DETROIT — The Broncos are buzz-killers. During more than 12 years as coach, Mike Shanahan has endured rougher stretches of football in Denver. But has any of his teams been more boring?
For perhaps the first time in an often-glorious, always-intriguing Shan- ahan era, the Broncos are not an essential part of the NFL conversation.
When did that happen? And how can it change?
“Win,” Broncos veteran Nick Ferguson said. “W-I-N. Exclamation point. Exclamation point. Exclamation point.”
And that’s precisely the problem.
The Broncos have become the very thing that drives football fans to reach for the remote and change the channel. Denver now acts like one of those teams afraid to lose.
As the NFL hype machine pumps up the volume on a showdown between good and bad, as Indianapolis quarterback and everybody’s All-American Peyton Manning battles New England coach Bill Belichick (aka Dr. Evil), the Broncos sputter to Detroit looking as dinged as an old Chrysler K car with a flat tire.
“Are we too beat up to win?” said Ferguson, who knows full well that in addition to strong talent and solid coaching, every championship team also must be blessed with good health.
“Our team right now is battered and bruised and we got some makeshift stuff going on. We’re trying to plug that leaky tire with a patch. But the NFL is a rough road. Boom! You hit a nail. You ride it out as long as you can, but that tire may go flat before you get to your destination.”
The Broncos have fallen off the radar for championship contention. They have become props in the latest chapter of Brett Favre’s legend. In a league full of parity, Denver has become just another bunch of unremarkable faces in the any-given-Sunday crowd.
We’re tired of hearing these Broncos have the potential to be good. We want to know: When?
“No, the answer is: win. It’s not who, what, how or when. It’s not a question of when,” Ferguson said. “We learned in school there are words that sound alike but are spelled different. You can say: ‘When you going to give me my money?’ But I’m talking about: ‘We’re going to beat somebody’s rump and win.”‘
When young quarterback Jay Cutler is allowed to rear back and throw heat, he shows sparks of Pro Bowl brilliance. But, most of the time, Denver plays its offensive game plan so close to the vest that sleepy-eyed Jay-C appears as if he might doze off calling signals.
Longtime team leaders such as linebacker Al Wilson and center Tom Nalen have left the building. The neck of safety John Lynch hurts, and the future prospects of proud receiver Rod Smith aren’t looking so hot.
While their schedule and talent suggest a playoff berth remains within reach, the Broncos are in deep trouble.
Smoke ’em if you got ’em, Travis Henry.
Although there might be too many strangers in the Denver locker room to care about this team’s fortunes as fervently as Broncomaniacs do, the will to win remains in these players.
But with so many injuries at so many key positions, you get the distinct impression even Shanahan wonders if the bodies are lacking to make a serious playoff run.
With justification, the Broncos talked before the season about winning a championship. So I asked Daniel Graham, who a year ago played tight end for the Patriots, if his new teammates in Denver really believe they can compete with New England or Indianapolis.
“There is a gap right now. Right now, it seems like both those teams are playing excellent football. For us, there are things we need to fix and can fix,” Graham said.
Can the Broncos possibly get back on the road to the Super Bowl?
“We can,” Graham insisted.
Unable to make big statements on the field, the Broncos must tell pretty little lies to keep them going, and pray not to get hurt too badly by the truth.
Mark Kiszla: 303-954-1053 or mkiszla@denverpost.com.
