It's for the best...

[enjolras]

While I hate listening to Chuggers fans crow about their stellar 8-8 record.... this loss is for the best. The difference in draft position is just huge. The 2008 Denver Broncos have a lot of holes, and moving up in the draft (significantly) is definitely what this team needs to have long term success. I may be looking for a silver lining, but I really do think this team will be much closer to a championship thanks to this loss.

It only makes me feel slightly better right now. Having the Chuggers dispatched next week will console me tho:)

[DB_champ24]

This team was going nowhere in the playoffs, but I think the Chargers have a good chance next week.

[ohiobronco2]

This team was going nowhere in the playoffs, but I think the Chargers have a good chance next week.

They always seem to play Indy well.

[BlaK-Argentina]

Yeah playing Indy wasn't too appealing.
Let SD take a shot at them. I think they can pull it off.

Draft defense pleeeease.

[eddie mac]

For the best??? I've heard it all now and pray tell me what difference 4 slots make exactly when Mr Shanahan couldn't draft defense to save his life???

[SoDak Bronco]

didn't shanny draft al wilson ?? He was a pretty good LB in the 1st round, hopefully we can get REY REY!!

[Rohirrim]

For the best??? I've heard it all now and pray tell me what difference 4 slots make exactly when Mr Shanahan couldn't draft defense to save his life???

What makes you think he'll go D with the first pick? Ha!

[orinjkrush]

hope he picks a DC tomorrow

[eddie mac]

didn't shanny draft al wilson ?? He was a pretty good LB in the 1st round, hopefully we can get REY REY!!

That was 10 years ago ffs. Are you for real???

For every Al Wilson there's 9 1st-2nd rd picks that have washed out in Denver and never done much of note in this league.

O'Neal, Middlebrooks, Gold, Reagor, Kennedy, Toviessi, Moss, Crowder, Pierce to name them all.

[tsiguy96]

i agree to an extent. im glad its over kinda, the perpetual heartbreak kinda sucked. imagine beinging on a ****ty team every year, we should be glad we have shanahan.

next year could be HUGE, and im very excited for it. the offseason is fun, drafts and FAs are crazy times.

[wolf754life]

"O'Neal, Middlebrooks, Gold, Reagor, Kennedy, Toviessi, Moss, Crowder, Pierce to name them all"

i hear you and I agree!!! keep preaching brother!

the clown fanboys will never get the religion!

shannahan can't do defense!

[spdirty]

I wish we still had Jumpy Geathers.

[titan]

While I would much rather be celebrating a Bronco win right now I agree with you this loss is probably for the best. This team was not going to do anything in the playoffs.

Amidst all the "fire shanahan!" threads I do see alot of positives from this season:

* a great draft, one of the best of the Shanahan era.

* one of the best young quarterbacks in the game. Sure he forces the ball and still has some learning to do. I saw Elway make as many if not more mistakes at the same stage of his career.

* two young stud bookend offensive tackles. Cutler was pretty much untouched tonight.

* Tatum Bell looked good tonight. He has the speed and home run potential that Selvin Young and other Bronco backs just don't have. I could see a possible "thunder and lightning" tandem for next season like Bell and Mike Anderson were so good at in 2005. Let Hillis/Torain pound em, and mix in the speed and shiftiness of Bell.

* A solid, young receiving corp

The Defense does have BIG problems. I hope the severity of this loss will lead to more changes there. Unfortunately I just heard on CHannel 4 that Slowik will be back next season (announced by Shanahan).

Firing Shanahan now is ridiculous. Being an old timer I remember the great offense/poor defense Bronco teams of the Ralston era (72-74). A few years of defensive drafts created the Orange Crush. It can happen again.