Elway promoted (kind of); George Paton hired as GM

[AKRNA]

57 minutes ago, germ-x said:

Von’s post season run for the 2015 SB is the only thing that keeps him in this conversation.  

I've always figured Demarcus Ware had a lot to do with that. When he outplayed Von against the Steelers I really think it lit a fire under Von. The next two games Von was as dominant as any defensive player I've ever seen. 

If we could have bottled whatever it was that pushed Von to that level and used it on him for the next 5 years there'd be no question who was the best D player of that decade.

[BroncoBruin]

1 hour ago, germ-x said:

Compared to Watt, that’s a fair argument.

In all fairness the most consistently dominant guy has been Donald but on those arbitrary all-decade things, the guys who start playing in the middle or later half get screwed. 

[BroncoBruin]

25 minutes ago, AKRNA said:

I've always figured Demarcus Ware had a lot to do with that. When he outplayed Von against the Steelers I really think it lit a fire under Von. The next two games Von was as dominant as any defensive player I've ever seen. 

If we could have bottled whatever it was that pushed Von to that level and used it on him for the next 5 years there'd be no question who was the best D player of that decade.

Just being on a team with a shot might have done it. The energy that entire defense played with progressively faded over those next couple years. The terrible offense sucked the life out of them. When Talib, who was really the enforcer and spark plug of the defense, started half-assing it, you knew it was over.

In spite of that, Von still played at an All-Pro level through 2018 and in my opinion was robbed of the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2016.

 

[AKRNA]

5 minutes ago, BroncoBruin said:

In all fairness the most consistently dominant guy has been Donald but on those arbitrary all-decade things, the guys who start playing in the middle or later half get screwed. 

I'll always wonder what JJ would look like now had he never been injured. 3 DPOY's in 4 seasons will probably never be duplicated. It's impossible to overstate his dominance in that stretch.

Sort of the same with Donald but he never had the injury. How could you choose between two guys who had 5 combined DPOY's, 1 DROY, 10 All Pros and 12 pro bowls between them?

[BroncoBruin]

1 minute ago, AKRNA said:

I'll always wonder what JJ would look like now had he never been injured. 3 DPOY's in 4 seasons will probably never be duplicated. It's impossible to overstate his dominance in that stretch.

Sort of the same with Donald but he never had the injury. How could you choose between two guys who had 5 combined DPOY's, 1 DROY, 10 All Pros and 12 pro bowls between them?

Oh yeah I think he’d be in conversations with LT and Reggie White in all-time debates. Now it looks like Donald will be the guy in those conversations. 

[paul-mac]

7 hours ago, thebestever6 said:

I'll take Brandon Graham over Thomas any day I think Graham was is the better pick also has a superbowl moment strip sacking Brady to preserve the win not many people remember that due to how bad Philly's defense was as a whole being porous that game. Still a huge forgotten play in a pivotal game.

As far as Sherman amazing player but how much of his image is due to that nwo style calling out of crabtree after that NFC title game? Von was superman in 2015 and it's unbelievable what he did in that playoff run no trash talk was needed lol.

He single handledly ruined Cams career he was never the same after the Superbowl and first game in 2016 I literally think Von and company broke him. 

The hand off of the trophy from Von to Manning was the most goosebumps I've ever gotten as a fan lol. What's that song they play lol?

You’re joking, right? 

[lomaxgrUK]

Looking forward to change, if nothing else. It's great to hear some of the good things people are saying about Paton, but I heard good things about McDaniels, Xanders and Joseph too. 

Hopefully the short turnaround until the draft doesn't impact us.

[thebestever6]

5 hours ago, paul-mac said:

You’re joking, right? 

Not at all 

[broncos67]

9 hours ago, BroncoBruin said:

And the consistency. 

Correct- however, the OP's question was players who were more crucial to a championship. Since Watt/Donald didn't win a title, I excluded them.

Donald is the most dominant defensive player of the last decade IMO. Von is 2 or 3.

[broncos67]

13 hours ago, thebestever6 said:

I'll take Brandon Graham over Thomas any day I think Graham was is the better pick also has a superbowl moment strip sacking Brady to preserve the win not many people remember that due to how bad Philly's defense was as a whole being porous that game. Still a huge forgotten play in a pivotal game.

As far as Sherman amazing player but how much of his image is due to that nwo style calling out of crabtree after that NFC title game? Von was superman in 2015 and it's unbelievable what he did in that playoff run no trash talk was needed lol.

He single handledly ruined Cams career he was never the same after the Superbowl and first game in 2016 I literally think Von and company broke him. 

The hand off of the trophy from Von to Manning was the most goosebumps I've ever gotten as a fan lol. What's that song they play lol?

Earl Thomas was hands down a more critical part of his team's SB success than Brandon Graham. Period. So was Sherman. You're going contrarian/revisionist history here. Sherman is a HOF CB without a doubt. 3x 1st team All-Pro, 2x second team, 2010 all-decade, SB winner, 5x Pro Bowl. That's a HOF resume.

[jsthomp2007]

who does Brandonot graham play for? the peckers?

[Calamity_Cometh]

He reached the highest peak at the most crucial point in time, how about that?

[germ-x]

47 minutes ago, broncos67 said:

Correct- however, the OP's question was players who were more crucial to a championship. Since Watt/Donald didn't win a title, I excluded them.

Donald is the most dominant defensive player of the last decade IMO. Von is 2 or 3.

Donald is easily #1, IMO.  Von/Watt is a conversation.  I happen to lean more toward Watt.  What Von did in the 2015 playoffs, Donald and Watt do/have done across entire seasons.  Both play with a consistent and relentless energy that I feel Von has lacked at times throughout his career. 

[Calamity_Cometh]

I derailed this thread utterly. Apologies.

I like this hire but the elephant in the room is Fangio and Lock. I feel Fangio coaches a damn good defense but everything else, especially time management, is brutal. And Lock... in this era of superstar young QBs, he just doesn't have it.

Fair or not, we have two ridiculous young QBs in this division alone that just started on fire - one of whom is a walking cheat code. We have tons of young receiving talent but no one to get them the ball, and we don't have the coaches to pull a Josh Allen with this window that we have with them. Mr. Paton has a 6 year contract, but his first two will be crucial because we're not keeping all of Sutton, Hamler, Jeudy, Fant, and Albert O for their 2nd contracts.

Edited January 15, 2021 by Calamity_Cometh

[bMiller031]

1 hour ago, Calamity_Cometh said:

Fair or not, we have two ridiculous young QBs in this division alone that just started on fire - one of whom is a walking cheat code. We have tons of young receiving talent but no one to get them the ball, and we don't have the coaches to pull a Josh Allen with this window that we have with them. Mr. Paton has a 6 year contract, but his first two will be crucial because we're not keeping all of Sutton, Hamler, Jeudy, Fant, and Albert O for their 2nd contracts.

I think 2022-2023 is the first realistic chance we have at competing.  Even w/ an addition like Stafford or Ryan it's hard to imagine us being more than a 10 or 11 win team in this division (and with the continuing decay of the defense). Fortunately our offensive core lends itself well to a 2022+ run as a contender.  We can't keep everybody forever but Sutton is the only guy w/ his contract set to expire before 2024.