Oh Hell...

Everyone else is in Denver, on this subject...so I might as well throw my 2 cents in, adjusted for inflation to squat.

Denver has an AFC West team. Y'all knowd that. Denver won two Super Bowls at the end of the John Elway era. Y'all knowd that.

Since then, Denver has muddled along with less than stellar QBs at the helm. Y'all would be wise to view that statement as subjective. My subjective.

Everyone thought that Mike Shanahan had drafted the next QB messiah, when he got Jay Cutler from Vanderbilt. Cutler showed flashes of brilliance. And immaturity.

So had Elway in his early years.

But the team's fortunes ebbed, and the fans demanded a change. Shanahan was fired. And a surprise blew into town: a 33 year old offensive coordinator for New England, Josh McDaniels.

His age and inexperience, versus his apparently productive tenure under Bill Belichek, were hot topics of discussion. To compound things (or not), he and Cutler were like mixing gas fumes and a lit match. Both behaved badly, and the pouting, immature-acting Cutler went to Chicago, with Kyle Orton coming to Denver.

Chicago was thrilled. Denver was dubious.

Until, in the 2009 season, Denver had a 6-0 start. Suddenly, it was King Josh, Prince Kyle and Jay who?

Denver went into their bye week 6-1. Then came out of it, and along with the 'bye' week went Denver's winning ways. They finished 8-8, after starting 6-0.

The "WTF?"s that had begun with McDaniels' hiring -- and were momentarily silenced after a 6-0 start -- began anew.

2010 began, and the good ship Broncos was further rocked by another quality-athlete-turned-petulant-child, aka Brandon Marshall, leaving for Miami. Eh. Receiver Brandon Lloyd was more than ready to step up. What was more, with a great opportunity in the draft, McDaniels surprised a lot of folks by picking, as Denver's number 1 choice, Florida QB Tim Tebow.

A Heisman winner. A national champion x2 winner. Another messiah according to some; vastly overrated and incapable of being an NFL QB according to others.

But the team had Kyle Orton, described as "adequate" by some analysts. And on top of that, Denver had acquired in the off season, another QB of unachieved (so far) promise and question, Brady Quinn, from Cleveland.

But Orton was the man going into the 2010 season.

And Denver went phffft. A spotty, sputtering offense, unspecial teams play, and a defense that was in name only, left Denver 3-13.

Even before the campaign had ended, poignant fan reaction led to the early departure of McDaniels, and the postseason acquisition of John Fox, formerly of the sputtering Carolina Panthers.

Thanks to the 2011 preseason lock out, lots of mysteries were left Fox & Co. But once training camp began, it became apparent that Fox was determined to go with the QB "who gives us the best chance to win": Kyle Orton.

Orton's two year record as a starter in Denver did not suggest this; but Fox is the coach, and that was that.

Now Denver -- in Orton's third season here -- is 1-4 going into the bye week. In the last game, with Denver's offense anemic and lifeless against San Diego, Fox bowed to whatever he chose to bow to (fan pressure, Orton's uninspired, lackluster play, a fortune cookie, a kick in the pants from above, a mystic pelican paperweight), and substituted Tim Tebow in the second half.

And Denver came within an incomplete pass (and some argue a missed pass interference penalty in the end zone) of winning an exciting, almost comeback game.

Denver returns after their bye week with a road game to another team having a woeful season, Miami. A team that almost traded for Orton before the season began. Fans and many analysts expect (and demand) that Tebow be the starter for the balance of the season, so the team can see just what he's got.

John Fox announced, during the bye week, that at least for now, the fans and analysts will get what they want: Tebow is the starter in Miami.

Meantime, with all the trials and tribulations -- and among those who are NOT rabid Tim Tebow fans -- there are eyes on Denver's record for the remaining 11 games, with an eye on next year's draft, and Stanford QB phenom Andrew Luck.

Anyway, that's the way of things here in Denver.

Now for my two cents: Orton is as inspiring as a porcupine enema. Adequate he may be as a QB, but not in the system here. Trade him to a team that has a sound offensive line that can hold a pocket for an immobile QB, has an established running game and a stout defense, and Kyle Orton will be "adequate".

Give the balance of the season to Tebow. Let him prove he is the "messiah" his fans claim and his critics deny. It's time to see what his draft choice was worth.

And Denver Broncos front office/coaching staff? Call it what it is: a rebuilding phase. To deny that is, to deny there's wind in a tornado or that a fart in an elevator is not gnarly.

If Tebow can show leadership and skills as a field general that the team and fans can gel around, then Fox 'n Company can begin to build a team around him (just as Shanahan did around Elway, resulting in two Super Bowl wins). If he can't, and the losses keep coming...(a) the fans will be answered (well, all but the most rabid pro-Tebow of them will), and (b) Denver can see if their woeful record is woeful enough for the....you knew this was coming....

Luck of the draft.

*ducking boos and throwd fantasy football QB ratings cards*