No Matter What Happens On Sunday, The 2011 Denver Broncos Season Was A Success

if you would have told me that we win eight games and tebow is the starter i would have been excited!

Yes, I agree this year has been better than the past year/s. But still to be in a place that all you needed was one win and not to close it out to me has to be flawed somewhat. I know this team is young, but that looks like the Denver Broncos we used to know. I know the game hasn’t happened yet and Denver still controls the outcome, but not to make the playoffs this year would really hurt. More in morale than anything.

Maybe we could just say this season was a Success but add an * to the end?

but…..if we lose and miss the playoffs the sky will definately be falling at MHR.

but I want to win anyway, I lust after the playoffs, I’ll admit it

A team’s performance should exist on a sliding scale of expectations. We were left for dead – even worse than preseason expectations – back when we were 1-4. And yet, we rocketed from there on. Given how the team has performed the last few months (last 2 games notwithstanding), missing the playoffs at this point should be considered nothing less than a major disappointment.

I’m just dreading that if we lose we’re going to have to spend the entire offseason listening to people whine about how Tebow is not the answer and that this team is still awful. You know that’s what’s going to happen if Kyle Orton beats us this Sunday. If we can pull it out there will be no doubt to anyone that we are heading in the right direction. Based on the last several years, I’d hate to spend another offseason bickering as a divided fan base. This Sunday has a lot more at stake than the 2012 playoffs if you ask me.

to improve. We’ve done that. To be relevant in week 17 and to have the possibility to go to the playoffs after the horrible year we had last year is all gravy. I think we’ve set ourselves up for a great off season and I am positive that we’ll be a contender next year for all great things.

That said, let’s beat the snot out of the Chiefs and bring home some playoff wins.

J

and as an avid Josh McDaniels detractor I have been saying the same thing about this new HC, FO and coaching staff all year. So I will be proud of the Broncos win or lose this week and playoffs or not.

I think the Broncos will have their hands full this weekend and I had them winning 10 games pre-season.

“Was 2010 a success to you?”

Not at all if you’re talking about the Broncos. That year was a massive failure.

2011 was a big success though.

So yeah this is a success after last year’s crapfest

old or new, lets keep it that way

I had them 6-10, 7-9 so yes this season is a success
though expectations have shifted go get it Broncos

However, the Broncos have not played like an 8-8 or 9-7 team, and I’m not sure if they were actually any better this year than last. The major differences are that the Broncos haven’t been hit with the injury bug nearly as bad this year (after the bye, anyway) as they were last year, while several of their opponents were missing key starters each week this year. The Broncos have actually had the same five guys starting on the OL for the last 10 or 11 games. Before the final three games last year, I don’t think they had two weeks in a row with the same five guys. Plus the Broncos have been incredibly lucky with the breaks going their way this year. I think you can easily subtract four (maybe five) wins the Broncos had that were the result of unbelievable blunders made by their opponents during the last few minutes of the game or in overtime. Last year, it seemed like everything that could go wrong for Denver did go wrong.

So you might reply by saying, but the Broncos are in a rebuilding season this year. OK, they were in a rebuilding season last year too. Probably more so because of the weekly rotation of the offensive line. But my point is that, while the Broncos were more successful this year win wise, I’m just not sure they were a better team than they were last year.

(By the way, I didn’t mention either Kyle Orton or Tim Tebow because this has nothing to do with either of them. It’s just my opinion of the Broncos overall, this year compared to last year.)

After last year, I had the Broncos winning @ 4-6 wins so the fact the they are 8-7 right now with the division title within their grasp is a success for me. Especially from a 4-12 record. I know the FO is still up in the air over our QB, however they got a good sample size to move forward during a real offseason. We also saw a pass rush develop between Dumervil and Miller that we were all hoping to see. Decker has made his presence known and Demaryius Thomas was finally healthy and is a big asset for our WR corp moving forward. Specal Teams has improved as well so with a whole offseason to work with for 2012, I am excited to see what happens and it will be so much better if it was coming off a playoff year

Go Broncos!!

at least until the super bowl is over. Then we can all look back and remember the ride we all went through, and the improvement this team, this young team went through.

Keep in mind, we’re a young, young team. Tebow has earned a chance to start next year, im sure we’ll bring in some competition, but this will be Tebow’s first ever full offseason with coaches and Elway.

Von Miller. The guy is a beast and a Pro-Bowler for many years to come. Chris Harris plays with a giant chip on his shoulder and is a solid addition to our secondary. Orlando Franklin has stepped in and did a good job at RT, Virgil Green has done a solid job as a run blocking TE. Rahim Moore and Quinton Carter have had a roller coaster year, but hopefully each will improve next year.

Now we’ll have another draft and free agency to improve the team. Our team has alot of cap space so we could see a major addition or 2. So things are heading in the right direction.

Go Broncos!!! Playoffs here comes a magical run from us!

is done after the season is over. I agree with you though. Right now, with the situation we are in to sieze the opportunity of a home playoff game, yes I will be disappointed if we blow it. That said, we have turned a corner and improved greatly. It has been a fun year.

To your original discussion you were having about the draft picks, it’s shocking to me to hear how much people suddenly expect. We’ve got the great Von Miller doing his thing, Franklin starting every game, improving and certainly looking better than many veteran starters across the league. We’ve also got rookie safeties hitting up some major playing time in Rahim Moore and Quinton Carter – including many starts. As the safety – as the last line of defense – that’s pretty uncommon. And then we’ve also got undrafted rookie Chris Harris making waves and getting a heckuva lot of playing time at corner.

Playing that many rookies and not absolutely sucking on defense is a major accomplishment in and of itself. And with no offseason. That’s enough rookies for one year. It’s not surprising to me that third-round MLB Nate Irving isn’t being thrown into the mix as the defensive quarterback while the playoffs have been on the line for weeks now.

And Julius Thomas is likely in the same boat. We’re blocking with our TEs a ton. That’s far and away the toughest curve to learn for TEs entering the NFL, especially a basketball player recently turned footballer. With Fells and Rosario in there, it’s not hard to see why we’re not throwing in the rookie just for bragging rights. Enough is enough.

If we started more rookies we’d lose more games. Whether they’re good picks or not, rookies make mistakes. We’re already giving substantial playing time to at least five rookies. That’s a lot! And folks want more? I just don’t get it.

All I wanted was to have fun again watching my favorite team in the whole world play. Last year and the start of this year were simply depressing. I’ve had more fun and excitement this season than I have had in years. Thank you Broncos, Elway, Tebow..everyone!

I just know that I’d like for a medical team to be on standby for me on Sunday. Win, lose, or draw, if I haven’t posted that evening, please call 911.

I am predicting a huge game from the defense, particularly miller bailey and elvis.

I wouldnt be surprised if broncos ended up in superbowl this year. Really, I believe they have a legit shot. With tebow at qb, anything is possible.

I am leaving it at that for now. When you have a division title in your hands in the NFL and hold onto it after the previous season’s debacle and rebounding from a poor start this year, I would say that would be successful. However losing the division title at home in the last week of the season will really piss me off and probably cause problems at home and work (haha, just kidding, but I will be super pissed). The AFC West title is for the Broncos to lose right now, since they already are on top.

A home playoff game is obviously a bonus for winning the division, however I wouldn’t have high expectations for anything further. As a fan of course I would want the Broncos to roll through the playoffs, but as a level headed person I would say that we have a bright, but young team that isn’t equipped as well as any of the other NFL playoff teams…and I’m ok with that. The Broncos will only get better throughout the offseason and in next year, and for years to come!

PS I want Von Miller to arrive often, swiftly, and angrily at Kyle Orton on Sunday.

I will take 8-8 as a small success.

I will take 9-7 with a first round playoff loss as a medium success

I would count 9-7 with two playoff wins a large success.

SB title would be heaven.

The positive changes from the top on down have set the slate for a great new era for the Broncos. After the summer and spring preseason we get to start all over again with a clean slate and players that have received better training and have more experience moving on.

Like the rest of you,I wouldn’t mind a great showing in the play offs this year though, and who wouldn’t want a miraculous SB win THIS YEAR?

9-7 and a win over pitt nodisrepcet to BSC but my fam is pitt fans and beating them would be my super bowl my dad laughs at my team and says we have no change against pitt my own dad

Thank you, you have said what I have been thinking. This year has been much better than I had hoped it would be.

is it based on individuals expectations?
is it based on the goal of the team?
is it based on results?
is it based on standing vs your peers?

Depends how you look at it. I’d say there will be only 1 successful team this year and that’s the team that wins it all. But thats how I’d define success. Others will differ.

This week’s game is a playoff game in my book. Win and continue on…..

We know we have needs in the offseason (DB’s, MLB, RB depth, McCoy?), but we can’t worry about that now. Time to step up and keep this train going!

“diminished expectations syndrome”. I hate that I am saying “a 9-7 season is a success” instead of saying “anything but a SB is a bad year”. But that is where we are right now. That being said, I do think a 9-7 yr is a success, particularly if it includes the playoffs. I was a big optimist at the start of the year (I tend to be “Susie Sunshine”, the eternal optimist anyway) feeling the Broncs had a shot at the division… my reasoning being that in the NFL worst to first is very possible given free agency and the way scheduling is done. What I was more interested in was what were we building for the future? TT has given me hope at the QB position, our OL is going to be one of the best for a number of years and I really like where we are headed defensively. I have seen improvement in all areas of our team, we now have an identity and this is critical. I have confidence in our front office once more to make the right decisions based on a sound philosophy of what Bronco football is going to look like. So, while I agree, in the broadest sense that 8-8 or 9-7 with the playoffs is an improvement, I’m more excited about where we’re headed…and I haven’t felt that way for some time.