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View Full Version : ESPN-DC hire looms huge for McDaniels



getlynched47
01-29-2010, 12:08 AM
http://espn.go.com/blog/afcwest/post/_/id/9596/dc-hire-looms-huge-for-mcdaniels


Don Martindale's promotion from Denver's linebackers coach to defensive coordinator is just as important to the career of head coach Josh McDaniels as it is for Martindale.

Ten days ago, McDaniels and defensive coordinator Mike Nolan mutually parted ways. The word from people close to both sides said the two men decided during the season that they weren’t great fits. Nolan, however, was good at his job. He brought instant life into Denver’s defense and the Broncos finished No. 7 in the NFL.

If Martindale fails as a defensive coordinator, and Denver’s defense reverts to the final days of the Mike Shanahan era, it will be reflect poorly on McDaniels. People will blame him for not making it work with Nolan.

I’m not saying this move won’t be successful. The book on Martindale around the league is positive. He is known as a good coach whose players respond well to him.

McDaniels clearly believes there will be no philosophical problems with Martindale as the two worked well together last year. Having the head coach and defensive coordinator on the same page is essential and that’s where this relationship is heading into the 2010 season.

This offseason, Denver will focus on improving the talent on defense, especially in the front seven. There is a decent chance the Broncos’ defense will remain a unit on the rise.

Ultimately, McDaniels’ future could depend on it.

If our defense goes back to total suckage, I want McDaniels gone. He's doing stuff his way. If his way doesn't work, he can take his way and hit the highway (see what I did there :laugh:)

He's putting an immense amount of pressure for himself to succeed NOW because of the way he's handled things. He's put his stamp on this team. Now it's playoffs or bust. No excuses.

Another tid-bit:


Yet, here are Nolan's positive accomplishments:

Dumervil led the NFL in sacks and was named to his first Pro Bowl, and Williams is an alternate to the Pro Bowl.

The Broncos improved from 29th overall on defense to seventh. The Broncos went from getting 13 turnovers a year ago to 30 this past season.

The defense gave up 324 points, well below the 448 the Broncos were torched for in 2008. The Broncos allowed 20 or fewer points eight times.

Taken as a whole, the defense certainly was more impressive than any in recent years.

Here are the offense's negative achievements:

The Broncos' offense cascaded from No. 2 overall in the league in Mike Shanahan's final season to 15th in McDaniels' first season. The Broncos dropped from 6,333 yards to 5,463, from third in passing to 12th, from 12th in rushing to 18th and from being sacked 13 times to being sacked 34 times.

The Broncos scored 20 or fewer points nine times and scored 27 or more points only four times. They changed players, playbooks, schemes and a quarterback. Taken as a whole, the Broncos' offense certainly was less impressive than in recent years.

Shazam!
01-29-2010, 01:53 AM
Denver needs work on the offense and the defense IMO right now.

DenBronx
01-29-2010, 02:19 AM
it's playoffs or fail for mcdaniels.

Magnificent Seven
01-29-2010, 02:37 AM
Super Bowl or Bust!

broncophan
01-29-2010, 06:30 AM
http://espn.go.com/blog/afcwest/post/_/id/9596/dc-hire-looms-huge-for-mcdaniels



If our defense goes back to total suckage, I want McDaniels gone. He's doing stuff his way. If his way doesn't work, he can take his way and hit the highway (see what I did there :laugh:)

He's putting an immense amount of pressure for himself to succeed NOW because of the way he's handled things. He's put his stamp on this team. Now it's playoffs or bust. No excuses.

Another tid-bit:

I think I would say this .....no matter who our head coach is.....although I think McD or any other head coach (with no or very little head coaching experience) should get 3 years to succeed.......8-8 this season was a step in the right direction for a first year head coach and all the changes that took place.....and the brutal schedule...

Dirk
01-29-2010, 06:31 AM
Just curious.

Take away the shock of the first 6 games, where did Denver's defense rank?

As many on here have mentioned, Nolan got the defense to play great in the first 6 games using "smoke and mirrors".

Two things loomed big to me. Defensive line and offensive line. Both need a major overhall (excluding Clady and Harris).

Back to my question and I guess point about this article. If we take away the first 6 games which most everyone on this board thinks was a fluke, how good was Denver's defense in the last 10 games?

broncophan
01-29-2010, 06:35 AM
Just curious.

Take away the shock of the first 6 games, where did Denver's defense rank?

As many on here have mentioned, Nolan got the defense to play great in the first 6 games using "smoke and mirrors".

Two things loomed big to me. Defensive line and offensive line. Both need a major overhall (excluding Clady and Harris).

Back to my question and I guess point about this article. If we take away the first 6 games which most everyone on this board thinks was a fluke, how good was Denver's defense in the last 10 games?

Don't the first 6 games count as part of the season?????
Heck......lets just take away the last 10 games of the season then......
It would be nice to be consistant though......

Dirk
01-29-2010, 06:59 AM
Don't the first 6 games count as part of the season?????
Heck......lets just take away the last 10 games of the season then......
It would be nice to be consistant though......


I agree completely. I am just trying to put a little perspective in all this.

I was stoked for Nolan to be in Denver. I was very dissapointed when he left. But if you look at it in a different light, it isn't as rosey as some people make it out to be.

If Nolan had kept the defense playing hard and consistent all year, I think that McD and Nolan would have found a way to work things out. But with the defense sliding after the bi-week and not able to close a game out when they needed them to (last 3 games of the year), I can understand why McD was fine with Nolan leaving. Good or bad, I understand.

Northman
01-29-2010, 07:06 AM
Just curious.

Take away the shock of the first 6 games, where did Denver's defense rank?

As many on here have mentioned, Nolan got the defense to play great in the first 6 games using "smoke and mirrors".

Two things loomed big to me. Defensive line and offensive line. Both need a major overhall (excluding Clady and Harris).

Back to my question and I guess point about this article. If we take away the first 6 games which most everyone on this board thinks was a fluke, how good was Denver's defense in the last 10 games?

And how much of the Dline was addressed to help the defense? This is my problem with that arguement. Sure, you can bag all day long on the last few games and rightfully so. However, you also have to look at it in the context of what Nolan had to work with anyway. Eventually Nolan and the defense suffered because of what Shanahan suffered from. A lack of a good Dline. But, to pretend that there wasnt ANY improvement from last year is silly and ignorant to say the least. Add in the fact that McD's inability to produce points on a consistant basis offensively only added to the downfall in the second half of the year. There's only so much one can do when he doesnt get the necessary help that he needs.

Northman
01-29-2010, 07:06 AM
Super Bowl or Bust!

Nah, im not expecting SB. But i do expect a playoff birth this coming year.

Northman
01-29-2010, 07:07 AM
I think I would say this .....no matter who our head coach is.....although I think McD or any other head coach (with no or very little head coaching experience) should get 3 years to succeed.......8-8 this season was a step in the right direction for a first year head coach and all the changes that took place.....and the brutal schedule...

Its fine as long as there is a progression. If we take a step back i wouldnt really call that succeeding.

Dirk
01-29-2010, 07:13 AM
And how much of the Dline was addressed to help the defense? This is my problem with that arguement. Sure, you can bag all day long on the last few games and rightfully so. However, you also have to look at it in the context of what Nolan had to work with anyway. Eventually Nolan and the defense suffered because of what Shanahan suffered from. A lack of a good Dline. But, to pretend that there wasnt ANY improvement from last year is silly and ignorant to say the least. Add in the fact that McD's inability to produce points on a consistant basis offensively only added to the downfall in the second half of the year. There's only so much one can do when he doesnt get the necessary help that he needs.

Very true. I'm not making excuses for anyone. I just think outside the box most of the time to try and make sense of things.

I agree that the lines on both sides of the ball need major upgrades. And yes, the offense was pretty pitiful and the most disapointing part of the season for me. After Elway, Plummer and Cutler, to see a Denver offense play the way they did this year was pitiful. :mad:

claymore
01-29-2010, 07:28 AM
Exactly how I want it. If JMCD is or is not the answer, I would like to know right away.

I used to hope he was the answer, but now I do not. I dont like how he does things. I dont like the patriot way. In fact I hate it.

Northman
01-29-2010, 07:33 AM
Exactly how I want it. If JMCD is or is not the answer, I would like to know right away.

I used to hope he was the answer, but now I do not. I dont like how he does things. I dont like the patriot way. In fact I hate it.

He does some things that i like in terms of player accountability. However, sometimes you can go too far and i wonder if that is what is happening here. But as you stated, he will get his chance so he will either sink or swim with the choices he makes.

Dirk
01-29-2010, 07:43 AM
He does some things that i like in terms of player accountability. However, sometimes you can go too far and i wonder if that is what is happening here. But as you stated, he will get his chance so he will either sink or swim with the choices he makes.


As is the case with any HC. :salute:

gobroncsnv
01-29-2010, 07:53 AM
Just as any coach does. (Sorry Dirk, your post wasn't up while I was crafting my brilliant take on this)

The Nolan story reminds me so much of the Larry Coyer story. Live and die by the blitz. Remember the "punt rush" blitz? We put it to use multiple times in the playoff game against the Steelers, STILL NEVER got to Roth'r. Nolan's scheme faded for the same reasons. No Dline, cover it up with blitzes. One of my biggest disappointments with Shanny was that Coyer was held accountable without the tools he needed (and still made it work pretty well, up to that point). I'm hoping that Martindale gets a shot at this and is given a chance for success by having the right players. You can't hold a man accountable for doing poorly if you haven't given him the tools he needs to make something work. That's how scapegoats are made.

Nomad
01-29-2010, 08:06 AM
The article doesn't say anything new that hasn't been hashed out since Nolan left!!