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MileHighWrath
11-07-2008, 10:37 AM
Since the "fire Shanahan" threads will disappear to page 2 or 3 in the forums now that the Broncos have won a game it's time to break out the "genius" threads after a win.... right? That's how it works right? (sarcasm)

Without a running back, their 2 best defensive players out on what was already a mediocre D at best and down by 10 at half time, Mike Shanahan coached his team to a big comeback win last night in Cleveland (the brownies must just HATE when Denver comes to town).

Shanahan managed to hold his QB to just 1 int that didn't hurt much and no fumbles.

Shanahan's coaching lead to Bly's timely stripping of the ball from Winslow's hands.

Shanahan had his receivers make some awesome plays throughout the night.

Shanahan's D stepped up when they had too, good thing it was Shanahan on the sidelines.

After a bleak first half where obviously Shanahan did many things wrong and failed his team, he rallied during halftime. The Broncos faired much better in the second half because Shanahan created turnovers and simply took apart the Browns secondary with Cutler's cannon for an arm.

Let's extend Shanahan's contract through 2050!

Day1BroncoFan
11-07-2008, 10:56 AM
I'm not sure what the difference was last night but it's the first time this year they actually looked like they wanted to win unless you count the jokeland game.

They had heart and desire which I haven't seen this year. Hope Shanny finds a way to keep it up.

Show me a few more of these games and I'll be convinced. Not that I want to get rid of Shanny in the first place mind you.

CrazyHorse
11-07-2008, 10:58 AM
We still need a new defensive coordinator...

Traveler
11-07-2008, 11:10 AM
We still need a new defensive coordinator...

Check that! We still need an entirely new defensive staff, possibly new scouts, and settle on a scheme and stick with it.

SR
11-07-2008, 12:29 PM
We still need to fire Shanahan.

WARHORSE
11-07-2008, 03:11 PM
We still need to fire Shanahan.


Yeah, fire him up.


Stupid move to fire a HOF coach in his prime.


Soon as the next guy comes in, everyone will be chanting.......Shanny! Shanny! Shanny!


Nice thread and its on point.

Good thing Shanny made Jay throw three 4th quarter TDs rather than three picks......:coffee:SLURP!

Magnificent Seven
11-07-2008, 03:24 PM
I told you guys. I said in another thread, "Broncos will win, if Cutler plays excellent." Now, look at them! Cuter threw for 447 yards. However, Peyton Hilis was a key player on that night.

G_Money
11-07-2008, 03:31 PM
You guys do remember the first quarter, right? When Marshall kept two miserable throws from being intercepted?

And the endzone pass to Scheffler where he busted out his MMA moves to keep the DB from intercepting that lame duck?

Our offensive gameplan was fine to start the game, then sputtered and died, only to be revived by players, not play-calls.

The Mastermind's great genius in the last game was letting Hillis play - which happened only after every other running back died in the Great Running Back Injury Pandemic of 2008 - and in having drafted Royal. Getting Woodyard in at LB was also a plus, something that took a DJ and Webster set of injuries to enable full-time (can't bring in Louis Green for Nickel packages if he's already playing for Webster).

We gave up 30 points to a QB starting his first game for a losing team with a front office quagmire, and had a ridiculous passing attack keyed by a 2nd half momentum shift and a few sputtering efforts in the first half.

I'm not begrudging Shanahan his victory, but I would like to point out that the game balls should have gone to the OL for pass protection when we were down to one FB as a running attack and the Browns had their ears pinned back, Royal for being a man amongst boys, Larsen for having the heart of a champion on that 4th down carry, Woodyard for single-handedly rallying the defense and making key stops, Bly for being the cover guy we needed, Cutler for not packing it in after a rough first quarter like he usually does and lighting up the Browns in the 2nd half, Scheffler for gutting out those desperately-needed receptions down the middle of the field, and Stokley for talking Marshall out of doing something stupid.

There was some veteran grit and some young-kid heart that pulled this game out, along with a little luck.

I'll take it, but there was no genius involved, just a team full of young guys and backups that refused to roll over on national television for the umpteenth time in a row.

Maybe Shanahan had a great half-time speech.

But on this day his GM-hat won him the game, not his coaching hat.

Who'da thunk it?

~G

Slick
11-07-2008, 03:39 PM
Great post G, as always.

I'll concede most of your points except one Wrath, and G touched on it already. WR's and a TE turned into defenders a few times to bail Jay out.

I've never been on a fire Shanahan tirade like some here have. I'm extremely happy with that win, and I absolutely love the fact that Cutler chose to keep on plugging instead of packing it in. He showed us and his teammates something last night.

I'm concerned that we've become one dimensional, and I know injuries played a huge part in that. Let's all pray that Hillis stays healthy.

Broncos Mtnman
11-07-2008, 04:56 PM
I'll take it, but there was no genius involved, just a team full of young guys and backups that refused to roll over on national television for the umpteenth time in a row.

Maybe Shanahan had a great half-time speech.

But on this day his GM-hat won him the game, not his coaching hat.

Who'da thunk it?

~G

I totally disagree.

I'm no apologist for Shanahan, but it was revealed in the post game interviews that Shanahan actually put in a second game plan as a contingency against losing both running backs.

He was heads up enough to realize that Torain and Young weren't 100% and that he had no backups if they went down, so he had the team actually plan for that possibility. Ellis wasn't an afterthought, he was part of the plan all along.

For Shanahan to get the team ready on a short week, with more than one game plan, it was clearly his coaching hat that won this game.

:coffee:

Lonestar
11-07-2008, 05:20 PM
I totally disagree.

I'm no apologist for Shanahan, but it was revealed in the post game interviews that Shanahan actually put in a second game plan as a contingency against losing both running backs.

He was heads up enough to realize that Torain and Young weren't 100% and that he had no backups if they went down, so he had the team actually plan for that possibility. Ellis wasn't an afterthought, he was part of the plan all along.

For Shanahan to get the team ready on a short week, with more than one game plan, it was clearly his coaching hat that won this game.

:coffee:

I did not see these interviews but the one I did see with Jay right after that game did not remotely come across that there was a "second game plan" perhaps there was but I read it as we where up crap creek without a paddle and going empty was all that was left..

Maybe in mikeys mind there was a contingency plan and perhaps he discussed it with the OC but I sure did not see it in Jays eyes..

Jay had a great 4th quarter the rest of the game IMO the offense was less than inspiring considering we was playing a defense WORSE than OURS in many facets of the game..

I personally think had Royale not busted that long one this would have been another defeat, they were playing pretty uninspired up to that point.. BIG MO changed on that play.

I think that Woodyard, in particular played lights out last night. He busted up plays in the back field on 2-3 occasions and can tackle unlike some other LB's we have on staff..

Hillis IMO should be a starter until someone takes it away from him.. He does not give up on plays and is big enough to play and take a beating .. Now all we have to do is get the OLINE up to speed in Run Blocking like they are in Pass protect..

G_Money
11-07-2008, 05:23 PM
Well the first gameplan led to 10 points and what could have been 4 interceptions, as well as multiple injuries and re-injuries.

I guess I should thank Torain for sacrificing his knee to get us to the 2nd gameplan then, which apparently consisted of "get the ball to Royal and let him make plays, and throw it to Scheff until his leg falls off." When your second game-plan is "abandon the run" once your running backs go down, I don't see how that's a contingency so much as a necessity.

I'm pretty sure I coulda thought of that, short week or no short week. ;)

~G