Done With Retrospect, Let’s Look Forward To The Denver Broncos Season…

The abundance of retrospective articles and blogs in the Broncos community is very evident. I’m taking this time to renew my faith in the 2010 season and present an optimistic look at the Denver Broncos’ year to come.

The best thing a fan can do for him/herself is keep an upbeat attitude about their team and their respective desires. For Denver and fans alike, the desired outcome is a new team with a new position in the league.

The Broncos’ new position may begin at the bottom rung of a very tall ladder, but this isn’t always a bad place to start.

Now, with Coach McDaniels calling the shots, and a slew of fresh faces ready to take the field in Denver’s honor, we have nothing to do but look forward to an exciting new team, and hopefully a brand new direction.

With Kyle Orton orchestrating an offense that’s sure to drop from it’s highly regarded No. 2 position, the depth chart isn’t exactly golden. But with Knowshon Moreno, and other talented backs joining him in the backfield, the offense may feel a sense of balance.

Neither Orton or Moreno are superstars by any means. Orton had a great record in Chicago as a starter, but his personal statistics did not reflect it well. Chicago’s team was mainly defensive based, and allowed for Orton to make mistakes.

Now in a system where defense will certainly not hold the same role, Orton will be forced to make better decisions, and manage the game more properly on offense.

In the back to aid in this endeavor will be Knowshon Moreno, Peyton Hillis, and maybe even Correll Buckhalter. When Orton can’t be the player to change the game and ignite the offense, these backs will have to prove they can pick up the slack.

This scheme will all reside on whether or not Orton can respond positively in the face of pressure. If the roster remains the way it is, there won’t be much of a defense to back him up in case of an error. Some players blossom in such a situation, and some fail. Optimism on our part is the key, and obviously the idea of this article.

It’s safe to say at this point that our receiving corps may suffer a loss in the next month. But one player does not make the team. Once again, through adversity, players must respond to this and adjust their play as necessary.

Eddie Royal stood out aside Brandon Marshall last year, mostly due to the attention given to Marshall by the opposing defenses. With Marshall on the brink of departure from Dove Valley, other receivers will have to fill the gap. Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Stokley are likely candidates, but only time will tell.

As we would all like to see Brandon Marshall stay with the team, it remains to be seen whether or not this will be possible. Nobody thought we would actually trade Jay Cutler, but it happened (and fast.) Realistically speaking, negative energy breeds negative energy, and the longer his attitude dilutes the locker room, the longer it will take this team to take form.

If the Broncos must lose a familiar face and an outstanding player to further the growth of the team as a whole, I agree whole-hearted. A team that can go out professionally, without personal agendas and grudges holding them back, and have fun at the same time, has the best chance of succeeding in this league. After all, we don’t exactly need an Uno-Cinco jumping into angry crowds and picking boxing matches with our opponents. Don’t stroke the ego…

Through mini-camp and the preseason, a rejuvenated and proactive group should develop in Invesco. I for one am excited to see how it turns out, and hopes the best for the team, the city, and the fans as the season unfolds.

Whether we have to wait another few years before the Broncos contend for a championship, or if they have a breakout season to kick it off, I hope we can all still enjoy Sundays as always, and just relax. Remember, there’s always next year (I seem to be saying that a lot the last few seasons.)

Hopefully, you’re all with me in continuing an optimistic outlook for the Broncos, and the league alike!

Here’s to cheering for our favorite teams, tailgating with friends and family (and the occasional Raider fan,) enjoying Sunday at home, or at our favorite sports bar, and rejoicing in the fact that Sports Center is on every night no matter what kind of foul mood the games might put us in.

Cheers…

Restructuring: It’s a Long and Painful Story…

There comes a time in every team’s life where restructuring must take place. Sure enough, it was time for the Broncos to do so.

With a new coach, a new quarterback core, and a mess of new faces, the Denver Broncos have a lot of team-building to look forward to. The 2010 season will depend on the chemistry of a team that’s suffered through adversity, scandal, and turmoil, before their first season together has even begun.

Josh McDaniels heads a crew that Denver fans will need to study for the first time in a long while. Familiar faces are gone, including a certain franchise quarterback, and some may still be headed away.

A familiar term comes to mind; “Don’t mess with success.”

We’ve heard it time and time again, and yet we shouldn’t jump on that train yet. We should remain unsettled, and unhappy with our team’s position in this league, but also resilient. With any luck, change will be good this year.

The days of John Elway, Terrell Davis, and Rod Smith are gone (don’t forget Rod only just left.) As Bronco fans, it must be accepted. The future of this team relies on a future nobody had predicted.

Mike Shanahan had been the victim of scrutiny for years after Elway’s departure, however, steadfast in his ways, he did his best to make a championship team out of fourth and fifth round picks, and an offensive scheme that could topple giants. But with Gary Kubiak gone, and the wins diminishing, the tables had finally turned.

This last off-season would see the most change for the Broncos than with any other team in the NFL. It started as a new coach, a flurry of trades, and, eventually, the loss of a franchise player.

Does this spell the end for a franchise that has contended for years? Or is this just another chapter in the storied history of our Denver Broncos? Only time will tell, and it’s moving slower than any of us are willing to accept.

New coaches bring new schemes, new talent, and new potential. New is good. Especially considering the Broncos inability to make an impact in the postseason (or the regular season for that matter,) during the last few years.

A team is not made by one player, but can be destroyed by one. One team, one goal. After all, the point is to win the Super Bowl, not your fantasy league.

From one Broncos fan to the rest: “Is it really that bad? We could still have Brian Griese…”

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