Personnel reason for Broncos’ fall

Van Walker, Special to the News

Published November 27, 2006 at midnight

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Welcome to life as a Browns fan, where your team is always a chair short when the music stops.

Only 10 days ago, the Broncos were the third-best team in the AFC. Today, they are the third-best team in their own division, ahead of only the benighted Raiders.

The reason for Denver’s fall from grace is simple: This team suffers from a profound lack of talent.

Mike Shanahan must be held accountable for this.

As of this writing, we are preparing to anoint yet another savior at quarterback. Having long called for Jake Plummer’s head, I must also hope that Jay Cutler is really better and not just different.

After all, The Mastermind is the man who gave us Bubby Brister, Brian Griese and the lamentable Plummer. It would be nice to think that the alleged offensive genius could actually pick a franchise quarterback and not just inherit one.

Then again, exactly how much faith should we have in Shanahan’s personnel decisions over the past several seasons? Apart from Javon Walker, name a player decision that has been a decisive plus for the Broncos.

Champ Bailey? All it cost them was a running back who had rushed for 1,500 yards in consecutive seasons. Not to pour more lemon juice into Tatum Bell’s latest debilitating paper cut, but it says so right here that this team would be magnitudes better with Clinton Portis in uniform right now. Meanwhile, someone should lock Bell the Elder in a room with a loop of Emmitt Smith’s gutty performance in the 1994 NFC Championship game, since that might be easier than sending him down the yellow brick road to see the wizard about a heart.

And don’t get me started on the howling void that is tight end. Apparently, Stephen Alexander starts because he drew the short straw, while his backup, the inconsequential Tony Scheffler, has now appeared on more milk cartons than Elsie the Cow.

As for the defense, you take Browns castoffs, you get Browns results. Caveat emptor, indeed.

Perhaps the fact that this team hasn’t collapsed sooner is a tribute to Shanahan’s football acumen, but it is also clear that sheer talent (or the lack thereof) will overcome the best-laid plans of mice and Masterminds. Even with Cutler behind the wheel, how much better will this team be next season? Both Bells will likely return to a collective sigh, while it might take a court order to get a tight end to report. The defense will need to be overhauled . . . again . . . and Jason Elam and Rod Smith are only getting older.

Have I overstated my case? I’ll leave you with this question, and, as always, death is not an option: If you’re playing the Broncos, whom do you absolutely have to account for on every play from scrimmage?

Your answer should tell you that it’s time Shanahan surrendered his player personnel authority and concentrated solely upon coaching.

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