If you’re not worn out from columns about the Broncos’ shoddy special-teams play, that makes one of us.
Trouble is, the issue, despite Mike Shanahan’s considerable efforts, refuses to go away.
The perplexing part isn’t so much that poor special-teams play continues to plague this team. In the end, the most troubling part of all is that Shanahan hasn’t been able to fix the problem.
Give him this: He has tried. Shanahan hasn’t accepted the mistakes. No head coach can in today’s NFL, in which free agency and the salary cap have leveled the playing field, making special teams more important than ever.
His critics sometimes forget that Shanahan used a fourth-rounder on a punter in 2001. He also traded for Todd Sauerbrun, baggage and all, then re-signed him after Sauerbrun repeatedly ran afoul of the league’s rules regarding performance-enhancing drugs.
Wait, there’s more. Shanahan drafted Darrent Williams, God rest his soul, because of his ability as a cornerback, but also because he was one of the best kick returners in the country. And, to drop an all-too-familiar name, Shanahan had his eyes on Devin Hester before the Bears beat him to the punch on draft day.
The list of Shanahan’s attempts to fix the special teams goes on and on. Frankly, I thought the Broncos’ problems in that area were behind them after he hired Scott O’Brien, widely regarded as one of the best special-teams coaches in the business. But no. Even O’Brien has found no answers.
Here’s that stat again, the one that refuses to go away: The Broncos are last in the league in average starting field position. Not only that, they’re tied for second with three special-teams turnovers.
Special-teams mistakes played heavily into losses two weeks ago at Chicago and Sunday at Oakland.
Every NFL team has special-teams breakdowns, but it’s nothing short of inexplicable that they’ve gone on for so long with the Broncos.
If Shanahan can’t solve the mystery, you have to wonder who can. But know this: As long as the problem remains, every week figures to be a struggle.
Follow Jim Armstrong’s daily Broncos commentaries on The Jimmy Page at 7 a.m. and noon, and read his columns on Sundays and the day after Broncos games at .
He can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
