Shanahan Visiting Training Camp

[Hadez]

Plummer was falling off the rails by the time he was benched. His confidence was shattered when Cutler got drafted. In the win against Oakland to get us to 7-2, while he threw 2 TDs he also threw 3 INTs. The next week he threw an INT, no TDs, and completed less than 50% of his passes and we still led 24-7 in the 3rd before losing 35-27. The next we lost 19-10, I don’t remember if this was a weather game or not because neither QB played well but Larry Johnson ran all over us and we couldn’t run at all.

Then Jay Cutler was put in and loses his first 2 starts before winning the next 2 although the Cincy win was somewhat lucky. Then comes San Fran with all the marbles on the table and we lost in OT. Jake Plummer played the majority of the 2nd quarter, Mike Bell had a 46 yard run to put us at the 3 yard line. Jake Plummer took a 3 yard sack, threw an incomplete pass and ran for 3 yards before we kicked a FG. Next drive, 2 runs, incomplete pass and punt. Next drive, 2 runs, false start on Plummer, another run and another punt. Then Cutler comes back in from his concussion after halftime and throws a pick six.

I loved Plummer and if we didn’t draft Cutler I think that whole situation plays out differently. Hell I think if Shanahan sat Plummer down and told him look Jay isn’t ready and won’t be for awhile, Plummer probably would’ve had a much better year. But those things didn’t happen and Plummer reverted to his Cardinal days, we had to make a change even if I think Marshall getting put in the lineup with Plummer would’ve been better. If Cutler didn’t get hurt maybe we go on to win that game and Cutler has a long career with Brandon Marshall, Javon Walker, and Tony Scheffler.

Agree with some of that but this is where I differ..

I think the three turnovers in the AFC Champ game that lead to short field points by the Steelers was what messed up Plummer mentally. Those points were the difference in the game.

Plummer came into 2006 and played the worst football of his career. No coach worth being in the NFL would have kept playing Plummer in 2006.

I can see it being the drafting of Cutler but if that was why Plummer crumbled mentally than he was not tough enough mentally to get us a Ring anyways.

Elway did not crumble when we drafted Madox. Mentally tough QBs are not afraid of competition be it the opponent or a rookie trying to take their job

[lvbronx]

Agree with some of that but this is where I differ..

I think the three turnovers in the AFC Champ game that lead to short field points by the Steelers was what messed up Plummer mentally. Those points were the difference in the game.

Plummer came into 2006 and played the worst football of his career. No coach worth being in the NFL would have kept playing Plummer in 2006.

I can see it being the drafting of Cutler but if that was why Plummer crumbled mentally than he was not tough enough mentally to get us a Ring anyways.

Elway did not crumble when we drafted Madox. Mentally tough QBs are not afraid of competition be it the opponent or a rookie trying to take their job

If I remember correctly, we were down 17-3 before Plummer had his first TO. And I personally wouldn't call a QB that was 7-4 "crumbling".

[crabcruncher]

Agree with some of that but this is where I differ..

I think the three turnovers in the AFC Champ game that lead to short field points by the Steelers was what messed up Plummer mentally. Those points were the difference in the game.

Plummer came into 2006 and played the worst football of his career. No coach worth being in the NFL would have kept playing Plummer in 2006.

I can see it being the drafting of Cutler but if that was why Plummer crumbled mentally than he was not tough enough mentally to get us a Ring anyways.

Elway did not crumble when we drafted Madox. Mentally tough QBs are not afraid of competition be it the opponent or a rookie trying to take their job

But Elway was ticked off though, wasn't he. Especially since they had team needs elsewhere for that pick.

[RobertR]

But Elway was ticked off though, wasn't he. Especially since they had team needs elsewhere for that pick.

The end result being that Reeves was sent packing,

[Hadez]

If I remember correctly, we were down 17-3 before Plummer had his first TO. And I personally wouldn't call a QB that was 7-4 "crumbling".

The score was 0-3 when Plummer committed his first turnover. The Steelers drove 39 yards to make it 0-10.

We were 7-4 because the defense was putting up historic numbers for the first part of the season. The defense was giving up pts per game like 6, 7, 3, 3, 7. We were winning games 9-6, 13-3, 13-3, 17-7. The defense was totally carrying the team to that 7-4 record.

Plummer had more Ints than TDs and BY FAR his worse QB rating as a Bronco with 68.8. It was close to 20 points lower than it ever was before as a Bronco...but similar to how he played in Arizona. Plummer was a Broken QB in 2006.

Plummer was a qb with a 37% winning percentage when he went to work with Shanahan. His only playoff experience ended in a blowout loss (sound familiar) to the Vikings 41-21. 2006 he reverted back to that qb with a winning percentage of 37%...only reason the record was different was because the defense was allowing a historically low amount of points in that part of the season.

[Hadez]

But Elway was ticked off though, wasn't he. Especially since they had team needs elsewhere for that pick.

There was all kinds of drama about it but Elway was one of the mentally toughest QBs ever to play in the NFL.

Elway never backed down from competition be it from the opposing team or a rookie. That is how a true franchise qb reacts to that kind of situation.

Both Plummer and Cutler reacted differently to the tough job of being an NFL starting QB.

[BroncoFanDK]

PM was one of the best QBs to ever play the game. At that time he was in his prime with some really good talent around him.

Most teams could not handle PM and only the Patriots could do it consistantly

No, Patriots, Steelers and Chargers routinely beat the Colts.

Many here put Shanahan on a pedestal but it was poor judgement to repeatedly build teams with defenses that did not have the talent to compete against the elite teams. It is a crappy defensive team that allows 41, 49 and 34 points.

Plummer for some reason could win 70%+ of games and totally destroyed the 2005 team. He thought he could "build an Elway" and as the building block he took a Jeff George clone.

[Capt. Jack]

Greatest Bronco HC of All-time !!!!
"MASTERMIND"

(Drop mic)

[Taos_Broncomaniac]

I was surprised when he Benched Plummer, we were 7-4 and I thought for sure we would go to the Playoffs.
We were good in those days, but PFM was pillaging us in the playoffs back then.
At the time I was kinda wanting a change at HC. But I love Shanny, He is by far my favorite Broncos HC.

Pat's "Coach for Life"

Shanny found the fix for Manning in Bailey, Lynch, Williams, D Williams.

Remember that epic regular season game at home in 06. Most thought that was the afc championship game preview.

Even with this recent and past super bowl run my favorite Bronco seasons will always be 05,06,10. Jyst something about being the under dog.

Plummer played with a ton of heart, incredible bootleg!!! I think he was one of the first to see the wheels coming off. Got benched for his troubles...

Shanny's best coaching days were behind him by then and the GM position was a hot mess.

[Hadez]

Plummer played with a ton of heart, incredible bootleg!!! I think he was one of the first to see the wheels coming off. Got benched for his troubles...

Shanny's best coaching days were behind him by then and the GM position was a hot mess.

I am defending Shanahan the coach but there is no question Shanahan the GM was close to a High Millen level. Millen and Shanahan had different weaknesses as GMs so it is hard to compare which was worse but neither of them should have a GM/VP of Football title nor the final say in player decisions. Both belong in the same conversation when talking about horrible GMs. The only reason Shanahan may be better is because he did have some success in few moves but when he took a risk swing and failed man did it hurt the franchise. For every Champ trade, TD draft, Neal Smith signing or Alex Gibbs signing we can talk about multiple Daryl Gardner signing, Jarvis Moss drafts, Bronwnco trades or Slovik type moves..

IMO if Shanahan had a strong GM he could work with and give final decisions to that would have removed the biggest weakness we had as a team from 1999-2008. I think the 1995-1998 success was purely because some teams were still trying to get use to free agency in its new form...and Shanahan had a habit of pushing the rules too far.

Football is just too difficult for one person to try to do it all imo

[Hadez]

Greatest Bronco HC of All-time !!!!
"MASTERMIND"

(Drop mic)

We have had a lot of good ones but I agree.

His resume includes
1 of 32 head coaches to win a Super Bowl
1 of 13 head coaches to win multiple Super Bowls
Head Coached 4 different qbs to the playoffs in 3 different decades...three of them were much worse QBs when not playing for Shanahan...all of them had their best years with Shanahan.

Even his "biggest weakness"...defense...he had 10 years of top ten defenses in 14 years as Bronco Head Coach. That is not bad for "biggest weakness".

Our only other coach to win us a Super Bowl came from the Shanahan tree in Kubiak,