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Denver Post sports writer Mike Klis posts his Broncos Mailbag every Tuesday during the 2008 NFL season on DenverPost.com.

To drop a Broncos- or NFL-related question into the Broncos Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .

Mailbaggers,

I expected outrage after the Broncos were trounced in New England on Monday night. But way too many letters demanded the dismissal of several defensive coaches and a few defensive players. First folks, if you fire a coach after seven games, then you’re pretty much going to have one less coach the rest of the year. People are mad at Dre’ Bly. OK, so Champ Bailey has a groin problem that may not heal in time for the next game against the Dolphins. The Broncos are going to play without Bailey and Bly at the corners?

This is not the time to be firing people. And personally, there’s never a good time to fire people. I report it when it’s about to happen, or does happen, but I try not to initiate such action. Because of this stance, I ignored all but one letter, which I used for representation, calling for heads. This left a very thin mailbag.

–Mike

Bob Slowik is not the leader Denver’s defense needs. They are playing without focus, passion, strategy, or smarts — the same way Slowik’s units played when he was in charge in Green Bay and Chicago. Mike Shanahan should replace Slowik with Mike Nolan. Nolan may not be a great head coach, but he can assemble a fierce defense. This wouldn’t change the fact that Lowry, Manual and Bly can’t tackle, but it would begin the attitude change this defense needs. Your thoughts?

—Mark Meister, Chicago, IL

Mark – When they change defensive coordinators every year, and the defense still stinks, the overriding problem may not be the defensive coordinator. I’m very much against firing Bob Slowik, although he needs to figure out how to eliminate confusion on his side of the ball. Defensive systems are supposed to confuse the offense, not themselves.

It’s been the turnover of defensive coordinators and shifts in schemes that may have put the Broncos’ defense in this mess. This is the second consecutive season the Broncos changed defensive schemes after the regular season began. Unsettled defensive philosophy – the Broncos have been playing at least half the time in a 3-4 set, which they never worked on during the offseason or training camp – has to be a factor in the defense’s indecisive play.

But let’s step back from the Nightmare in New England and look at the bigger picture. I believe the Broncos are still two years away from seriously contending for the Super Bowl. I say this because their promising draft classes of 2006, led by quarterback Jay Cutler, and receiver Brandon Marshall, and 2008, led by left tackle Ryan Clady and receiver Eddie Royal, are two years away from merging the primes of their careers.

Given this, my solution to the defense is to live with it this year, then get better defensive players in the next two drafts. And if that doesn’t work, go ahead. Fire away.

Mike, any news on Ryan Torain’s recovery from his elbow injury? Can we expect to see him taking some game reps following the bye week?

–Ted, Lakewood

Ted – I would think the back-to-back fumbles by Andre Hall erased whatever doubt there was about Torain’s return for the post-bye game against Miami on Nov. 2. Ready or not, the Broncos need Torain. I would expect the rookie to get his first NFL carries against the Dolphins in relief of Michael Pittman, who has rushed for 109 and 88 yards in his two starts. Don’t expect Torain to play much early, not after missing the entire preseason, the first seven regular-season games and three months of practice because of a dislocated elbow. How much more Torain plays in the season’s second half depends on how well he plays.

I was just wondering if you might explain to us how the whole NFL fine process works. Does it just come out of the player’s weekly check?

–Jason Phillips, Westminster

Jason – The league does dock the player’s check. The fine money is tax deductible, by the way, because it goes toward charity.

Who is considered the Broncos’ team leader? Going back to Randy Gradishar, John Elway, Shannon Sharpe and Rod Smith, there’s always been a team leader to provide some cohesiveness and direction. But the way Mike runs people through the program like its DIA…well, you get the idea. In the spirit of the Halloween season, the Denver Broncos are a scary body without a head.

–Doug, Montana

Doug – The way it works in NFL locker rooms, there’s usually one leader per position. Now that Tom Nalen is down, Ben Hamilton or Casey Wiegmann would be the leaders of the offensive line. Brandon Stokley, Michael Pittman and Daniel Graham would be considered offensive leaders. As the quarterback, Jay Cutler is in a position of authority, but he may still be a tad young to, say, show Darrell Jackson the way. Among young players, I think Eddie Royal has special leadership skills.

As for defense, Kenny Peterson strikes me as a leader of the defensive line. The four linebackers are all mature types, as are the two veteran cornerbacks and three veteran safeties.

Ultimately, Shanahan is the team leader.

Sincere question: Do the Broncos practice tackling? Or is it a given by the time players get to the NFL? As a youth football coach, I’m constantly preaching to my players to get low and wrap up. The Broncos apparently coach ‘stay high and arm tackle.’ It’s a sad state of affairs when you try to coach kids to play the right way and the guys that are getting paid for it aren’t even close.

–Chris Meier, Rapid City, S.D.

Chris – Well, no, they really don’t practice tackling. I don’t think any NFL team does full bore. The Broncos will have drills where they pop and wrap and drive their legs. But the full out tackle? Teams pretty much stopped doing that once they started paying big money to a select few players. The risk of injury outweighed any benefit that comes from full-contact tackle drills.

I’m not so sure practice is the answer, Chris. Champ Bailey doesn’t practice tackling and he’s the league’s best cornerback tackler.

Mike Klis is in his fourth season of covering the Broncos after previously covering the Colorado Rockies and Major League Baseball for 15 years. To drop a question into his Broncos Mailbag, or visit DenverPost.com’s .