Getting Set For A New System.

[TXBRONC]

Jay seems to be very excited about learning the new offense.

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_11600779

Cutler gets set for new system
The Broncos quarterback will meet with McDaniels after Pro Bowl and prepare for life without West Coast offense.
By Lindsay H. Jones
The Denver Post


TAMPA, Fla. — Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler has taken his monthlong vacation and is about to embark on his first trip to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl, but he knows his offseason downtime will be short-lived.

Cutler and new head coach Josh McDaniels have spoken at least twice on the phone, and they plan to meet back in Denver after the Pro Bowl.

The duo has plenty of work to do.

Though Cutler on Friday acknowledged he was disappointed when Mike Shanahan was fired Dec. 30, two days after Denver's season ended with a 52-21 loss at San Diego, he said he's come to understand in the past month why the move was made.

"We had our problems offensively. We struggled in the red zone, we had a lot of turnovers, but we were getting to a point that we felt pretty good about it. That's the NFL, though," Cutler said. "If you're not winning games, it really doesn't matter much. And we weren't getting it done in that category so a change had to be made."
Cutler has yet to receive a playbook from McDaniels, but knows the offense he will have to run in 2009 — his fourth NFL season, third as the starter — will look and sound quite different from Shanahan's West Coast offense.

The first step will be to learn McDaniels' numerical terminology so he can become comfortable with the types of plays McDaniels will call from the sidelines.

"The quarterback's got to make a lot of decisions, a lot of pre-snap stuff, a lot of stuff where (McDaniels) is giving you two calls and you've got to go up there and make the right decision," Cutler said. "I think they're all about putting guys in the position to make it work."

Cutler said he anticipates studying plenty of film on the Patriots, for whom McDaniels called plays.

"I'm sure he's going to pull some of the stuff that we do and put it with some of the stuff they do," Cutler said.

Cutler will travel to Hawaii this week, where he will join his favorite receiver, Brandon Marshall, and center Casey Wiegmann at the Pro Bowl. It is the first Pro Bowl trip for all three.

Cutler and Marshall each plan to return to Denver following the game to meet with McDaniels, and then the entire team will be reunited at Dove Valley by early March. Cutler said the team will have an earlier minicamp this year, which should help accelerate the process of learning McDaniels' new schemes.

And with Shanahan no longer part of the franchise, Cutler said he knows he will be even more visible as the face of the organization. It's a step he said he's ready to embrace.

"I think we've got a young group that's starting to come on in our fourth year: me, Brandon (Marshall), Kupe (right guard Chris Kuper), (tight end) Tony (Scheffler). I think we're ready for it," he said. "The first three years have been good. Obviously, we haven't got to the playoffs or done some of the stuff we wanted to do, but it's been a growing process for us."

Lindsay H. Jones: 303-954-1262 or ljones@denverpost.com

[Bozo Jr.]

Pretty good article. I like the idea of two plays going into the huddle. That could become quite dynamic especially if we can land a solid RB. I also see Stokley having a big year. I sure hope so.

[skycoyote]

Hopefully it will help our red zone problems we've been plaqued with for years.

[omac]

Hopefully it will help our red zone problems we've been plaqued with for years.

Our red zone last season was good when we had a healthy Pittman, Torain, or Hillis, to balance it out. When we didn't, defenses overplayed the pass.

[TXBRONC]

Our red zone last season was good when we had a healthy Pittman, Torain, or Hillis, to balance it out. When we didn't, defenses overplayed the pass.

We also had some turnovers in the red zone, that a killer. If the offense can eliminate those we'll be fine.

[BroncoAV06]

We also had some turnovers in the red zone, that a killer. If the offense can eliminate those we'll be fine.

Again a problem of having to use the pass so much. The team has to be ready to put in plenty of work this off season with new schemes on both sides ofthe ball, see what they are made of. Jay is saying the right things, look forward to seeing how the rest of the offense responds.

[TXBRONC]

Again a problem of having to use the pass so much. The team has to be ready to put in plenty of work this off season with new schemes on both sides of the ball, see what they are made of. Jay is saying the right things, look forward to seeing how the rest of the offense responds.

Well I have no doubt that Jay is not one to just pay lip service to getting ready. Everything I have heard to day suggests he will put time to get the system down.

[Cugel]

Nobody has any idea how the offense will perform. It may well struggle to start the season adjusting to the new system. That would be a key to a losing season which would put McDaniels squarely on the hot seat.

To take over from Mike Shanahan and then lead the team to a 6-10 season or something is not acceptable. And he won't get to say "we're rebuilding" because Shanny only had a season that bad 1 time -- 1999.

But, looking at the brutal schedule that could easily happen if the defense takes time to rebuild and the offense struggles early with a new system.

In short, next season could be a lot of closer losses because the defense won't be so horrible, but the offense isn't going to outscore the Chargers. :coffee:

At least blowouts like KC, New England and San Diego games would be unlikely.

[Bad Intentions]

Nobody has any idea how the offense will perform. It may well struggle to start the season adjusting to the new system. That would be a key to a losing season which would put McDaniels squarely on the hot seat.

To take over from Mike Shanahan and then lead the team to a 6-10 season or something is not acceptable. And he won't get to say "we're rebuilding" because Shanny only had a season that bad 1 time -- 1999.

But, looking at the brutal schedule that could easily happen if the defense takes time to rebuild and the offense struggles early with a new system.

In short, next season could be a lot of closer losses because the defense won't be so horrible, but the offense isn't going to outscore the Chargers. :coffee:

At least blowouts like KC, New England and San Diego games would be unlikely.

:laugh::lol:

[Bad Intentions]

Fitz was talking about Warner the other day and what he does for the offense in AZ. He gets his guys up to the line quickly so that he can have a chance to see what look the defense is throwing at them. He then went on to say that Warner had about 40, yes FORTY, different plays from each set that he could use to his advantage. There's no secret that Kurt Warner is one of the best passers of our generation, a lot of it is his ability to diagnose the defense pre-snap and make the correct adjustment for his receivers and/or running backs.

[TXBRONC]

Nobody has any idea how the offense will perform. It may well struggle to start the season adjusting to the new system. That would be a key to a losing season which would put McDaniels squarely on the hot seat.

To take over from Mike Shanahan and then lead the team to a 6-10 season or something is not acceptable. And he won't get to say "we're rebuilding" because Shanny only had a season that bad 1 time -- 1999.

But, looking at the brutal schedule that could easily happen if the defense takes time to rebuild and the offense struggles early with a new system.

In short, next season could be a lot of closer losses because the defense won't be so horrible, but the offense isn't going to outscore the Chargers. :coffee:

At least blowouts like KC, New England and San Diego games would be unlikely.

It could, but the one thing we will have barring serious injury is our running game.

[Lonestar]

Nobody has any idea how the offense will perform. It may well struggle to start the season adjusting to the new system. That would be a key to a losing season which would put McDaniels squarely on the hot seat.

To take over from Mike Shanahan and then lead the team to a 6-10 season or something is not acceptable. And he won't get to say "we're rebuilding" because Shanny only had a season that bad 1 time -- 1999.

But, looking at the brutal schedule that could easily happen if the defense takes time to rebuild and the offense struggles early with a new system.

In short, next season could be a lot of closer losses because the defense won't be so horrible, but the offense isn't going to outscore the Chargers. :coffee:

At least blowouts like KC, New England and San Diego games would be unlikely.

Considering how bad the defense has been and an almost complete rebuild in that area I think he will be given a couple of years to have us back in the winning side of the ledger..

Unless Pat really opens the purse string in FA and considering the restraints he placed on mikey last year I'd doubt that this defense is going to take a couple-three years to become respectable..

The turn around in ATL and MIA were the offenses coming together with good QB's neither of those teams were all that bad.. they both had reasonable players and in MIA case their defense was pretty solid to start with just really needed a winning attitude and a solid experienced QB....

Remember folks we did not have a 1-15 year last year.. we were decent and had a great O most of the year just could never stop other teams from scoring MORE than WE DID..

It hink MCCoach will get 3-4 years to get to the playoffs..

[LRtagger]

Considering how bad the defense has been and an almost complete rebuild in that area I think he will be given a couple of years to have us back in the winning side of the ledger..

Unless Pat really opens the purse string in FA and considering the restraints he placed on mikey last year I'd doubt that this defense is going to take a couple-three years to become respectable..

The turn around in ATL and MIA were the offenses coming together with good QB's neither of those teams were all that bad.. they both had reasonable players and in MIA case their defense was pretty solid to start with just really needed a winning attitude and a solid experienced QB....

Remember folks we did not have a 1-15 year last year.. we were decent and had a great O most of the year just could never stop other teams from scoring MORE than WE DID..

It hink MCCoach will get 3-4 years to get to the playoffs..


I wouldnt mind a 500 or less year next year as long as we show signs of improvement in defense. We all know offense will click eventually, but showing signs of life on defense would be a big step even if we go 5-11 or 6-10.

[Lonestar]

I wouldnt mind a 500 or less year next year as long as we show signs of improvement in defense. We all know offense will click eventually, but showing signs of life on defense would be a big step even if we go 5-11 or 6-10.

Hey have you seen the teams we play next year?? I'll take a 5-11 in heart beat this could be a really bad year just looking at the schedule..

We play almost everyone on the east coast and for those we do not so far I've seen very little mile high magic anymore the past 3-4 years....

[Den21vsBal19]

I've said before, I don;t mind losing, especially with a youngish team, or as likely to be the case next year a new system, combined with a tough schedule................................it's how we lose them that hurts....

If on gameday, 45 guys suit up and come up short giving it their all................well shit happens :whoknows:

However, too often over the last couple of years they've looked like an unprepared, disorgainised, heartless rabble, especially on D, and it's those sorts of performances that really hurt.

[Lonestar]

I've said before, I don;t mind losing, especially with a youngish team, or as likely to be the case next year a new system, combined with a tough schedule................................it's how we lose them that hurts....

If on gameday, 45 guys suit up and come up short giving it their all................well shit happens :whoknows:

However, too often over the last couple of years they've looked like an unprepared, disorgainised, heartless rabble, especially on D, and it's those sorts of performances that really hurt.

it was the unprepared mentally and going through the motions that bother me the most..

Showing up for what should be a blow out game and allowing them to hang in there and win is inexcusable IMHO..

How many trap games have we lost the past 4-5 yers..