Broncos Focus on Running Game in '09

Josh McDaniels' honeymoon as the Broncos new head coach was a short one. As soon as Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler commenced with the whinging, fans, for the most part, blamed the 32-year-old McDaniels. He has no prior head coaching experience, and obviously inherited his people-person skills from mentor Bill Belichick.

The confluence of all this eventually led to the Broncos trading Cutler to the Bears for two first-round picks and Kyle Orton. And it was hard to make the case that Denver was better without Cutler, despite the extra draft picks and the steady-but-hardly-spectacular Orton.

Then everybody lost their minds on draft day. Denver selected running back Knowshon Moreno 12th overall, even though they were stocked at the position, and defense was their biggest need. Which is why they drafted defensive lineman Robert Ayers and cornerback Alphonso Smith with the next two picks, although that still doesn't explain this.

Shortly after drafting Moreno, McDaniels explained that when you have a great running back you have to take him. Not sure you have to take him No. 12 when he'll probably be around at No. 18, but whatever.

Three weeks removed from draft weekend, maybe McDaniels does has a plan, even if it didn't appear that way at the time. According to ESPN.com's Bill Williamson, the Broncos will build the offense around the running game.

It is clear Denver is going to be a running team after the Jay Cutler trade. It looks like Kyle Orton, acquired in the Cutler trade, will lead the offense, but the run will set up the pass in Denver.

New Denver coach Josh McDaniels said that Moreno can be a three-down back. McDaniels also said he believes Moreno can help the entire offense. Watch for Denver to try to incorporate veteran pickups J.J. Arrington and Correll Buckhalter and perhaps holdover Peyton Hillis into the running game.

This makes a ton of sense, and it gives the Broncos the best chance to be successful. Skeptics might point out that the change in scheme wouldn't be necessary had McDaniels not hurt Cutler's feelings; he's one of the league's best young quarterbacks and is fresh off a Pro Bowl season. I'd counter with this: the last time the Broncos made the playoffs was in 2005, when handball phenom Jake Plummer was winging passes all over Mile High Stadium.

Plus, shoring up the running game does a couple things: first, it takes pressure off Orton, a capable quarterback but not someone you build an offense around. And it also shortens the game, which means fewer opportunities for the Broncos defense to screw up. Worst case: Denver will find a new way to be mediocre. Best case: it works, they return to the postseason, and Cutler flops (although just making the postseason would suffice for most fans, I'd think).