Since Elway took over the Broncos...

[megalodon30]

To add on to the Elway accolades, the Broncos have won their division every year since Elway took over. That's 5 division titles the last 5 years. Only the Patriots have matched that. And as @iknowftbll mentioned, the competition in the AFC West has been better: the AFC West has sent 3 wild card teams to the playoffs the past 5 years, the AFC East has sent none.

And the rest of the division is picking guys off our staff, including the Raiders twice. Elway's even doing well with the coaching staff.

Here's a good question: how long 'til the Raiders fire Del Rio so they can hire Wade Philips?

 

[Broncos6482]

And the rest of the division is picking guys off our staff, including the Raiders twice. Elway's even doing well with the coaching staff.

Here's a good question: how long 'til the Raiders fire Del Rio so they can hire Wade Philips?

I think Wade said he's no longer interested in being a head coach. I think he knows he's best suited as a defensive coordinator.

 

[megalodon30]

I think Wade said he's no longer interested in being a head coach. I think he knows he's best suited as a defensive coordinator.

That's too bad. I love it when the Raiders are the most incompetent franchise in the NFL.

I miss Al Davis.

 

[Broncosr0k]

That's too bad. I love it when the Raiders are the most incompetent franchise in the NFL.

I miss Al Davis.

They are not out of those woods yet. They have taken to lumps to drop dead money building a middle of the road team will be the easy part. Keeping them together and rotating out pieces when they hit cap limits will be more difficult. In about 3-4 years we will see if they can fully turn that page or just get stuck in mediocrity.

 

[cdumler7]

They are not out of those woods yet. They have taken to lumps to drop dead money building a middle of the road team will be the easy part. Keeping them together and rotating out pieces when they hit cap limits will be more difficult. In about 3-4 years we will see if they can fully turn that page or just get stuck in mediocrity.

I would also add that they are possibly losing the top leadership on the team in Woodson retiring as well as Justin Tuck. From what I understand they were the emotional leaders of that entire team. Can those young players step into that void? Can Del Rio take team beyond just being mediocre? He made the playoffs twice as a widcard team in his 9 years with the Jaguars. He never in 9 years won the division.

 

[cdumler7]

I honestly don't see anybody from our staff going anywhere any time soon. As was said Phillips knows he is a much better DC than HC. I don't think he wants to go through that headache again. Dennison is more of a behind the scenes kind of guy as Kubiak is the playcaller. So that leaves more of our assistant to the assistant coaches being the guys who will move up. Have to remember all of our main Coordinators have ridiculous years of experience. They are not the up and coming new guy that everybody thinks will be the next Bill Belichick.

I'm excited for year 2 with all of these guys. This will be only the 2nd time since Elway took over that we have kept the same HC/Coordinators for year 2. We did have Fox/Gase/Del Rio in 2014 for that 2nd year but all of them were thinking about new jobs by the end of the year and checked out before the playoffs started.

 

[58crash]

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi_44nTyv3KAhUK4iYKHbHCDz0QFggdMAA&url=http://www.9news.com/sports/nfl/denver-broncos/mike-klis/broncos-lose-assistant-coach-callahan-to-lions/41619143&usg=AFQjCNHakV8xpYipbIUjR4MdiRypiS_9Pw&sig2=GN9LPuX6lbXFrdlphVEztA

The Broncos will need a new quality control coach because Brian ... Callahan essentially had the Lions job four days after the Broncos won the SB

 

[iknowftbll]

So this may be similar to points I've already made, but I do data analysis in my day job and sometimes you can repackage the same data to make a different point. I started this thread to heap praise on Elway for how profoundly brilliant he has been since his return to the Broncos as an executive. In a recent post I stated the Broncos have dominated a division that has actually been pretty stout in 3 of the 5 seasons since Elway's return (the 3 most recent seasons). At the same time, it's worth noting just how much better the Broncos have been than their AFC West rivals in this same span. It's not close. While the division has been pretty stout the last 3 seasons, nobody comes close to the Denver Broncos. Below are the records for the AFC West teams since Elway assumed the helm at Dove Valley:

Broncos:

2011: 8-8 (1-1)
2012: 13-3 (0-1)
2013: 13-3 (2-1)
2014: 12-4 (0-1)
2015: 12-4 (3-0)
Total: 58-22 (6-4)

Chiefs:

2011: 7-9
2012: 2-14
2013: 11-5 (0-1)
2014: 9-7
2015: 11-5 (1-1)
Total: 40-40 (1-2)

Chargers:

2011: 8-8
2012: 7-9
2013: 9-7 (1-1)
2014: 9-7
2015: 4-12
Total: 37-43 (1-1)

Raiders:

2011: 8-8
2012: 4-12
2013: 4-12
2014: 3-13
2015: 7-9
Total: 26-54 (0-0)

Some thoughts:

What we learn from these annual standings is that our AFC West rivals have not fared as well as the Broncos. While that may be a plainly obvious statement, let's not forget that in the early weeks of 2011 when Elway was hired, the Broncos were reeling from a season in which the AFC West looked like this:

Chiefs: 10-6
Chargers: 9-7
Raiders: 8-8
Broncos 4-12

All three AFC West teams were in far better shape than the Broncos at the end of the 2010 season. You have to remember this when you take the team-by-team performances since Elway's hire in mind. I recall very clearly the prognosis on the Broncos: "Years away from being a competitor." This is why that playoff run of 2011, all circus sideshows aside, will always be a top sentimental favorite for me. That run with Tebow put the Broncos back on the football map, which led to Manning signing, which led to the Broncos being a top-tier FA destination, which went a long way toward the Broncos winning their third Super Bowl.

It didn't happen in a vacuum. Success built upon success, and it started with Elway's arrival in Denver. And when Elway arrived, the Chiefs were a 10-6 team; the Chargers, while disappointed with a 9-7 finish (they were 13-3 in 2009) were still FAR better than the Broncos; and the Raiders at 8-8 had posted their first non-losing season since 2003, including a 59-14 win over the Broncos IN DENVER, appeared poised for a return to respectability.

Enter John Elway when the chips were as down for the Broncos as they'd been since Pat Bowlen bought the team.

Five years later the Broncos are an astounding 18 REGULAR SEASON GAMES BETTER than the second best AFC West time in the same span. Let that sink in: Elway took a 4-12 Broncos team and they are the only AFC West team since 2011 that has a winning record. They were the only team with a losing record when he arrived.

And that's not even getting into the playoffs. 6-4 is better than 1-2 or 1-1. Especially when one of the Broncos wins is over another AFC West team and another is a Super Bowl win. (Oh, and I'm not even going to going to get started on the Raiders failure to even reach the playoffs since Elway arrived. Or the 8 seasons prior to that.) But I'm not going to camp out there. You do with these facts what you will.

Suffice to say while Elway was busy restoring the Broncos to NFL credibility and ultimately a Super Bowl winning team, our AFC rivals have been busy spinning their wheels in mediocrity and ineptitude.

John Elway was a brilliant player and is now a brilliant executive. As a fan of football I see so many other fans complain about the leadership and direction of their favorite teams. We spent some years (2006-2009) as a mediocre team and then tanked in 2010. One year at the bottom was all it took for Bowlen to bring in the Duke and revive this franchise.

And the results have been profound.

It is good to be a Broncos fan. Thank you Pat Bowlen for caring about your fans enough to want a winner. Thank you Elway for applying your prowess and savvy to building a winner. Thank you to all of the Broncos players and coaches who have made being a Broncos fan so much fun in recent years.

 

[cdumler7]

@iknowftbll just to add to that one of the things I love about Elway is he is not afraid to make the bold moves to make our team great. He doesn't listen to the media about what he should do but does what he thinks is best. I remember how the media kept saying letting Moore, Knighton, JT, and Franklin all go would destroy any chance we had at a Super Bowl. So what does he do but go out and replace most of those guys with cheaper options that actually outplayed their counterparts.

Then you look at the draft and he has taken some I guess you would call them controversial players as they have had some off the field issues. Yet he knew that he had a great locker room for them to come into and that talent wise there was no question they were the top player available. Those players have been model citizens and huge playmakers for us.

 

[58crash]

@iknowftbll just to add to that one of the things I love about Elway is he is not afraid to make the bold moves to make our team great. He doesn't listen to the media about what he should do but does what he thinks is best. I remember how the media kept saying letting Moore, Knighton, JT, and Franklin all go would destroy any chance we had at a Super Bowl. So what does he do but go out and replace most of those guys with cheaper options that actually outplayed their counterparts.

Then you look at the draft and he has taken some I guess you would call them controversial players as they have had some off the field issues. Yet he knew that he had a great locker room for them to come into and that talent wise there was no question they were the top player available. Those players have been model citizens and huge playmakers for us.

This is why Ware is still needed . you lose Manning you need him IMO

 

[58crash]

Ware keeps young players reasonable ..

 

[cdumler7]

This is why Ware is still needed . you lose Manning you need him IMO

Before the playoffs I would have wholeheartedly disagreed with this statement. His injuries were starting to become a bit of a nuisance. As well as Von Miller played in the playoffs though Ware really wasn't too far behind. Then you throw in just leadership wise what he brings to that locker room and yeah he is not a guy you want to lose. I'm hoping they can get him to restructure or even take a pay cut to stay with the team but even if not I am with you in we need to keep him.

 

[58crash]

CD that would be optimal

 

[Mingo]

Before the playoffs I would have wholeheartedly disagreed with this statement. His injuries were starting to become a bit of a nuisance. As well as Von Miller played in the playoffs though Ware really wasn't too far behind. Then you throw in just leadership wise what he brings to that locker room and yeah he is not a guy you want to lose. I'm hoping they can get him to restructure or even take a pay cut to stay with the team but even if not I am with you in we need to keep him.

I would say this would include a front office or coaching position for Ware. D. Ware is the kind of guy I was brought up to admire how he takes care of business and relationships. With Shaq - Shane and Von - D. Ware can still be rotationally effective and lead the team. It will come down to Dollars - and what Ware wants to do. He's been a great Denver Bronco.

 

[iknowftbll]

Here's a great read from MHR. I need to now go in and read the Bedard article to which St. Clair refers. This should help give us all something to smile about as we ride out what others are calling a turbulent off season for the Broncos. I recall similar narratives last year after the Broncos and Fox "mutually" parted ways.

John Elway's hubris is why the Broncos remain successful

 

[Mingo]

 

[cdumler7]

I've read that quote by Mike Sandoval and it speaks volumes. Most teams operate more on fear of being fired. Elway has no fear of such a thing so he can make decisions for 3-5 years from now not just to load up for one season

 

[megalodon30]

Most teams operate more on fear of being fired.

No wonder the Browns are so clueless. It's almost as if firing your entire staff every year isn't conducive to building a winning environment.

 

[cdumler7]

No wonder the Browns are so clueless. It's almost as if firing your entire staff every year isn't conducive to building a winning environment.

It amazes me that teams can watch how winning organizations run yet then choose to do the exact opposite and hope it works

 

[iknowftbll]

No wonder the Browns are so clueless. It's almost as if firing your entire staff every year isn't conducive to building a winning environment.

I agree with this. I get that Petitine in Cleveland had that Browns team to a 7-4 record in 2014 and since then has gone 3-18 but is bringing in ANOTHER guy really going to fix it? Does a guy who coaxes the best W-L record out of the Browns in years deserve a third season? Well, it's too late now. And I do think they have a good hire in Hue Jackson. But they would be wise to commit to him for 4-5 years no matter what. Let him build a team. Especially since year 1 will be the post-fire sale year in Cleveland so you can't hold whatever dismal finish the Browns are in for in 2016 against him.

This is the difference between a team like the Broncos and a the Browns. Or the Raiders for so long. And honestly while we know every year is not going to be a 12-4 finish with a first round bye and a trip to the Super Bowl, I think Elway's approach sets the team up to be competitive EVERY year. It's hard to predict week to week in the NFL, so to sit here in April of 2016 and predict years out is absurd. Still I doubt the Broncos do any worse than 9-7 at any point between now and say the 2020 season. If we're all still chatting on the Hoop let's make it a point on New Year's Day 2021 to see how this prediction panned out.