After another disappointing Denver Broncos season, owner Pat Bowlen fired Mike Shanahan. This could be a mistake of epic proportions.
Longevity and continuity are important in the National Football League. Mike Shanahan's fourteen years as head coach were better than average, and they did bring two Superbowl victories to Denver.
But, Mike Shanahan's record was 24-24 over the last three seasons, a 0.500 record. The defense was atrocious, and perhaps the personnel decisions that Mike Shanahan made on that side of the ball were suspect. However, when the Broncos had a running game, the offense really clicked. Quarterback Jay Cutler still has tremendous upside and throws the ball like a laser beam. However, the Broncos went through seven or eight running backs through the year due to injury (Tatum Bell sold cell phones at the Aurora mall until the Broncos signed him late in the season).
Pat Bowlen now has an impossible job: replace a long-term coach with another who will have similar success over a long-term period. Pat Bowlen should be cautious however. Many teams would be jumping for joy with a 0.500 record over multiple seasons. If Bowlen chooses poorly, he could duplicate the record of a team from my home state that in the last decade had four head coaches (and looking for a fifth), only one playoff appearance (and first round loss), and terrible defense: the Cleveland Browns.
by Civil Sense
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