Angriest Playoff Appearance Ever

This past Sunday, the Oakland Raiders lost to the San Diego Chargers, thus clinching the AFC West title for the Denver Broncos. It's the team's first playoff appearance in six years.

Naturally, nobody seems happy about it.

The Broncos backed into the playoffs, losing three straight and making it in despite finishing the season 8-8. The offense has looked terrible the last few weeks (and before that, to be honest). On Sunday, the Broncos lost 7-3 to the Chiefs. Quarterback Tim Tebow had a forgettable day throwing the ball, completing 6 of 22 passes for less than 100 yards. The knock on Tebow coming out of college was that he couldn't throw very well. He wasn't accurate enough, and his throwing motion is too long.

If you don't know what that means exactly, it means that he throws more like a baseball pitcher rather than a quarterback. Pitchers have long windups; their hand drops down near their waist, extends back behind the head, and then comes forward. Quarterbacks throw more like infielders. The ball is held high-and-tight near their head and doesn't go back as far.

Anyway, Tebow quieted his critics during a six-game winning streak that got the Broncos back into playoff contention and included several miraculous come-from-behind wins. That momentum stopped against the Patriots three weeks ago as the Broncos were done in by several costly turnovers. It seemed to sap their confidence.

The Broncos were blown out on the road against an awful Buffalo team that had lost seven in a row, and then laid an egg at home against a Chiefs team that had nothing to play for. Denver hasn't shown that it's capable of playing with the elite teams of the AFC, and it figures to be a short playoff appearance. The Broncos drew Pittsburgh in the first round, and the Steelers are capable of making a Super Bowl run, having done so just last year. Ben Roethlisberger is one of the top quarterbacks in the league, and the Steelers are known for their tough, rugged defense. If Tebow and the offense can only manage a feeble three points against Kansas City, how bad will it be against one of the top defenses in the NFL?

I don't understand why so many Broncos fans are so upset about all this, though. One of my friends said that he'd prefer the Broncos didn't make the playoffs so that they wouldn't be embarrassed on national tv in the playoffs. He was also upset that they played themselves out of a higher draft pick.

I've read numerous posts online from people calling for John Fox to be fired, and others have ranted and raved about how awful this team is.

My question is: why?

One that upsets me about sports fan is how impatient we can be at times. We demand instant success and have unreasonable expectations. If you had said before the season that the Broncos would be 8-8 and make the playoffs, every Denver fan would have taken it. Hardly any would have believed you. Yet now that it happened, few people seem happy about it. It's almost like it's a disappointing season.

Lest we all forget, none of this was supposed to happen. The Broncos were coming off a 4-12 season in which Josh McDaniels, the most reviled and loathed coach in Broncos history, was fired. The team was so terrible that it "earned" the number two pick in the NFL draft, the highest pick in franchise history. Everybody knew this was supposed to be a rebuilding year. I remember reading the season previews in SI and ESPN the Magazine; they both picked the Broncos to finish last in the division. One of them predicted another 4-12 season. People figured the Broncos would be in the running to draft Andrew Luck. Denver Post columnists argued that Denver should lose its games so that it could draft Luck.

You don't do that with playoff contenders.

Things didn't go according to script, though, once Tebow was named the starting quarterback. He inspired the team to play better and led them on a six-game winning streak. All of a sudden, the team had an identity: suffocating defense with a strong, punishing running game. It wasn't pretty by any means (it was pretty boring), but it was effective. All of a sudden, Denver was in playoff contention.

Let's face it, a lot of this has been a fluke. You can't rely on luck and getting every break all the time. They even out over time, as we have seen.

The Broncos will most likely get beat this Sunday, but none of us should be upset about it, at least no more so than normal (losing sucks). But this season is already a success. This was supposed to be a multi-year rebuilding project, and it still is. Things just happened to go Denver's way this year that resulted in an improved record. This team needed a big talent infusion to compete with the upper echelon and return to prominence, and that's not going to happen overnight. Cam Newton has torn it up in Carolina, for example, but the Panthers' defense can't stop anybody. Look at the Lions. They had to have several good drafts before they finally had enough pieces in place to make the playoffs this year. It was a gradual process. It'll be the same for Denver.

There are plenty of bright spots, though. Von Miller looks like he's going to be a stud for years, provided he has the use of both hands. Elvis Dumervil has returned to form and has teamed with Miller to give Denver one of the top pass rushing duos in the league. The defense that had been horrendous for years is now fearsome and will only get better provided the team drafts some good corners and safeties to take over for current aging starters Champ Bailey, Brian Dawkins, and Andre' Goodman. A team can never have too many defensive tackles, either.

The offense is still a work in progress, obviously. Major questions remain, and it all starts with the quarterback position. Tebow will be open next season as the starter. Remember, he's still basically a rookie quarterback who didn't have the benefit of an offseason. I say give him a chance and see how much he improves between now and the start of next year. He has a lot to work on, but if anyone can get it done, it'd be him.

Besides, there aren't really any alternatives. Free agent quarterbacks don't usually pan out; most teams that make it to a Super Bowl do it with homegrown guys. Brady and Rodgers were drafted by their current teams. Drew Brees was a free agent, but he was coming off major shoulder surgery. Matt Flynn, the backup in Green Bay who just set franchise single-game records for passing yards and touchdowns, will be a much-discussed name over the offseason, but he's going to cost a lot of money and is still unproven. Just look at Arizona and Kevin Kolb to see how risky that'd be.

The Broncos should draft a quarterback this year because Brady Quinn will be a free agent, so at the very least, they need a backup. The big question is do you stick with the running offense currently operated by Tebow with its quarterback runs and option plays. If so, then you need a mobile quarterback who can run. If you decide to ditch that and go with a conventional attack, then that opens up options but also takes away Tebow's strengths. That's the major question that will have to be answered.

My personal preference is Kellen Moore. Yes, I am a Boise State fan and am biased, but you can't argue with his results. He was extremely productive in an offense that is fairly close to a conventional pro-style attack and has the benefit of starting all four years in college. He's extremely accurate, smart, and has ice in his veins. He does not get rattled. Tebow supporters always say that all he (Tebow) does is win. Well, Moore is the winningest quarterback in NCAA history. He may not be very tall or have the strongest arm, but neither do Drew Brees or Dalton, for that matter. I just hope someone gives Moore a chance.

Russell Martin is much the same way with the benefit of much greater mobility. He's another option that could work out very nicely. He's very accurate, has a lot of experience, and has been very productive. Both guys, along with Brandon Weeden, should be available after the first round. Draft a defensive tackle or cornerback in the first round and pick up a quarterback later.

Sorry, I got a little sidetracked there. My point is that the Broncos weren't going to become Super Bowl contenders overnight, so everyone needs to take a deep breath and relax. They've come a long way but still have a ways to go. The idea that John Fox should be fired is ludicrous. It makes no sense. He inherited a big mess and a team that was 4-12. In one year, he improved the record by four wins and won the division while changing the offense mid-season. How is that firing-worthy? If anything, he should be a candidate for coach of the year.

Yes, I know there are gripes about the conservative style and overly cautious play-calling, and I get it. I have them myself. It's quite a jarring adjustment for fans used to the high-flying Shanahan days. Those teams were fun to watch, but they also had a ton of talent. This team doesn't have that. Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas have shown flashes of talent but need to be more consistent. They're still young players, though, so they should be cut some slack. The offensive line is young but talented and paved the way for a strong running attack. A few more pieces are needed, but they're on the right track.

People are critical of the play-calling-- and yes, McCoy should take more chances-- but remember the Miami and Detroit games? Without this current boring style, the Broncos very well could have been 4-12 again. Give Fox and McCoy credit for playing to the team's strengths. Also bear in mind that this switch occurred mid-season, so the players haven't had much time to work on everything. The offense will improve over the offseason once they figure out what type of system they want to run and have a few months to work on it. You also have to give props to Fox for changing tactics mid-season to fit his players. A lot of coaches believe it's the "system" and not the players. As the saying goes, "it's not the X's and O's, but the Jimmys and Joes." Tebow's not a great passer, so having him throw it 30 or 40 times a game makes no sense. Pound away at a defense and wear them out so you have a shot late.

As for the draft pick argument, it's not going to make much of a difference. Is there really a huge talent disparity between the 18th and 22nd picks in the draft? I just can't fathom why some people would prefer the Broncos sucked rather than making the playoffs and at least having a chance. Once you're in, anything can happen. Just look at the Arizona Cardinals a few years ago; they were 9-7 but got hot and made it all the way to the Super Bowl where they were a late drive away from winning the whole thing (they knocked off Fox's top-seeded Panthers that year, too). Look at the Rockies in 2007 or last year's Cardinals. Who's to say that the magic of Tebow Time doesn't come back and spark the Broncos on a magical run? Roethlisberger's hurt, Baltimore's inconsistent, Houston is down to its 972nd quarterback, and the Patriots can't play defense. Stranger things have happened.

The fact is, that high-flying offense that Shanahan had with Cutler and Marshall wasn't good enough to make the playoffs. It camouflaged the team's erosion into mediocrity. Fox's formula works. Defense wins championshps. Give it time.

Regardless of what happens this weekend, it's been a good season here in Denver. For the first time in a long time, there is hope surrounding the team. Optimism abounds rather than pessimism and despair. Another good draft or two, and the Broncos will be back in the thick of things, especially in a weak division.

Relax and have patience, Bronco fans. Success won't happen overnight, but the Broncos are on the right track.