Has Josh McDaniels Ruined the Denver Broncos?

by John Morgan on Aug 22, 2009 2:40 PM PDT Comment 17 comments

More photos » David Zalubowski - AP

Brandon Marshall is not traveling with the team. His injury: Self-preservation.

Josh McDaniels has played with fire on a powderkeg since taking over in Denver. He chased out the single most valuable player in football and replaced him with Kyle Orton. Orton was mediocre and injured in 2008. Before that, he backed up Rex Grossman.

Marshall is unstable. Maybe in another situation, fans would interpret Marshall's antics as a good player quitting on a team that desperately needs him. But McDaniels has towered above his team since joining the Broncos. Kept himself prominent in the stormiest of weather. And when judgment strikes down, few will see anyone but McDaniels channeling the spark to his team. Whatever Marshall's value, his role in this recent controversy, his role in the inherent instability of the Broncos organization, it will be McDaniels that will be blamed if he holds out, is traded or just ineffective.

It will be McDaniels that's jettisoned when the team goes boom.

That is, if the team goes boom. Worn controversy aside, blame only matters if the Broncos fail. Losing Cutler only matters if Orton or Chris Simms fails. And Marshall missing tonight's game only matters if Marshall is insistent on being traded. John Bena of Mile High Report thinks this Marshall not practicing with the first team offense, Marshall not playing so far in the preseason and all the surrounding controversy could be a smokescreen. Could. He cites Randy Moss's preseason experience his first year with New England. Moss wasn't publicly demanding a trade.

Mad scientist McDaniels could be misunderstood. Misunderstood genius is a more palatable take for Broncos fans than stubborn agitator leading his men to certain doom. Better Vincent Van Gogh than General Custer, despite their similarly tragic endings.

Maybe McDaniels is the antihero. Controversial, irreverent, balking at the cult of quarterback and believing system can make neckbeard GQ -- or at least Matt Cassel. The antihero earns the ire of establishment but the stubborn love of his followers, rewards his followers with eventual triumph and embarrasses the establishment by exposing their lazy convention and bigoted judgment.

I just see a kid in over his head; A mediocre team afloat on a passing offense now gone; An opportunistic wide receiver playing the angles; And a media smelling blood in the water. We'll know a little more after tonight. Seattle has a huge stake in the Broncos failure. Schadenfreude doesn't getter sweeter. As Lisa Simpson once said "Hack the bone! Hack the bone!"

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Seriously, how do you justify botching the Cutler situation like that?

You hit the nail on the head when you mentioned how valuable Cutler was in that offense. It doesn’t matter if Cutler was a system QB, a product of a favorable offense. He was young, he was putting up numbers, and he was just entering his prime. His quality should be increasing right now in a potent offense, making the Bronco’s a dangerous team regardless of how terrible their defense was. And McDaniels dismantled that, largely on accident. Which is the most damning thing of all. A man in his position just can’t let information about him pursuing Cassel leak.

by Fear on Aug 22, 2009 3:14 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It sure looks that way

It really depends on the rookies Knowshon Moreno, Robert Ayers, and Alphonso Smith. If they become more of a factor in winning games than Jay Cutler was he will be ok. He got rid of known talent for potential talent. A risky strategy, but it sure is fun to watch the young Mcdaniels try to fix this situation. The trasition to a 3-4 was also a risky move given the lack of compatible players.

by CardsDefense on Aug 22, 2009 3:40 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Prediction time

I honestly can’t see them winning more than 4 games.

by aerozeppelin on Aug 22, 2009 4:00 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

You will all be eating serious crow when we face Denver in the next Super Bowl and McDaniels wins coach of the year.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Aug 22, 2009 4:14 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

If we face Denver in the Super Bowl and McDaniels wins coach of the year

I won’t care. Because we’ll be in the Superbowl. And we’ll win, because we’ll be facing the Denver Broncos. With Kyle Orton at QB.

by Fear on Aug 22, 2009 4:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Indeed.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Aug 22, 2009 5:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hope he gets traded for draft picks

My worry is that we might get traded for a player that may actually help the team.

Brett Favre is the Kenny Powers of football.

by ninjasocks on Aug 22, 2009 4:20 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Couldn't agree more.

by thebyron on Aug 23, 2009 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

"He chased out the single most valuable player in football"

I would dispute that. If you were to say “single most young valuable QB in football” or the “most valuable player on the Broncos” I’d be with you but otherwise I strongly disagree.

McDaniels and Bowlen messed up this team. They had the AFC West in their hands and then forgot to play defense….next thing you know the crap hit the fan.

They managed to destroy this team from inside out.

Their incompetence is our gain.

Beverly Hills 90210.......Denver Broncos 7.

by SSreporters on Aug 22, 2009 4:24 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I think what he meant is that a franchise QB (any franchise QB) is the most valuable player on a team

Orton is no franchise QB.

No other position in football is more important.

Brett Favre is the Kenny Powers of football.

by ninjasocks on Aug 22, 2009 5:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

What I meant is Jay Cutler was the single most valuable player in football.

Cutler was a 25 year old franchise quarterback making 2 million against the cap.

by John Morgan on Aug 22, 2009 5:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, sorry for putting words in your mouth

I think that contention is clearly debatable, then.

Brett Favre is the Kenny Powers of football.

by ninjasocks on Aug 22, 2009 5:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's debatable, of course.

But I can’t think of anyone that would be ahead of him.

by John Morgan on Aug 22, 2009 6:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm, that statement needs to be carefully parsed

If I understand it correctly, John’s point is that the price the Broncos had been paying for Cutler was a better deal than any other team enjoyed. Highest quality player for the lowest price = most valuable. Yes?

When you consider that the Broncos are probably overpaying for a player of Orton’s caliber, McDaniels’s mistake looks even more stupid.

by Mr Fish on Aug 23, 2009 1:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Quality first, cost second, of course

a great deal on Charlie Frye? Not even in the discussion. Considering value, on a timeline, since Manning/Brady have been around for 10 years, the closest thing is Roethlisberger. But he cost a hunredmill.

by jacobstevens on Aug 24, 2009 12:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Has McDaniels ruined the Broncos?

Yes.

Sam Bradford, future Seattle Seahawk.

by Carl Shinyama on Aug 22, 2009 10:18 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It's premature

I’m not overreacting to this preseason game, but looking at what he’s putting in for an offense, they have a chance to still be surprisingly mediocre. The defense was going to be bad, anyway.

There’s still some bad moves. And the mitigation of the Cutler loss was at least partially messed up by trading the pick to us. No matter how you shake it it’s a net loss on a liquid asset. The only way for it to be a wash or better is for that CB to make such a difference this year, that it quells the flames of the hot seat that McDaniels made for himself.

Bad moves, lack of tact. Not going to make Orton Cassell. But Kitna. That won’t drive you to the playoffs, but it’s something you can work with. And for Seahawk fans, it’s unfortunately not a straight shot to 4 wins.

by jacobstevens on Aug 24, 2009 12:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs