SB Nation User Blog: ButteBronco

Changing at the Left Gaurd?

ButteBronco — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:30:18 -0000

Broncos Sign Martin

ButteBronco — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:59:53 -0000

Seven Players Missing from Today's Practice

ButteBronco — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:28:56 -0000

Seven Players Missing from Today's Practice

Brandon Marshall not one of them. It's good to hear he's out there. Between all the reporting and this crazy off-season, I was paranoid that he would be held out today. Phew.

10-Year-Old Hero Closes Door On Jay Cutler Era

ButteBronco — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:33:46 -0000

10-Year-Old Hero Closes Door On Jay Cutler Era

At Dawn

ButteBronco — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:57:22 -0000

I hate to overstate it, but this weekend will be a watershed moment for the Denver Broncos. With the exit of Mike Shanahan, Jay Cutler, and the Goodmans, and the entrance of Josh McDanials and Brian Xanders, our proud franchise hangs in the balance. Are we at the dawn of Pat Bowlen's golden era, where a draft-rebuilt, balanced team competes for Super Bowls year-in year-out over the next decade, or did we just trade away the cornerstone of the franchise for nothing but a few oppressive contracts that will render us AFC West bottom feeders for the decade to come?

This question is enough to keep most of us diehard fans awake tonight. Making the question far more nerve-racking, we do not really know what to expect from the two-headed monster that is McXanials. We know they have chutzpah. This pair has a pair. Other guys may have sat down with their petulant "franchise" QB and appeased away, "we love you Jay... we owed it to the franchise to pick up the phone... plus, I had a relationship there, you must understand... bring that world-class arm of yours to the workouts next week and we'll get started on winning Super Bowls... okay champ?". Instead these guys sat down and basically said, "we're sorry if we hurt your feelings, but nobody's above the team and we expect you to be at the workouts next week."

This brash, bold attitude is why rumors of trading precious, team-building picks away to nab a guy like Sanchez has Bronco's Country biting its collective nails. Like I said, there are folks that will lose sleep tonight because of it. However, I will sleep just fine tonight and here are a few reasons why:

Although some find it to be disturbing, I find it comforting that our new coach hails from New England. Especially when it relates to the draft. Josh McDanials was in the war room year after year soaking up a NE draft philosophy that has resulted in numerous "home run" first round picks, especially front seven guys. Guys like Richard Seymore, Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, and Jarod Mayo are flat-out studs.
McDanials and Xanders have a plan. From his very first interview, the coach has repeatedly said that he wants to fill a team with smart, tough, well-conditioned players who perform well under pressure. Relating specifically to the draft, McDanials has said they will draft the best player available at positions of need. Drafting the smartest, toughest, best-conditioned gamers where we need help sounds like a good strategy to me. Plus, this strategy implies moving away from drafting based on 40 times and vertical leaps.
Based on the interviews that I have taken in, McDanials strikes me as a bright, hard working, confident leader. I'm sure that's what Mr. Bowlen saw during the interview process as well.
Mike Shanahan is not running the show. I don't want to beat a dead horse here and I absolutely love and respect the guy, but his legacy on drafting first round difference makers is well documented (especially on defense).

So at the dawn of an uncertain era, I take solace that we have a bright, fresh-faced leader who comes from an extremely successful draft room, who has a strategy, and has put in the work and has the confidence necessary to execute the strategy. Even if something crazy goes down tomorrow--and it will-- I will patient and hopeful that the best decision was made. In fact, the only thing that will surprise me this weekend is if our draft looks anything similar to the mock draft echo chamber I've succumbed to over the past month.

When it does happen-- i.e., say we draft Sanchez (gasp), or a guy like Percy Harvin in the first, or someone other than Chung, Lugis, Delmas, or Brace @48--Cutler's chicken littles and our lovable resident curmudgeons are going to enter this public forum and declare the draft a failure and demand McDanials' and Xanders' heads on pikes outside dove valley. I will remind these folks of one of my first experiences here at MHR, last year's draft open threads. The bedlam that followed Eddie Royal's selection was unreal. OMG, how do you draft an unknown KR when Dan Connor is on the board???1!!?1!!! Dannn freakin Connorrrr!!/1>!!

I guess my point is, the draft is a crap shoot. All we can really ask for as fans is that our front office personnel make well informed decisions that are in line with a comprehensive, competent set of team goals. I, for one, am confident that we are in good hands. So, get some sleep tonight Bronco fans and wake up tomorrow ready to usher in the dawn of a new era of Broncos dominance.

GO BRONCOS!!

Cutler to Speak @ 4:00 PM MST

ButteBronco — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:35:02 -0000

Cutler to Speak @ 4:00 PM MST

Channel 7 in Denver is going to carry it live.

For those that missed coach's NFL network interview.

ButteBronco — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:12:18 -0000

For those that missed coach's NFL network interview.

Kornhieser and Wilbon on Cutler Situation

ButteBronco — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 17:45:22 -0000

Kornhieser and Wilbon on Cutler Situation

My two favorite members of the MSM wax on Jay and McD in their daily talking points segment on WP.com.

Granted, Tony is terrible on MNF but his radio show is my favorite sports-related TV/Radio/Internet show of all time. PTI is great too.

I love Wilbon's take on a 32 year old coach coming into this situation-- "chin music".

Cutler talk starts around the 9:40 mark.

Beyond the Pale?

ButteBronco — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:44:54 -0000

With so many rumors floating around, it's very hard to tell exactly what happened at this point. Let's assume the worst-- it was us who floated the deal to NE-- "find a third team with a quality pick and Cutler's in play". Even if this did happen, is it really beyond the pale???

There is no doubt Jay is very talented, but so was Jeff George. I really hate to judge people, so I'll stop short of saying Jay's a bad person or anything like that. In fact, I can't imagine being in his shoes at his age. However (here's where I turn into a hypocrite), the term "franchise QB" has been thrown around a lot here and his public persona just doesn't fit with the likes of Brady, Manning, McNabb, Montana, Young, etc. Maybe it fits closer to a young John Elway, but I won't go there.

The only thing really separating Jay from the throngs of young athletes that have rarely heard the word no (see his QB draft mates: VY & ML) is a truck load of raw talent. However, I worry about him having a TO-style flip out on the sideline, or continuing his habit of saying team-damaging things publicly. If he becomes a real problem in that respect, we will not receive value for him in a trade and will likely let him go in FA. Maybe McDanials was thinking along these lines when (if) he floated the offer.

I know most of the MHR faithful, including our fearless leader, do not think highly of Mr. Cassesl. The first thing I heard on MHR radio last night was that Cassel didn't win any big games. I'm sorry, but someone please fill me in on the big game Cutler has on his resume? In addition, their 2008 statistics were not that much different. In fact, when you consider that Jay had a year and a half starting experience under his belt and went into the year knowing he was the guy, Matt's numbers stack up rather nicely.

	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Avg	TD	Int	Sck	FUM	Lost	Wins
Jay	384	616	62.3	4,526	7.3	25	18	11	5	2	8
Matt	327	516	63.4	3,693	7.2	21	11	47	7	4	11

Finally, I'm willing to give professionals in this business the benefit of the doubt. As much as I appreciate the great analysis-- technical and philosophical-- on this site, we all have day jobs. Josh McDanials spent the better part of the last three years working with Cassel, and he has spent more time than any of us reviewing tape and dealing with Jay Cutler. If he felt our club would be better with Cassel, then I wouldn't argue with him. He's also in decent company, as Mr. Pioli was obviously high on Matt, and he has been praised on this site and virtually everywhere else for the last five years.

I guess my point here is, this deal wouldn't have been the end of the world (even the one reported where we would have dropped to 19 and picked up a third rounder). It certainly shouldn't cause a credibility crisis with McDanials, change potential FA's minds, cause anyone to question his or her fandom, or require the leader of our team to go public and threaten mutiny (kind of).

At this point, it does no good to argue Matt vs. Jay (unless we're talking smack with the Arrowhead Pride folk). Our club moves forward with Jay, and although I levied some harsh criticisms at him above, I'm in his corner. Jay and Josh need to hug it out and be the professionals that all of us here at MHR expect them to be. Josh must be honest with Jay-- if he did float the trade, he must own up to it. Jay needs to let this one roll of his back and go out and win a bunch of ballgames this year. The new coach and front office staff have given Jay a much improved supporting cast three days into the new year that will help him get it done.

GO BRONCOS!

Derrick Ward to Visit Broncs Tomorrow

ButteBronco — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:16:58 -0000

Derrick Ward to Visit Broncs Tomorrow

According to Florio.