Last Year:
Like the newest big screen glimpse in to the future I, Robot, the Denver Broncos season left more to be desired. A 10-6 record had the Mile-High club looking to make a serious splash in the playoffs but those hopes swiftly faded as they were dismantled like the quaint NS-4 robot by the Indianapolis Colts. The team?s accomplishments went fairly unnoticed throughout the regular season as the Kansas City Chiefs grabbed all the attention with their 9-0 start. Considering that 4 of the team?s 6 losses were during the span that starting quarterback Jake Plummer was absent from the lineup, Denver should be stronger this year with a clean bill of health. A couple of new pieces to the puzzle should upgrade this squad but if the Broncos fail to improve on last season?s finish then they will be frowned upon like a lame Will Smith retort.
What we Learned from Last Year:
What is worse: spending more than a second of your life watching a William Hung music video on a national music countdown, or being selected to try to stop the Denver Broncos running game? While the first threat achieved his laurels by out-casting himself off American Idol and remixing Eagles? and Elton John classics, the latter gained respect by ravaging opponents with their 2nd ranked rush attack. Time has reached 14 minutes and 59 seconds on Hong-Kong Ricky Martin?s musical career but if you were to ask him what how to describe Denver?s reliable backfield his response would resemble ?She Bangs?.
Last year Denver rushed for 47% of their total yards and aside from Baltimore?s superior dependence on their running game, the Broncos were one of the few groups that confided in their ground game so much.
Clinton Portis conducted the bulk of the work with 1591 yards rushing and a stuntin? 5.5 yards per carry to lead the league. In only 13 games, C-Port shaked his bon-bon to 10-100 yard performances and even in a 41-10 playoff blowout the man still averaged 4 yards a carry. Yikes.
His big figures do put a smile on the face of many NFL doters, but the Broncos should be concerned with their worthless passing game.
They would have look up, not down the passing ranks to find a measly San Diego force, and a New York Jets team who occupied themselves most of the season without starter Chad Pennington.
Before the gun is jumped, remember that Jake Plummer did miss 5 games and his attendance would likely develop the shoddy passing numbers. The former Arizona Cardinal did a commendable job of solidifying a main offensive position that was employed by all sorts of insignificants since the retirement of John Elway. Missing steady Ed McCaffrey throughout the season did throb, but Jake needs to advance a few facts of his own if the air attack is to recover. Jake the Snake was known for his 4th quarter prowess in his early years in Arizona, but as the game clock progressed last season his numbers regressed.
1st Qtr: 8 TD, 1 INT, 127.2 rating
2nd Qtr: 5 TD, 1 INT, 94.2 rating
3rd Qtr: 2 TD, 3 INT, 71.8 rating
4th Qtr: 0 TD, 2 INT, 62.6 rating
This passing game does not consist of Kyle Boller or Jay Fiedler with a couple of journeymen wide receivers. The tandem of Jake Plummer, Rod Smith, Ashley Lelie, and Shannon Sharpe are in a much higher society than the William Hungs that their production ranked along side last year.
Defensively the Broncos were good, but not quite great. While the front seven did a legitimate job of pulling their weight, it was the secondary that really suffered to make plays. The flaws were exposed in the playoff game as Peyton Manning went 22-26, 377 YDS and 5 TD, then chilled on the bench the entire 4th quarter.
That wasn?t the only time the defensive backs were undressed as badly as Hung strips Hotel California, but as you know by now the team has taken steps to address their shortcoming.
What Has Changed?:
One of the biggest blockbuster trades in recent NFL history took place in the off-season as the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos traded franchise players. Last year?s standout Clinton Portis heads to Washington and shutdown cornerback Champ Bailey is sent back in return.
The reality is that Denver has had a well advertised history of producing 1000 yard running backs such as Terrell Davis, Orlandis Gary, Mike Anderson, and Clinton Portis meanwhile their secondary drafts have all busted (Willie Middlebrooks, Deltha O?Neal). From Denver?s perspective, they fill a valuable hole with one of the top players in the game while giving up a commodity that they seem to grow themselves.
Along with Champ Bailey, 11-year veteran John Lynch will add much needed heart in the secondary. Not only will he add his experience to the defensive backs he adds leadership to a team that will be without guiding directors Shannon Sharpe and Ed McCaffrey.
In years past, linebackers would have to agonize about pass coverage to aid weaker cornerbacks but with Champ Bailey on the field the front seven can focus on getting to the quarterback opposed to other menial tasks.
The three starting linebackers have gone through a bit of an overhaul in the season?s down time as the only main face that will be returning is Al Wilson. John Mobley was recently released, and special teams standout Ian Gold has left to make a career in Tampa Bay. First-round selection D.J. Williams will see a lot of additional playing time and if he can transfer his skills to the big level the crew will not miss a beat.
While few people talk about Clinton Portis? departure as a serious loss the subtraction that may linger is the departure of offensive line coach Alex Gibbs. He has been praised as Mike Shanahan?s most precious assistant, and was known as a master at designing the run game. He deserves a lot of the credit that has filtered down to the former running backs. Although it?s unlikely that this offensive line will have any immediate concerns considering the biggest threat in this division is an aging Warren Sapp, but losing Alex Gibbs can have a trickle down effect in a few years time.
The Broncos are having auditions for their next 1000-yard running back and it has been narrowed down to Quentin Griffin, Garrison Hearst, and Tatum Bell. Griffin enjoyed success last season in a couple of late season starts but his frame is too small to be an every down running back. Meanwhile Garrison Hearst is olding and the statistics of running backs above the age of 30 are frail. Tatum Bell should be the numero uno back in this offense as he offers the most speed and athleticism at the position. It?s just a question of how long it takes him to exploit the playbook.
With the retirement of Ed McCaffrey and Shannon Sharpe the Broncos will need some additional contribution from the receiving corps. While McCaffrey was a non-factor for most of last season, the bigger loss may be the tight end. There are a slew of guys battling to replace Sharpe?s position but it?s unlikely that Byron Chamberlain, O.J. Santiago, or Jed Weaver will match his capabilities. Ashley Lelie will take the place of Ed McCaffrey in the starting lineup and he will fill in admirably. In 10 starts last season Lelie received 628 yards and a healthy Jake Plummer will strengthen his stats.
This is now the best team in the AFC West, regardless of what the Chiefs have to say. The Broncos only lost one home game last season with Plummer in the lineup and if he maintains his health the Denver at home in the playoffs could be lethal for any opponent.
O/U 8.5:
Glancing around the division, Kansas City has ignored their porous defense, Oakland hired Miami?s offensive co-ordinator as their coach (hopefully I don?t have to explain that), and San Diego is still very pitiful. Denver came close to beating KC at Arrowhead Stadium last season, and pounded them at home. As long as they stay healthy, this is their division to lose. They play: @JAX, SD, @TB, CAR, @CIN, ATL, HOU, @NO, MIA, @TEN, and IND.
Fantasy Sleeper:
3 years ago Denver was faced with a similar situation as they are now. No Terrell Davis, former 1000-yard rushers Orlandis Gary and Mike Anderson were on the roster, but rookie Clinton Portis ran away with the job. Expect Tatum Bell to pull out of this race as the main man because Shanahan typically prefers to stick with one guy, and Bell has the most to offer out of the three?s company.
Like the newest big screen glimpse in to the future I, Robot, the Denver Broncos season left more to be desired. A 10-6 record had the Mile-High club looking to make a serious splash in the playoffs but those hopes swiftly faded as they were dismantled like the quaint NS-4 robot by the Indianapolis Colts. The team?s accomplishments went fairly unnoticed throughout the regular season as the Kansas City Chiefs grabbed all the attention with their 9-0 start. Considering that 4 of the team?s 6 losses were during the span that starting quarterback Jake Plummer was absent from the lineup, Denver should be stronger this year with a clean bill of health. A couple of new pieces to the puzzle should upgrade this squad but if the Broncos fail to improve on last season?s finish then they will be frowned upon like a lame Will Smith retort.
What we Learned from Last Year:
What is worse: spending more than a second of your life watching a William Hung music video on a national music countdown, or being selected to try to stop the Denver Broncos running game? While the first threat achieved his laurels by out-casting himself off American Idol and remixing Eagles? and Elton John classics, the latter gained respect by ravaging opponents with their 2nd ranked rush attack. Time has reached 14 minutes and 59 seconds on Hong-Kong Ricky Martin?s musical career but if you were to ask him what how to describe Denver?s reliable backfield his response would resemble ?She Bangs?.
Last year Denver rushed for 47% of their total yards and aside from Baltimore?s superior dependence on their running game, the Broncos were one of the few groups that confided in their ground game so much.
Clinton Portis conducted the bulk of the work with 1591 yards rushing and a stuntin? 5.5 yards per carry to lead the league. In only 13 games, C-Port shaked his bon-bon to 10-100 yard performances and even in a 41-10 playoff blowout the man still averaged 4 yards a carry. Yikes.
His big figures do put a smile on the face of many NFL doters, but the Broncos should be concerned with their worthless passing game.
They would have look up, not down the passing ranks to find a measly San Diego force, and a New York Jets team who occupied themselves most of the season without starter Chad Pennington.
Before the gun is jumped, remember that Jake Plummer did miss 5 games and his attendance would likely develop the shoddy passing numbers. The former Arizona Cardinal did a commendable job of solidifying a main offensive position that was employed by all sorts of insignificants since the retirement of John Elway. Missing steady Ed McCaffrey throughout the season did throb, but Jake needs to advance a few facts of his own if the air attack is to recover. Jake the Snake was known for his 4th quarter prowess in his early years in Arizona, but as the game clock progressed last season his numbers regressed.
1st Qtr: 8 TD, 1 INT, 127.2 rating
2nd Qtr: 5 TD, 1 INT, 94.2 rating
3rd Qtr: 2 TD, 3 INT, 71.8 rating
4th Qtr: 0 TD, 2 INT, 62.6 rating
This passing game does not consist of Kyle Boller or Jay Fiedler with a couple of journeymen wide receivers. The tandem of Jake Plummer, Rod Smith, Ashley Lelie, and Shannon Sharpe are in a much higher society than the William Hungs that their production ranked along side last year.
Defensively the Broncos were good, but not quite great. While the front seven did a legitimate job of pulling their weight, it was the secondary that really suffered to make plays. The flaws were exposed in the playoff game as Peyton Manning went 22-26, 377 YDS and 5 TD, then chilled on the bench the entire 4th quarter.
That wasn?t the only time the defensive backs were undressed as badly as Hung strips Hotel California, but as you know by now the team has taken steps to address their shortcoming.
What Has Changed?:
One of the biggest blockbuster trades in recent NFL history took place in the off-season as the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos traded franchise players. Last year?s standout Clinton Portis heads to Washington and shutdown cornerback Champ Bailey is sent back in return.
The reality is that Denver has had a well advertised history of producing 1000 yard running backs such as Terrell Davis, Orlandis Gary, Mike Anderson, and Clinton Portis meanwhile their secondary drafts have all busted (Willie Middlebrooks, Deltha O?Neal). From Denver?s perspective, they fill a valuable hole with one of the top players in the game while giving up a commodity that they seem to grow themselves.
Along with Champ Bailey, 11-year veteran John Lynch will add much needed heart in the secondary. Not only will he add his experience to the defensive backs he adds leadership to a team that will be without guiding directors Shannon Sharpe and Ed McCaffrey.
In years past, linebackers would have to agonize about pass coverage to aid weaker cornerbacks but with Champ Bailey on the field the front seven can focus on getting to the quarterback opposed to other menial tasks.
The three starting linebackers have gone through a bit of an overhaul in the season?s down time as the only main face that will be returning is Al Wilson. John Mobley was recently released, and special teams standout Ian Gold has left to make a career in Tampa Bay. First-round selection D.J. Williams will see a lot of additional playing time and if he can transfer his skills to the big level the crew will not miss a beat.
While few people talk about Clinton Portis? departure as a serious loss the subtraction that may linger is the departure of offensive line coach Alex Gibbs. He has been praised as Mike Shanahan?s most precious assistant, and was known as a master at designing the run game. He deserves a lot of the credit that has filtered down to the former running backs. Although it?s unlikely that this offensive line will have any immediate concerns considering the biggest threat in this division is an aging Warren Sapp, but losing Alex Gibbs can have a trickle down effect in a few years time.
The Broncos are having auditions for their next 1000-yard running back and it has been narrowed down to Quentin Griffin, Garrison Hearst, and Tatum Bell. Griffin enjoyed success last season in a couple of late season starts but his frame is too small to be an every down running back. Meanwhile Garrison Hearst is olding and the statistics of running backs above the age of 30 are frail. Tatum Bell should be the numero uno back in this offense as he offers the most speed and athleticism at the position. It?s just a question of how long it takes him to exploit the playbook.
With the retirement of Ed McCaffrey and Shannon Sharpe the Broncos will need some additional contribution from the receiving corps. While McCaffrey was a non-factor for most of last season, the bigger loss may be the tight end. There are a slew of guys battling to replace Sharpe?s position but it?s unlikely that Byron Chamberlain, O.J. Santiago, or Jed Weaver will match his capabilities. Ashley Lelie will take the place of Ed McCaffrey in the starting lineup and he will fill in admirably. In 10 starts last season Lelie received 628 yards and a healthy Jake Plummer will strengthen his stats.
This is now the best team in the AFC West, regardless of what the Chiefs have to say. The Broncos only lost one home game last season with Plummer in the lineup and if he maintains his health the Denver at home in the playoffs could be lethal for any opponent.
O/U 8.5:
Glancing around the division, Kansas City has ignored their porous defense, Oakland hired Miami?s offensive co-ordinator as their coach (hopefully I don?t have to explain that), and San Diego is still very pitiful. Denver came close to beating KC at Arrowhead Stadium last season, and pounded them at home. As long as they stay healthy, this is their division to lose. They play: @JAX, SD, @TB, CAR, @CIN, ATL, HOU, @NO, MIA, @TEN, and IND.
Fantasy Sleeper:
3 years ago Denver was faced with a similar situation as they are now. No Terrell Davis, former 1000-yard rushers Orlandis Gary and Mike Anderson were on the roster, but rookie Clinton Portis ran away with the job. Expect Tatum Bell to pull out of this race as the main man because Shanahan typically prefers to stick with one guy, and Bell has the most to offer out of the three?s company.
