In a tear-filled news conference the day after firing Mike Shanahan, Broncos' owner Pat Bowlen said that it was simply time for a change. Bowlen said there is no timetable for when the team will find a replacement for Shanahan.

With Mike Shanahan now effectively a free agent, speculation has popped up that he could be a candidate for the Dallas job. 'After making several calls around the league this morning,' writes Matt Mosley, 'here's what you need to know about Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Mike Shanahan: They're in love with each other.' RealGM Note: The Cowboys will also visit Denver in 2009.

Broncos' quarterback Jay Cutler was very unhappy on Tuesday afternoon when he learned that coach Mike Shanahan had been fired. "I'm disappointed, I'm shocked, I'm not happy about it, I'm not pleased with it at all," Cutler said. "We had zero inkling this was going to happen. I didn't have a clue." Cutler said he met with Shanahan for about 30 minutes Monday before leaving town to discuss offseason plans as well as the direction the offense would take in the 2009 season. "I think, with the offensive staff we had, we were moving ahead," Cutler said. "I had just met with Mike to go over everything, talk about the things we wanted to do, make sure we were going the right way on offense."

The decision to fire Mike Shanahan was a surprising one and winning and losing games for the Broncos seemed to rest exclusively on the arm of Jay Cutler. Passer rating over 90 for Cutler Week 1, OAK: 41-14 Win, 137.5 Week 2, SD: 39-38 Win, 109.6 Week 3, NO: 34-32 Win, 93.3 Week 5, TB: 16-13 Win, 96.1 Week 10, CLE: 34-30 Win, 107.9 Week 11, ATL: 24-20 Win, 106.4 Week 13, NYJ: 34-17 Win, 94.8 Week 14, KC: 24-17 Win, 102.7 Passer rating under 90 for Cutler Week 4, KC: 33-19 Loss, 71.9 Week 6, JAC: 24-17 Loss, 77.8 Week 7, NE: 41-7 Loss, 64.3 Week 9, MIA: 26-17 Loss, 60.7 Week 12, OAK: 31-10 Loss, 49.8 Week 15, CAR: 30-10 Loss, 74.3 Week 16, BUF: 30-23 Loss, 72.4 Week 17, SD: 52-21 Loss, 74.9 The math is simple; the Broncos were 8-0 when Cutler had a passer rating over 90.0 and an 0-8 record when it dipped below 80.0. Click here to read RealGM's Grading the Deal on the Shanahan firing.

Mike Shanahan and his staff have been fired by the Denver Broncos, according to a report from NationalFootballPost.com. Shanhan has been the head coach of the Broncos since the 1995 season and won Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998. This season the Broncos were 8-5 in and on the doorstep of winning the AFC West, but lost their final three games, including a 52-21 loss at San Diego in Week 17. Shanahan has compiled a 136-86 record while head coach of Denver and had been most recently also serving as the team's general manager. Prior to his work with NationalFootballPost.com, Michael Lombardi helped Denver with personnel evaluations during the 2007 season. Adam Schefter of NFL.com has also confirmed the report.

The Broncos added two more running backs to their lengthy injured reserve on Monday. Coach Mike Shanahan said Monday the seasons for Selvin Young and P.J. Pope are over because of injuries each suffered in Sunday's loss to Buffalo. Young ruptured a disk in neck, and Pope tore his hamstring.

P.J. Pope made his first career start for the Broncos on Sunday, making him the sixth running back to start for the team this season. It's a franchise record, and Pope finished with just 44 yards on six carries. He left the game early with an injured hamstring, which means that there's a possibilty that a seventh runner could start this coming weekend against the Chargers. "When he went out as early as he did, it got us a little bit away from our running game," Broncos' Coach Mike Shanahan said. "We weren't as effective, but we still had our opportunities."

The Chargers and Broncos will play for the AFC West title on Sunday night, thanks to a flex schedule decision by the NFL. The game was moved from 4:15 PM EST, to 8:15 PM EST and will be featured on NBC. The Broncos (8-7) led the Chargers (7-8) by three games with three to go but now face the possibility of having led the AFC West by themselves from opening weekend through Christmas and missing the playoffs.

Rookie rusher Peyton Hillis has a torn right hamstring and is done for the season. Coach Mike Shanahan said Hillis will need eight weeks to recover and might need surgery.

Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey is a game-time decision for Sunday's battle with the Chiefs after missing five games with a groin injury. "I think I've progressed, but the thing is it's moving so slow. It's very frustrating but I've got to deal with it as it is," Bailey said. Denver already has a porous defense, and would be further weakened by the absence of Bailey once again. That could mean a big day for Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City's top receiver.