BroncoTalk’s 2008 Denver Broncos Year in Review – Part II

BroncoTalk is celebrating the new year by first looking back at the year that was – 2008. In Part II of our series, we look at July through December. View Part I here. Part III, the Top 10 Posts of 2008, will drop tomorrow. Enjoy!

July

A great book about the Broncos drops on my doorstep. Jay Cutler sucks at golf. The greatest wide receiver in franchise history, Rod Smith, retires.

Training camp opens, and on the first day, Chris Kuper breaks his hand. It’s announced that fifth round rookie Carlton Powell will miss the season with a torn Achilles. Montrae Holland introduces land-based whale watching to the Denver community. John Lynch leaves the Broncos after four seasons.

August

Gary Zimmerman is inducted into the Pro Football of Hame. Mike Shanahan makes a playoffs promise. Matt Prater looks freaking great. We lose Ryan Torain for two months with a broken elbow. Brandon Marshall is suspended three games, then just one. We give away some tickets.

Preseason football! The Broncos look stale against the Texans but bounce back against the Cowboys. The Broncos trade my guy Holland to the Cowboys. Tom Nalen undergoes another knee surgery. The dreaded mega-roster cut takes place.

September

Everything was just freaking great in September. Eddie Royal exploded in his rookie premiere with about 5,000 yards (and a Raiders thumping). The Chuggers lost Merriman for the season, just before the Broncos game. Ed Hochuli blew his whistle, tried to explain, but hey, the Broncos won. A Saints win later and we’re 3-0. Too bad we blew it in KC.

In the meantime, John Elway still knows how to “handle” the Raiders, Nails goes on IR, and Al Davis goes nuts.

October

The Broncos played four games in October and enjoyed the bye week to finish the month. Unfortunately, things didn’t go so well for Denver – they beat the Bucs before losing to the Jags and getting trampled by the Pats. The injuries started piling up as they headed into the bye.

In the midst of all this, Jay Cutler calls out Philip Rivers; the Bailey Bros. go down; DT Josh Shaw loses his temper; safeties do the tango; DWill‘s killer is indicted; Brian Griese has a homecoming.

November

On the road again… just can’t wait to get on the road again. The Broncos played five games in November, starting with a loss at home to the Fins before completing wild road comeback wins against the Browns and Falcons. The Raiders upset them at home before Peyton Hillis leads Denver past the red hot Jets. 3-0 on the road. 0-2 at home.

BMarsh almost celebrates Barack Obama‘s election… The Torain Train’s return is short-lived… The Broncos bring back Tatum Bell… And Spencer Larsen plays both ways.

December

The Broncos only need to win a game and the Chargers to lose a game, and they’ll be AFC West champs. They get the first part done with a win over the Chiefs, but the Chargers start a four-game hot streak. With only another win needed, the Broncos fail to clinch against Carolina and Buffalo. After losing their seventh running back, the Broncos face a flexed winner-takes-all in San Diego. I get angry and attend. We lose. Badly.

On the bright side (sigh), Cutler and Marshall earn their first Pro Bowls. Ryan Clady: snubbed.

Mike Shanahan, 14-year head coach, is fired.

Come back for Part III – the Top 10 Posts of 2008 – tomorrow.