent run D (especially after DJ Williams went down). A lot of the guys who haven't panned out on that D-line, though, have been his picks.
Offense nonexistent? 3rd best in the league I believe it was.
His d-line picks are my only blame on Shanahan. The man is one of the best coaches in the NFL...I just don't see the Broncos getting better from a new coach...and after all...isn't that the POINT of hiring a coach.
Also, Cutler, Marshall and Royal have all been quoted as a bit disappointed with Bowlen's actions. The firing has caused dissent amongst the players...not a good thing.
I think it was more of a case of firing Shanahan the GM more than Shanahan the coach.
He won't have troubles finding a new team, that's for sure.
things have been pretty stale for the most part since Elway retired. I think ownership wanted a different direction. Apparently they were willing to keep Shanahan, but Shanahan refused to release his defensive coordinator and ended up leaving with him (or at least those are some of the rumors).
Anyhow.....it think its time for change there. Too often teams change too much, but the same could be said the other way around.
They could have just done a Mike Homgren, where they took his GM duties away, then we won 5 straight NFC West championships, and one trip to the superbowl.
It is odd, how does he get canned when 'Son of Bum' still has his job in Dallas?
Am I the only one that thinks he deserves it? One playoff win since 1998. Blowing a four game division lead with four to go. No postseason appearances in four years. That's reason to fire anyone.
Well the last THREE years is when they haven't made the playoffs (with a division title in 2005). And it was a three game lead with three to go...but who's counting. I would only blame bad coaching decisions on last year. He has been one of the better coaches in the league...the Broncos just made a bad decision on Jake Plummer and 2006 was a "we give up" year as we installed Cutler midway through the season.
This year injuries and poor defense led to the collapse. Not Shanahan's coaching.
2 losing seasons in his entire tenure. I just think maybe people expect too much out of the Broncos...and Shanahan...and maybe coaches all over sports.
The meeting in which he was let go lasted five minutes. Five. I don't think they tried to figure something else out. Bowlen had to do something after watching the team collapse and he did something. It wasn't the correct decision as the team will not get better from a new coach (which again, is the POINT of getting a new coach).
Shanahan is gonna love to beat the Broncos when he goes to a new team (Yahoo! says Dallas would be an amazing fit).
Did anyone really expect the Broncos to make the playoffs the last two years? Talent wise they just weren't ready. Shanahan didn't coach a heavily talented team out of the playoffs. He coached the third best offense in the league. The defense killed him.
I wasn't blaming him for the offense's problems (they were pretty inconsistent down the stretch)...I was blaming losing, what, 153 running backs with injuries and a still inconsistent young quarterback.
If it's true he was refusing to drop his defensive co-ordinator, that is a bit baffling...their defense was flat out awful this year. Some of it was a lack of talent (which is Shanahan's fault), but some of it was a total lack of imagination in the scheme. I mean, did they change ANYTHING in that system all year? If you're doing one thing for 6 games and are positively terrible, you'd think MAYBE you'd change SOMETHING up.
I'm wondering if, as much as Bowlen thinks the team needs a breath of fresh air, Shanahan decided HE needed one as well.
I think Shanahan did take too much of the team over. He was everything but the owner and I think that is essentially what did him in.
Honestly, I just think losing him as a coach will hurt the team not help it. And that's why it's a terrible decision. Strip him of his GM duties...hire Sundquist back or something...but the man is a hall of fame coach (possibly)...and his offense of 15 years of zone blocking and play action was still working. Once Cutler becomes a little more mature that team could have been considered a contender..if they had a D...now I'm not so sure.
Unless Kubiak somehow comes back...
He hasn't done bad in Houston at all. Schaub has had injury problems...their defense is starting to improve..the team is starting to get pretty damn good I think with Slaton...Johnson and Schaub on offense and Mario Williams anchoring that D line.
The offensive system in Houston fits Schaub perfectly if he can stay healthy. The Texans played well down the stretch...I think he's done a fine job.
They just dumped their entire defensive staff...no, wait, they kept their linebackers coach. :D Anyway, yeah, they REALLY need some work over there.
He hasn't do a bad job, but I do remember reading several reports that there was some issues between him and some players.
ESPN just had breaking news that Pats OC Josh McDaniels is going to be the new Denver HC.
Belichick Coordinators haven't worked so far...we'll see if they work now...
Plus McDaniels is called a "young mike shanahan".
I thought the Broncos were moving on...
Another interesting point though is Mike Nolan is rumored to be heading to Denver to be the DC.
Nolan would be a great hire to run the defense...he's done very well in that role in the past. As for McDaniels, who knows? The problem when you're dealing with assistant from a team is secretive about things as the Pats are is that you don't really know how much input in to his schemes, and therefore how much epxerience actually running things, he really has.
If Nolan can help the D...our offense will work itself out. McDaniels showed Bowlen something...I'm just hoping it was something that he will prove on the field.
Who knows...everyones calling him the next Mike Shanahan...so...