KRIEGER: Shanahan definitely is bullish on his offense

By Dave Krieger, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published September 17, 2008 at 8:32 p.m.

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Broncos coach Mike Shanahan is looking to quarterback Jay Cutler to help Denver's offense "be the best in the league."

Through two weeks, the Broncos have the No. 1-ranked offense in the NFL. They also have a coach who thinks it's no fluke.

Once the offensive mastermind, Mike Shanahan is relishing the chance to work with state-of-the-art weaponry again. By his own account, Shanahan considered Sunday's game-winning drive against San Diego "a statement." Going for two was sealed with a nod from quarterback to coach before it even began.

"We've got a chance to be as good as anybody," Shanahan said Wednesday, referring to the offense. "We've got a chance to be the best in the league."

Later, I asked how long it's been since he's felt that way.

"First year I've felt that way since the last Super Bowl," he said.

He's having so much fun, he's even poking at the wretches who have been poking at him the last couple of years. Somebody asked if he could "emphasize" with the precarious position of Raiders coach Lane Kiffin. Shanahan instantly morphed into a seventh-grade teacher. "Empathize?" he asked.

Let me just mention here that, in general, if you make a living with words and you find football coaches correcting you on matters of vocabulary, you might have a valid lawsuit against any institution that awarded you a degree. But Shanahan was happy to accept another invitation to needle his old nemesis, Al Davis.

"Remember, I lasted a year and four games," he said. "So he might have me beat. I don't know, though, there's two games left, so we'll have to wait and see."

Suddenly, he was overcome with mock contrition. "That'll be the quote of the day, won't it? I can't believe you set me up with that one."

In his 14th season as Broncos head coach, Shanahan knows better than most that the NFL is all about the pieces you put on the board. You can be a Super Bowl champion or a 7-9 has-been. It's this year's pieces that have him willing to talk about being the best offense in football.

"I just know when you've got personnel to do it," he said. "We have that opportunity, but we've got to stay healthy. If we do that, I think we can be."

Scoring 80 points in two games, his offense has been so powerful that someone asked him the secret of developing young wide receivers. Even Shanahan, loath to admit a mistake, had to smile.

"I think if you look at my track record, it's not very good, but we won't get into that," he said.

In fact, Shanahan drafted 14 wide receivers before selecting Brandon Marshall in 2006, two of them (Marcus Nash and Ashley Lelie) in the first round. Billy Miller may have been the best of the lot.

"Fortunately, the last couple have been pretty good," he said. "Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal, obviously, we're doing very well with, and the addition of a guy like (Brandon) Stokley has really helped us."

Of the last three wide receivers he's drafted, two are emerging stars. A bit of a crapshoot, the draft.

Combined with Jay Cutler, the quarterback he traded up to get the same year he drafted Marshall, these pieces give him the confidence to indulge his inner gambler, as he did Sunday.

"I just think it's my nature to kind of always go with your gut," he said. "When you're not winning or you make a bad call, I understand the consequences that go with it, the second-guessing. If that really bothers you, you can't survive in this type of world.

"I looked at Jay's eye and I could just tell the look in his eye, that, hey, he's going to make this thing happen. And enough confidence with the rest of the guys that, hey, this is going to be a statement. Not only are we going to go 80 yards, but we're going to go for it."

In fact, Shanahan said he cleared it with Cutler before the drive began.

"I said, 'Hey, when we score on this drive, we're going to go for two. What do you think?' You could tell there was no hesitation. And when you've got that with your quarterback, you feel pretty good."

All success in the NFL is tenuous, as Shanahan well knows. Last year's team was also 2-0, although not nearly as convincingly. Still, he's told his players about the mixed record of 2-0 teams, using last year's 7-9 finish as a prime example.

But this year's team isn't just 2-0. It's produced 927 yards of offense in two games, 60 more than the next best offense, which belongs to the Cowboys.

"I just think it's all about the personnel," Shanahan said. "I don't think New England will be the same offense as they have been with Tom Brady. You can't."

Replacing the Patriots as the best offense in football is an audacious goal. Fortunately, audacity is one of Shanahan's favorite things. It's just been a while since he could indulge.

• September 17, 2008

  9:19 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Midnight127 writes:

  And now we just need to work on that defense...

  ...and special teams.

• September 17, 2008

  9:57 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  LarryB writes:

  I never thought I would see the day I harbored any gratitude toward The Corpse, Al Davis. But I want to take this opportunity to express my deepest appreciation for firing Shanny. It is because of this move, Dear Al, that we have the Super Bowls and all the playoff years, while you slopped around in the mire at the bottom.

  How's that go again? "Just cry, baby!"

• September 17, 2008

  10:03 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  kc02 writes:

  I'm wondering, did Mike have his kick-off returners run the bowl out of the end zone during the Super Bowl years? Or did he have them down it every time, like he's having them do this year? If he drafted Eddie Royal to run back kick-offs, and Eddie is not doing that, are we just going to concede every kickoff and start at the 20? Maybe try a few, and see if something good happens?

  I'm a huge Shanahan fan by the way. Just would like to see us try a few kick-off returns, and you know...see what happens.

• September 17, 2008

  10:40 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  xxx writes:

  shanny's got the next draft to do nothing but shore up D-line

• September 18, 2008

  3:46 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  nmbronco1 writes:

  A couple of good wins have seemed to shut up the Shanahaters for now. For a while there, it seemed more people posting on the RMN wanted to see Shanahan fired rather than kept as coach of the Broncos. Shanahan has always been a gambler his entire career with the Broncos. Back in the two Super Bowl years (and the 13-3 season just prior to those when Jacksonville upset an apparent Super Bowl bound Bronco team) Shanahan had the offensive firepower to gamble and usually win. The past few years the personel just didn't fit. The Broncos got Jake Plummer specifically to gamble with, but we all can see now the Jay Cutler has the smarts and tools to be effective in that role just as Elway once was. The way Cutler is playing now and with the emergence of the young receivers, it may be that Denver is fortunate enough to have lightning strike a second time at the QB position. Admit it, the Bronco offense of 2008 is pure joy to behold, and may be only starting to get its traction.

• September 18, 2008

  7:16 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  BroncoRick69 writes:

  I would love to see this team have a great defense as well. That would make the victories more complete.

• September 18, 2008

  7:28 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  vvsignin writes:

  The offense, built from the ground up for the last three years, is now working. If only some of those picks spent on those D linemen had worked out the same...Superbowl would be in the cards. Is it going to take another three years to get the defense in gear while the offense has to perform at 110% every week to get the W? Who are some good free agents that will be available at the end of this year?

• September 18, 2008

  8:14 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  El_Braino writes:

  I wonder if they'll consider putting in Jack Williams on kickoff returns. Didn't he return punts and kickoffs in college? He has speed and can make people miss...

  Just a thought...

• September 18, 2008

  8:55 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  yamahabass2 writes:

  The defense has had one bad game against a team that the experts were predicting would go to the Superbowl. Plus the team has a new defensive coordinator and scheme, so assignments are going to be missed initially. Let's see how it pans out by the middle of the year, but everybody knows the pass rush and special teams have to improve.

• September 18, 2008

  11:59 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Cutlers_the_bomb writes:

  I agree. I think that the defense does have to improve, but I think that it is better than the stats say. This is early, we did face a Chargers offense that, despite being injured, they are still pretty explosive. They couldn't run over us at all (80 yards), and we had them contained for most of the game. I know that big plays are going to made; it's the nature of the game. However, we need to make sure that they plays are broken open. Also, this defense has a couple new players as well as a new D-coordinator and scheme, so missed assignments happen. It happens with players that have been in the system for years even. By the middle of the season we will find out how our defense really is. For this week, we need to go into a 7 man front, not 8 man front, because they aren't able to run at all, while they are very potent in the passing game. I think we need to blitz Webster, lock Bailey and Bly on their guys, put Boss Bailey on Jeremy Shockey (that should be an AWESOME matchup, huh?), and DJ Williams on Reggie Bush (he is just athletic as heck; if he can shut down LT he should be able to keep Bush in check). We need to focus on pass rush and defense, and if that works and our offense produces even BETTER than they did last week, I predict over 40 points, maybe even 49 points-14 or 17 for the Saints.

• September 18, 2008

  12:11 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  elgin99 writes:

  Hey Krieger, how bout some accountability from you?
  For the last 2 years you have been the biggest Shanahan/Bronco hater in Denver, maybe Oakland? Last year the team was devestated with injuries, yet, no let up from you, the coach is an idiot and should be replaced. If sport writers were coaches your #ss would be looking for work. Football people could see the direction of this team, everyone but you and a handful of english major sport jounalist. With the youngest team in the NFL the Broncos are going to be good FOR A LONG TIME!!!!! Time to jump on the Bronco Bandwagon, why don't you bring your Bronco hating cartoonist DREW LITTON with you.

• September 18, 2008

  12:48 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Rutabaga writes:

  I said all year that Coach "Smartipants" Shanahan was smart. He is kind of like Yogi Bear you know, except he's not a bear. But he is smarter than the average bear, with out a doubt. And the guys who hate Coach Shanahan are just mad because they are jealous. They don't have a really big house with a bowling alley and other cool stuff like the Coach . Why? Duh... because they are not smart like Coach Shanahan.

• September 18, 2008

  3:32 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Soldier7 writes:

  I will say it again, Please play Jack Williams. The kid has
  the ability to return kicks, cover people and intercept the
  ball. I know we have Champ and Dre, but could we at least
  play the kid in the nickle package?

  If they play this kid, he will score toachdowns on defense and
  special teams.

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