Last time Broncos were 5 -0 was 1998

First came the hugging. Then came the four screaming fist-pumps and the always crowd-pleasing double-fist shake. Then Josh McDaniels jumped into the arms of defensive end Kenny Peterson(notes) the way a 4-year old kid dives into a pile of leaves.

Time-permitting, the Denver Broncos head coach might have ripped off his shirt Hulk Hogan-style and proclaimed he was going to Disneyland.

It was one of the rarest sights you’ll ever see in an NFL October – a Super Bowl-style celebration after a Week 5 victory. To some, McDaniels’ pure merriment after Sunday’s 20-17 overtime win over New England might have seemed a tad disrespectful. Maybe even a little amateur. But I think it’s exactly what this league needs. And the fact that it came after cameras showed Bill Belichick sour-mugging his way off the field only made it more refreshing.

Broncos coach Josh McDaniels salutes the crowd after the Broncos defeated the Patriots 20-17 in overtime.

(AP Photo/Chris Schneider)

Maybe it didn’t fall perfectly into the coaches mantra of “acting like you’ve been there before,” but it was true emotion in the moment. And in a league where deception and forced composure is viral among head coaches, we should all take unbridled enthusiasm where we can get it. We need some McDaniels joy. We need some good-natured trash-talking, a la the New York Jets’ Rex Ryan. We need someone to say, “It’s OK not to do it like New England. I’m going to be me.”

And for a moment, McDaniels delivered just that, reacting in true fashion to what has been a monumental start. Not only did Sunday’s win over the Patriots push his team to a stunningly unpredictable 5-0 start, but it thrust the Broncos into the “contender” conversation. Their record is no longer propped up on the league’s also-rans. Even if you didn’t think beating Dallas last week was all that impressive, you have to respect a win over New England. Particularly when you know how Belichick feels about facing his former assistant coaches.

Now you look at Denver, and all of the offseason issues couldn’t seem more distant. Jay Cutler(notes)? He might as well be Jake Plummer(notes). In five weeks, McDaniels and the Broncos have found a way to make all the negativity dissipate. Wideout Brandon Marshall(notes) is beloved again. And Kyle Orton(notes)? His numbers through five games, factored along with the undefeated start, have to put him in the league’s top 10 quarterback conversation. Unthinkable, but true.

So McDaniels has earned the right for a little celebration. He’s deserving of some unbridled passion. But if you’d rather have a guy with a dead-fish handshake and who coaches like he’s auditing your taxes, I can think of a few places for you. In a refreshing turn, Denver isn’t it.

By Charles Robinson,