Denver Post sports writer Mike Klis posts his Broncos Mailbag every Tuesday during the 2007 National Football League season on DenverPost.com.
To drop a Broncos- or NFL-related question into the Broncos Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
My family and I can’t wait to watch the Broncos in Buffalo for the season opener, but they have had two back-to-back disappointing opening-day performances on the road. What are the Broncos’ keys for a successful start this season?
— Steve Kamski, Waterloo, Ontario
Steve – I think Mike Shanahan would separate “opening day” from a “successful start.” Because, yes, the Broncos have been upset on the road, against inferior teams, in the season opener the past two years. But the Broncos also went on to win their next five games each season. A 5-1 record would have to be considered a very good beginning.
So as Shanahan tries to make adjustments for this year’s opener at Buffalo, he no doubt wants to be careful he doesn’t step over a dollar to pick up a dime.
But since you’re going to be there in Buffalo on Sept. 9, let’s try to find solutions to their recent first-game problems. Step one is reviewing the problem. The Broncos wilted in the heat and humidity against Miami in 2005 and were offensively inept in the opener last year at St. Louis.
My first thought was maybe Shanahan should tweak the way he conducts the preseason schedule for his starters. Specifically, Broncos starters get 10 plays in the first practice game, 20 plays in the second, 2 1/2 quarters in the third, and don’t play at all in the fourth. The question is whether the starters would be sharper for the regular-season opener by playing the first quarter in the final preseason game.
Tempting as that may be, though, I don’t think Shanahan will continue to believe the risk of injury in a meaningless preseason game outweighs the possibility of greater first-game execution.
So what can the Broncos do? They began by fighting hard with the NFL scheduler to have that first game played at home. That didn’t work. Next, the Broncos hope Jay Cutler can make the difference. Last year’s quarterback, Jake Plummer, played one of his worst games as a Bronco in the season opener at St. Louis, throwing for just 138 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. Plummer and Tatum Bell also fumbled the ball away on consecutive first-quarter offensive plays.
Even with Cutler’s relative inexperience, he can do better than 138 passing yards and four turnovers against the Bills.
Mike – Do you think Rod Smith will have a lesser role this season and possibly become the No. 3 or slot receiver?
— Gary Charland, Warren, Mich.
Gary – Rod will no doubt play a reduced role, but I don’t think he will disappear. Before he can be projected for anything, though, he must return to full speed. And that will be a while. His recovery from offseason hip surgery hasn’t accelerated as he would have liked, and he will begin training camp on the “physically unable to perform” list. His next goal is to be ready by the Broncos’ third preseason game, Aug. 25, against Cleveland at Invesco Field. If Smith makes it back by the Cleveland exhibition, then yes, there will be a good chance he will eventually fill the No. 3 receiver slot.
But the only way I see him reclaiming his No. 2, or starting, receiver position is if Brandon Marshall or Brandon Stokley don’t rebound from their injuries as expected.
The worst-case scenario for Smith is he opens the regular season on the PUP, which would sideline him a minimum of the first six weeks. But in case you’re wondering, Smith is not entertaining any thought of having a Jerry Rice-like retirement press conference at the end of training camp.
Hey, Mike. Is Domenik Hixon the first-string returner on punts or kickoffs?
— Cameron, Ohio
Cameron – Yes, Hixon is expected to get the first chance to become the team’s new returner, although he will be pushed by Quincy Morgan and David Kircus. Hixon was one of the “sleeper” surprises during the offseason mini-camps, both as a returner and receiver. One thing about returners, though, is it’s one position that can’t be properly evaluated until the games. In other words, Hixon hasn’t won anything, yet, except for maybe an honest look.
Do you think John Elway would ever consider coaching, or at least maybe assisting as a quarterback coach. His experience and wisdom would be priceless for Jay Cutler.
— Mike, Las Vegas
Mike – I assume you weren’t born in 1974 or 1980. In the 54-year period between 1953-2006, the given name “Michael” was either the first or second most popular given name each year among United States babies with the exception of 1974 and 1980, when for some reason, Mike didn’t even rank in the top 10.
And “Michael” was No. 1 among given names in 41 of those 54 years. Strangely, “Jacob” has beaten us out each of the past six years and seven of the past eight. You get it all here at Broncos Mailbag.
As for John (hasn’t been the No. 1 given name since 1950 and hasn’t been in the top 10 since 1989) Elway, he is much more interested in one day owning an NFL franchise than coaching for one. That’s why he’s the owner of the Arena League’s Colorado Crush and not tutoring Jay (a unique name that has never cracked the top 10) Cutler.
I also think Elway is sensitive to the fact that if he was always around Cutler, people would find more reasons to compare the two. And humbly speaking, Elway knows that wouldn’t be fair to the kid.
Hello, Mike. What do you see as the most improved position on the Broncos? This could be on the offense, defense or even coaching.
— Rod Huffman, Oakley, Kan.
Rod – I won’t pick one; I’ll pick six areas where the Broncos have a chance to be vastly improved from last year – quarterback, running back, middle linebacker, defensive line, defensive boss and special teams.
I think Cutler in the last five games of last season was better than Plummer in the first 11. Merely because of his big arm, Cutler can make so many more plays than Plummer. At running back, Travis Henry is clearly a more well-rounded back than Tatum Bell. At middle linebacker, Al Wilson’s play deteriorated so drastically because of his neck injury near the end of last season that a healthy D.J. Williams can’t help but represent improvement. In the defensive line, there will be more sacks from the defensive ends and stronger run containment in the middle. And new defensive boss Jim Bates has a tougher edge to his coaching style than did Larry Coyer. That doesn’t mean Bates’ style is necessarily better. It just means the Broncos needed the change. And the addition of Todd Sauerbrun as punter and coach Scott O’Brien has to improve a special teams that was dreadful through the first two-thirds of last season.
Hey, Mike. In what positions will we see the biggest competition in camp?
— Adrian, Monterrey, Mexico
Adrian – The backup receiver spots are like the No. 5 starters in baseball – they’re up for competition every year, in every camp. This year, the Broncos also have considerable competition for all four spots on their defensive line, right guard and the outside linebacker position vacated by D.J. Williams’ shift to the middle.
For the two defensive tackle spots, the Broncos must choose from four, no more than five, a group that includes Gerard Warren, Alvin McKinley, Sam Adams, Jimmy Kennedy, Demetrin Veal, Marcus Thomas, Antwon Burton and Amon Gordon. At defensive end, there is Elvis Dumervil, Jarvis Moss, Tim Crowder, Kenard Lang, Ebenezer Ekuban and John Engelberger. There will be some startling cuts from this group.
At outside linebacker, another injury to Eddie Moore means Warrick Holdman will open camp topping the depth chart, but veteran D.D. Lewis and Cameron Vaughn will compete, along with Steve Cargile, who could become a “nickel” linebacker.
At right guard, Chris Kuper will be trying to outblock Montrae Holland.
Has Al Wilson been picked up by any other team?
— Ross Hansen, Casper, Wyo.
Ross – No, he hasn’t. He’s still waiting for a doctor to give medical clearance to his neck injury. His agent, Peter Schaffer, has fielded several calls from teams who are keeping up with Wilson’s condition. Wilson is hoping to join a team near the end of training camp, but there is a chance he may have to sit out the entire season.
Mike – Give us your feel for how the Broncos organization is viewed and rated by other teams and reporters in the league.
— Dave Brown, Lenexa, Kan.
Dave – First, people outside the organization generally look at the Broncos as good for 10 wins every year, give or take. It’s considered an organization that pursues excellence, led by an owner in Pat Bowlen who will not skimp on his budget when it comes to hiring smart people and acquiring the talent desired by his football-personnel people.
The misperceptions from outside Denver usually regard Shanahan. While he does have final say on all decisions, general manager Ted Sundquist and his scouting staff have considerable input. Shanahan is a coach first. If his roster has a need, he relies on Sundquist and others to fill it because Shanahan doesn’t always have the time to field phone calls and look at tape that doesn’t involve that week’s opponent.
Shanahan is not the dictator some people may think outside the organization. He is in charge. Every buck stops at his desk. But if it were all one guy running a football operation, could a team maintain such successful consistency? Not likely.
On a personal level, Shanahan is not the uptight, difficult person I had heard he was from talking to past media members who covered him. He is accessible. He suffers fools better than I do. I have yet to meet anyone who was not touchy to criticism, and while Shanahan has been known to chastise a reporter he feels has done him wrong (privately, not publicly), he takes shots better than most head coaches I’ve been around.
Mike Klis is in his third season of covering the Broncos after previously covering the Rockies and Major League Baseball for 15 years. To drop a question into his Broncos Mailbag, or visit DenverPost.com’s .
