Team Preview: Denver Broncos

Denver was one of the league enigmas last year. They put forward solid performances and won games against playoff teams like Pittsburgh and Tennessee. On the other end they lost games to three teams that finished last in their division Oakland, Chicago and Houston. Mike Shanahan, who usually does an excellent coaching job, showed a real lack of watching any kind of sports-related television or reading any newspapers in the last two years by not kicking away from Devin Hester. Hester returned two kicks for touchdowns, both in the third quarter, of a game that Chicago won in overtime. Hester alone had 232 total yards in kick and punt returns in the game, barely outgained by Chicago’s entire offense, which totaled 293.

Denver was 11th in the league in total offense last year, with Jay Cutler beginning to come into his own as a starting quarterback, developing a solid rapport with Javon Walker, Brandon Marshall and Brandon Stokley. With Walker gone to Oakland, Marshall and Stokley will have bigger roles in the passing game this year. Marshall was issued a three-game suspension by the league for violation of it’s conduct policy, which means the passing game will be even more limited out of the gate if the suspension stands.

As has been Denver’s way in the past, their running-back-by-committee system proved successful again last year as they ranked 9th in the league in rushing offense. Three different backs (Selvin Young, Andre Hall, Travis Henry) lead the team in rushing in a game last season. With Henry out of the picture, Selvin Young and Andre Hall will shoulder the load this year with Michael Pittman seeing additional work on the side.

For as good as Denver’s rushing attack was last year, their run defense was equally as bad. They finished 30th in the league in run defense, ahead of only Miami and Oakland. The Broncos picked up defensive tackle Dwayne Robertson from the Jets to try to improve their run defense. The Broncos shuffled their linebacking corps from last season, moving last year’s MLB D.J. Williams back to the outside and filling the role with Nate Webster, who totaled a career-high 87 tackles last season. On the other end, Champ Bailey’s brother Boss Bailey was picked up from the Lions in the offseason to be a potential starter.

Champ will anchor the secondary that recently released Pro Bowl safety John Lynch. Dre’ Bly holds down the other corner and will make another run this year at getting more interceptions than letters in his name. Bly’s career high is 6 interceptions (2001, 2003, 2005) and he pulled down 5 last season. Bailey, who is as solid as they come in terms of shut-down corners, had a disappointing year last season with only 3 interceptions after snagging 10 the year before.

All in all, Denver, a team that seemed on the cusp of the playoffs all year could not put a big winning streak together that all good playoff teams do. The Broncos won back-to-back games only twice last year while losing back-to-back games three times and posting one three-game losing streak. All teams in this era of the NFL lose games (the Patriots even proved that). The great teams are the ones who don’t lose numerous games in succession. Denver made some offseason moves to improve their run defense, but in a division with LT, Larry Johnson, and now Darren McFadden, their run defense (or lack thereof) will be tested quickly. Denver opens the season with 3 of their first 4 against division opponents before they reach an October laden with 3 playoff teams from last year (Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, New England). Don’t be surprised if Denver goes into their bye week in week 8 with 5 losses. They will make a run in the second half of the season with a November schedule that features Miami, Cleveland, Atlanta, Oakland and the Jets. Denver will pull back onto the outskirts of the playoff picture by the end of November, but their difficult start to the season will haunt them down the stretch, leaving them a few games shy of a wild card.

Ian’s 2008 Prediction: 8-8
John’s 2008 Prediction: 6-10