Shanahan’s formula for success is continuity

By Joshua Graham  |   Saturday, September 16, 2006  |  Comments( 3 )

 Denver Broncos
Throughout the tenure of Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan, players have come and gone but one thing remains, success. Shanahan trails only Pittsburgh Steelers sideline general Bill Cowher for the longest residence of a coach in the National Football League guiding the same franchise. During that time, the Broncos have been a consistent...
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CommentsComments: 3
 No.1
Joey P.		 07:22 PM
09/18/2006
Josh Graham is one of the all time great Bronco fans and his facts are indisputable. My question is how all those facts from the past are going to factor into the Broncos record this year. What tricks does the genius Shanahan have up his sleeve for this year? Is it the same old running game that has served us so well for so many years? I wonder if maybe just maybe their running game is not always going to be there for them and if Shanahan will be able to accept that. Or is Shanahan too arrogant about their running game to admit that they can't always be a run first pass second offense. Is it too crazy to think that there may be times that they have to open up the passing game first and run second? Whatever happened to the naked bootleg? The one that gave Jake the option to pass or to run to the end zone. The same play that was so succesful that half the teams in the NFL added it to their play book. Why try and make a pocket passer out of Jake when that is not what he has been nor what he will ever be? Shanahan never tried to handcuff Elway that way. I thought part of the reason Shanahan brought Jake here was because he was a mobile quarterback. If what Josh Graham says is true " Shanahan's secret for success is continuity" I guess I'm just not seeing the continuity yet this year. Oh, just in case you're waiting for me to say the Broncos need to give Cutler a shot, no way, that would be the stupidest thing they could do!
 No.2
Duke Mattingly		 11:46 AM
09/20/2006
On Jake the Snake: I agree that the naked bootleg is his forte, and I'd love to see it more as well. The problem is, they ran it so often and so well that not only did half the teams in the NFL add it to their playbooks, but every defense in the NFL had to learn to defend it. Thus, it has lost its effectiveness, especially for Denver, because defenses have learned to key on it. I think Plummer is money, but he's going to have to learn to not be a one-trick pony. I disagree with Joey about the running game. I think Shanahan (and the offensive line) have proven that, as Josh Graham said, you can plug a decent running back into that offense and he will do well for the Broncos. Here's the bottom line: The snake is going to have to step up and start acting like the Jake of 2005, or it's going to be an incredibly rough season - and he could lose his job in the end. They can't "open up the passing game" if he throws three interceptions a game. That being said, I also don't think they should bench him for Cutler. It would be a big mistake and a huge blow to his confidence. I think bringing Culter in has already been messing with his head. How could it not? Plummer's performance last year earned him the right to lead the team, but he has to prove that he can still do it.

P.S. Shanahan never had to handcuff Elway because HE WAS THAT GOOD! He could do everything. He's a god walking amongst mere mortals.
 No.3
Joey P.		 07:47 PM
09/20/2006
Duke makes a lot of good points but that being said I disagree with some of his remarks. I don't think the bootleg has lost it's effectiveness, like any other play you have to pick your spots. Teams prepare for Denver to run, run, run and that doesn't stop them from trying to ram it down the oppositions throats nearly every play. Jake did throw three interceptions in the first game, so what, he only had seven or eight last year. Should we now think that they can never open up a passing game again. We haven't exactly been setting the league on fire with our running game yet. I couldn't agree more with what Duke said about Elway "HE WAS THAT GOOD" but that still doesn't explain why Shanahan is trying to make Plummer a pocket passer. Is Elway the only player that should ever have the right to roam the field? Jake will act like the Jake of last year once the cuffs are removed. The fact is that it's extremely early in the season and we can expect Shanahan to make the proper tweaks to get Denver's offense firing on all eight cylinders.
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