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All eyes in Denver this season will be on Broncos first-year head coach Josh McDaniels and how he'll perform after a memorable offseason.

Yet asked if he had regrets, McDaniels doesn’t pause.

“I have not second-guessed myself or anything that this organization has done (this offseason),” McDaniels said “You have to be able to decide what’s best for the football team not only ‘now’ but going forward. Sometimes those decisions are hard to make but you make them. And when you make them you don’t look back on them, you just do everything in your power to make it the right decision.”

McDaniels’ response is a learned one.

During eight seasons in New England, McDaniels watched as Patriots head coach Bill Belichick parried second-guessing and controversy. From quarterback changes to the so-called “Spygate” dustup, Belichick’s ability to chart a course then not waver from it was maddening to outsiders but ideal for an NFL coach.

“Bill had a great ability to focus on what was in front of him,” said McDaniels. “Draft, free agency, mini-camps, training camp, games. If you paid attention and listened and watched intensely, you learned that, in order to handle his role you have to be able to switch gears. You can’t help but learn being around him.”

Belichick says he’s talked to McDaniels “more than a couple of times” since he’s gone to Denver but not to give advice. “I don’t think that’s our relationship,” Belichick said this week. “He’s coaching his team, I’m coaching my team and everybody else is coaching their team. It’s more (coaching and team-related discussions) than fatherly advice.”

Asked whether “decisiveness” is a valuable asset, Belichick corrects and says, “The most important thing for a head coach is to make good decisions. Whatever that means in relation to your team. We’ve all made bad decisions, but once you’ve made a decision that you find out is not the right one you try to change it.”

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“Everyone wants to know how he’ll coach, how the team will respond,” said Gaffney, one of several ex-Patriots McDaniels brought with him to Denver. “A lot of questions will be answered after this first game. (McDaniels) has shown leadership since day one. He’s put his foot down, put in his system and he expects people to perform at a high level. I haven’t had to defend him. Everybody trusts him and believes in him. Nobody is questioning his leadership. We’re coming together and everyone can finally see that if we go out there and do things right and trust in him and trust in the system he’ll put us in a position to win.”

Heading into this first season, McDaniels is buoyant.

“I see a change in our team and an understanding from our players and staff of the philosophy I’m trying to implement on how we will prepare to win,” he said. “Not just to play, but to win. They are grasping what we’re asking of them.”

The offseason from hell is almost over. McDaniels’ Broncos are currently tied for the best record in the NFL (with 31 other teams) at 0-0.

“This job is everything I thought it would be and I’m excited to get to the part of the year where you’re truly judged,” he said. “I can’t wait to get started.”

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