Right around this time last year, I plopped down on Steve’s couch with a Chipotle Burrito on a Sunday afternoon and said, “Mike Shanahan won’t be around for too much longer.” 

Whether or not I really believed it at the time, I felt like I should argue for the validity of the statement just on principle; Steve, a lifelong Chargers fan, simply dropped his jaw and finally mustered up the courage to speak, “You actually believe that?”

The funny thing was that I did in fact actually believe that, and I pointed out that my reasoning was the loss of the “Shanahan Mile-High Magic.”  Mike had gone from the clutch, superstar commander of John Elway, Terrell Davis, Eddy Mac, and Hot Rod to the type of used car salesman who can’t even convince his customers to follow him inside for some coffee to discuss a “good deal.”  He had ceased to be a finisher. 

The team knew it and so did the fans, and honestly, excitement had dissipated in Denver.

Shanahan’s boy-toy disciple was the only player receiving press coverage on the roster, and it was mostly on account of negative behavior in the spotlight.  In true Robber Baron fashion, just like the founder of his sub-Ivy University, Jay was bouncing around claiming that his arm was stronger than Elway’s, that Philip Rivers was mean, and that his chin was inexplicably incognito; all the while, I continued to wonder if he might lift his helmet up a little bit so that it wasn’t blocking his eyes what the result would be on his permanently escalating interception tally. 

And then he stole a win from the Chargers, and Broncos fans rejoiced, because the Chargers were far superior to the Ponies as everyone knew, and the only way we could hang with them was a little bit of luck.

That was a year ago.  And 4-0 is now.

The defense has emerged as the best in the NFL under the direction of Mike Nolan (a brilliant pick up by the much maligned Josh McDaniels).  I can actually name all the guys on the team because everyone is making plays.  And what was lost by getting rid of Shanahan?  Lets do a side by side player analysis of gains and losses from the cut.

With Shanahan, Cutler stays.

With McDaniels, Marshall (who Shanahan had planned to cut in the offseason, big ESPN story awhile back), Brian Dawkins, Knowshon Moreno, Correll Buckhalter, Robert Ayers, and Mike Nolan appear.

Also ,the addition of Orton, who has yet to toss a pick, is turning out to not be half bad.  All the doomsday press coverage out the window.  Let the doubters doubt, this team is doing things we never saw coming.

And when you watch the Broncos now, a little bit of excitement creeps up from behind you right when you least expect it.  It’s unexpected because we aren’t used to closing the games with winning drives and epic defensive stands. 

What we have now is teamwork and preparation, along with the possibility of finally getting back above .500 on a season.  A defense worthy of the name “Orange Crush” paired with one of the best offensive lines in the NFL (Ryan Clady still has NEVER allowed a sack) is the perfect foundation.

So, in the offseason we got rid of a coaching legend and a chinless crybaby.  We replaced it with young talent that is exciting to watch and that old feeling that just maybe this is a unit we can be proud of.  Was it all worth it?

I’ll let you decide for yourself, but for the record, the Broncos Country message boards show that I was behind McDaniels all along.  I said 10-6 before the season.

God made the sunsets orange for a reason, and I’d say it’s because we finally have our finishers.

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