My 500th Post: Super Broncos Preview

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MY 500th POST: SUPER DENVER BRONCOS PREVIEW

As we all know, there have been a countless amount of NFL Previews flying around OM from a countless number of varied sources. Some analysis and previews may be considered good and unbiased, while others heavily rely on individual opinions and thoughts of their authors. As this is my 500th post, I’ve decided to put together a super compilation thread of various Denver Broncos season previews from sources large and small.

Ah… my 500th post. A mere trifle of an accomplishment compared to the masters and veterans in the world of Orange Mane, but ever since I saw this community I fell in love with it. I would like to thank all the members, moderators, and TJ for making my experience here ever so special. Even though we do have some disagreements here with each other, with Chiefs fans, with Raiders fans, with Chargers fans, let us continue our united love—the love of peace, the love of mankind, the love of football.

The following previews do not necessarily represent my views or opinions of the ’05-’06 season.

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CBS SPORTSLINE
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ffice:smarttags" />Denver Broncos

Significant additions: DT Gerard Warren, DE Ebenezer Ekuban, DT Michael Myers, DE Courtney Brown, TE Stephen Alexander, LB Ian Gold.

Significant subtractions: DE Reggie Hayward, S Kenoy Kennedy, LB Donnie Spragan.

Biggest offseason move: Getting the four defensive lineman from the Cleveland Browns. Those four didn't do much for a bad Cleveland defense, but word is some of them have showed well this summer. One question, though -- where's the pass rush coming from?

Will go to the playoffs if ... the defense can show improvement behind all the new faces.

Won't go to the playoffs if ... the defense is getting gashed, forcing too much pressure on Jake Plummer.

Rookie to watch: The Broncos drafted three corners with their first three picks, and Dominique Foxworth, the last of the three to be picked, has played the best in the preseason. He could be the team's nickel back.

Overview: Coach Mike Shanahan has not won a playoff game since John Elway retired. Is this the year? The Broncos will again run the ball well with Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell, and Plummer will make his share of plays in the passing game. But the defense has a lot of holes to plug. The Broncos will push for wild-card spot this year and maybe the division title.

POWER RANKING: 13

ESPN

Per usual, you can count on the Broncos to have another 1,000-yard rusher in 2005, even though his name won't be Maurice Clarett. Wide receiver Rod Smith will get his 80 catches and 1,000 yards, as well, and starting partner Ashley Lelie, who averaged 20.1 yards per reception in 2004, will again be a big-play factor. And the defense, which rated No. 4 in the league each of the last two seasons under coordinator Larry Coyer, will put up acceptable numbers. Those are the givens.

What can't be taken for granted, though, is that the Broncos, who haven't registered a playoff victory since John Elway's swan song in Super Bowl XXXIII, will advance any further toward a championship appearance. Although it might not be fair to heap all of the responsibility for taking the team deeper into the playoffs on one man, quarterback Jake Plummer is the guy who serves as the catalyst for assuring that Denver's season doesn't conclude with a one-and-done playoff epitaph.

There is little doubt that Plummer is good enough to shepherd this team to the playoffs. And certainly the defensive meltdown of the past two years isn't on him. But Plummer has to demonstrate in 2005 that he is more than just another second-tier quarterback and that he is capable of playing to a higher level.

The Big Question?



Can Jake Plummer be consistent? Jake "the Snake" has been in the league long enough that he needs to start making plays every week instead of once every couple of weeks. It's time for him to stop living off potential and show the NFL something every week.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Prospects



Denver's O-line is consistently a strength. Anyone can gain a grand behind Nalen (left), Lepsis & Co. Without a star back in 2004, the Broncos were fourth in the NFL in rushing. Meanwhile, the line gave up just 15 sacks. And, oh yeah: Hamilton and Foster are still improving. D'oh!



The Broncos give the ball away too often (29 turnovers) and don't steal it often enough (20 takeaways). Their minus-9 differential (24th) is what separates them from the NFL elite. It won't get better. Mediocre DBs turn into superstars when Plummer (pictured) is passing the ball. And Bailey made the Pro Bowl last season because of his rep, not his paltry three picks.



The old wise vet. The reclamation rookie project (which didn't work very well with Maurice Clarett). The big free agent. Pick a rebuilding trend and Denver has bought into it -- strange for a team that won 10 games in 2004. But with rumors rampant that The Mastermind might jump ship if another winless January comes to pass, the Broncos brought in help from all angles: Jerry Rice, most of the Browns' D-line and Clarett.

"The playoffs are great," says Al Wilson, "but we expect a championship." Still the newcomers cannot undo Mike Shanahan's decision to put the fate of his team in Plummer's hands. The QB's 20 picks tied for NFL worst in 2004; if he doesn't cut that in half, the next guy to be replaced might be Coach.



POWER RANKING: 11

[ludo21]

d?? wouldnt let you start a thread huh??

o nm, u edited it.

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YAHOO! SPORTS

For the second straight year, the Broncos lost in the playoffs to . And while quarterback Jake Plummer typifies the team's wildly inconsistent nature, it was the defense that ultimately fell apart against the Colts.

With some defensive additions, Denver entered the 2004 season as a Super Bowl contender, but the Broncos' fortunes often fluctuated with Plummer, who threw two or more interceptions in seven games. An injury-plagued defensive line that was prone to completely disappearing didn't help, either.

OFFENSE

Reuben Droughns may be gone, but there is still a ridiculous glut at running back with Tatum Bell, Mike Anderson, Ron Dayne, Quentin Griffin and Maurice Clarett on the roster. Unless there is a significant injury in the preseason, or someone moves to fullback, there is no way all five make the final roster. If Dayne or Clarett show any promise, Anderson could be dangled as trade bait to a needy team (Jacksonville, perhaps).

The offensive line, which was solid last season, remains largely intact. There's little doubt that Denver will transform Bell, a 2004 second-round pick who averaged 5.3 yards per carry, into a 1,000-yard rusher this year.

As usual, Plummer remains the element that could have Mike Shanahan pulling out his hair. Even though Plummer threw a career-high 27 touchdowns last season, he also threw 20 interceptions and now has 141 picks in eight seasons. At this point in his career, he is what he is – a pendulum between amazing and maddening.

Plummer's receiving corps didn't get a great deal better, even with the signing of Jerry Rice. Rod Smith is aging but still has enough to be a 1,000-yard receiver, and Ashley Lelie appears ready to be a 70-catch, 1,400-yard contributor. Rice's fate will depend on Darius Watts, the young No. 3 receiver who has to be more consistent. If Watts has a strong preseason, Rice won't rise higher than fourth on the depth chart.

DEFENSE

The defensive line is pocked with questions, starting with defensive end where Reggie Hayward was lost in free agency and Trevor Pryce returns from back surgery. There's no telling how effective Pryce will be or who will replace Hayward's pass-rushing ability.

The Broncos are relying on two offseason acquisitions – defensive tackle Gerard Warren and defensive end Courtney Brown – to resurrect their careers after poor performances in Cleveland last season. If the two remain mediocre and Pryce can't muster double-digit sacks, the defensive line will be in trouble.

On the bright side, the defense has a strong set of linebackers. Outside linebacker D.J. Williams is a Pro Bowler in the making, while Al Wilson is strong in the middle. Ian Gold slides right back into the unit after one season in ffice:smarttags" />laceName>TampalaceName>laceType>BaylaceType>.

The secondary remains strong with cornerback Champ Bailey, but the loss of safety Kenoy Kennedy and nickel back Kelly Herndon will be felt. One of the rookie corners – Darrent Williams, Karl Paymah or Domonique Foxworth – is going to have to step up.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker Jason Elam remains as dependable as ever, and punter Todd Sauerbrun has a strong leg to go along with his questionable reputation. The return teams will likely rely on Darrent Williams for kickoffs and punts.

PREDICTION

The Broncos will finish 9-7 and second in the AFC West.

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FOX SPORTS

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Broncos found a starting tailback in training camp, which isn't a surprise because the Broncos usually have a 1,000-yard rusher. The stranglehold Mike Anderson has on the tailback job going into the regular season is unexpected, however.



Anderson started training camp as the top back and didn't give up the job. He was in almost every play Denver's starting offense played in the preseason and ran well, averaging 8.8 yards per carry. Even without counting a 93-yard touchdown run against Indianapolis -- which answered a lot of questions about Anderson's speed -- he had 117 yards on 23 carries, a 5.1-yard average.

Tatum Bell didn't play that poorly in the preseason but was unable to unseat Anderson.

"I feel like I can handle the load, but Mike is doing good so that's what they're going with right now," Bell said. "When he steps down or something happens to him or if he slips one day in practice or has a bad week, I'm going to be right there."

Bell was the favorite to win the job before camp but Anderson answered every question surrounding him. He sat out last year because he had two groin muscles tear off the bone in a preseason game, but he showed no effects of that and sat out only one training camp practice to get a rest.

He has always been reliable, having been in the offense since 2000. And he showed at age 31 he still has the physical ability to be a featured back, making people miss, breaking tackles and showing breakaway speed on his 93-yard touchdown run against the Colts.

"I've always been kind of leaning toward Mike Anderson because I've been with him all three years, and he's a guy I have a lot of confidence in," quarterback Jake Plummer said.

Anderson wasn't the only back to have a good camp. Bell played well, Ron Dayne was one of the surprises of camp and , coming off a torn ACL, showed he was on his way back. Rookie , who didn't impress coaches or teammates with his attitude, was released and Shanahan said it was because he wasn't going to be one of Denver's top four backs.

Defensively the Broncos appear solid going into the season. The former Cleveland Browns linemen who were acquired have worked out well except for defensive end Courtney Brown, who missed almost all of training camp with a dislocated elbow. The Broncos are still hoping for big things from Brown, who should he healthy for the regular-season opener.

The Broncos made many special teams moves in the off-season, but their play was shaky in the preseason. The special teams' poor play in the first two preseason games had the coaches on edge during practice, but the Broncos were still optimistic they would be much improved from last year when they were among the worst special teams in the league.

COACHING: Mike Shanahan, 13th year, 11th with Broncos (109-71).

REMEMBERING: 2004 record: 10-6 (2nd in AFC West); lost in wild card game to Colts, 49-24.

PREDICTING: 2005 regular season record 9-7 (3rd in AFC West); no playoffs.

POWER RANKINGS: 20

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SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

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Whoever is blocking and carrying the rock, Denver needs to improve its short-yardage situations.

Receivers

Rod Smith, doing his best Jerry Rice impersonation, returns for his 11th NFL season. He is as steady as ever. It helped that Ashley Lelie stepped up last year and became a deep threat (a league-leading 20.1 yards-per-catch and seven TDs). The big question is at the No. 3 wideout spot. Triandos Luke and Darius Watts were spotty at best.

Look for tight end Jeb Putzier to play a bigger role in Denver's offense this year, especially after the Broncos chose to match the Jets' offer sheet (five years, $12.5 million) for the restricted free agent. Putzier has deceptive speed, great hands and a willingness to improve his blocking. If he does the latter, he could grab the starting job from Dwayne Carswell.

Offensive Linemen

Thanks to Plummer's mobility, the offensive line set a franchise record in 2004 by giving up only 15 sacks. It returns pretty much intact for 2005. Though the oft-injured Dan Neil is gone (released in a cap-saving move), he was inactive at the end of last season anyway, and played hurt quite a bit before that.

Though tackles George Foster and Matt Lepsis struggled at times, another year under their belts should improve consistency. Left guard Ben Hamilton and center Tom Nalen are solid at the other positions. Cooper Carlisle, who has started six games in his five-year career, will be the right guard.

Defensive Linemen

Trevor Pryce spent much of the offseason on the trading block; now he must show he's back for real after missing most of 2004 because of surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back. Pryce can be a load to handle up front. But the Broncos lost another top end, with sack leader Reggie Hayward bolting for Jacksonville (five years, $25 million).

It will be up to fourth-year pro Monsanto Pope and troupe of ex-Brownies - Ekuban, Warren, Brown and Michael Myers - to generate the pressure that was missing in last year's AFC Wild Card loss.

Linebackers

The Broncos struck gold in last year's draft by selecting linebacker D.J. Williams. Now they hope the re-acquisition of Ian Gold, who starred for them in 2002 and 2003, will pay even bigger dividends. Gold excelled at weak-side backer in Denver before he took the money (in Tampa) and ran. But he figures to get his old job back if Williams (a team-leading 114 tackles as a rookie) can make the transition to the strong side.

There's no question that the linebacker position, with emotional leader Al Wilson anchoring the middle, is the strength of the defense. With Terry Pierce also on board and Jashon Sykes making strides, the Broncos have the personnel -- at least at linebacker - to play a 3-4 defense. For now, coaches insist it will only be used on passing downs.

Defensive Backs

The Broncos mortgaged the farm to acquire cornerback Champ Bailey last year, but in the end it didn't matter. Manning still torched Denver's defense for 457 passing yards and four touchdowns in a 49-24 Wild Card blowout.

Now the Broncos have lost two secondary starters, with unrestricted free agent Kenoy Kennedy signing with Detroit and the team deciding not to match Seattle's five-year, $15 million offer to Kelly Herndon, a nickel back who took over for an injured Lenny Walls in 2004. Denver instead is banking that the 6-foot-4 Walls will stay healthy and play even bigger than his size.

For depth, the Broncos turned to the draft; their first three picks were corners with speed to burn. Someone will have to step up, especially with Randy Moss (Oakland) now in the division. Nick Ferguson has the inside track at replacing Kennedy and joining veteran free safety John Lynch in the starting lineup.

Regardless of who lines up, the Broncos' secondary needs to make more plays. Denver ranked 27th in the NFL last year with just 12 interceptions.

Specialists

Jason Elam was steady as ever, making 29-of-34 kicks and all but one inside 40 yards. Otherwise there wasn't much special about Denver's special teams. The Broncos were forced to use two return specialists, and neither Micah Knorr (who was cut) nor Jason Baker (who finished with a 38.8-yard average) was impressive. Shanahan hopes he solved some of the special teams problems in the draft, with second-round pick Darrent Williams, a cornerback who doubles as a return specialist. The Broncos used their last pick on Northern Arizona's Paul Ernster, who will vie for the punting/kickoff job.

Final Analysis

Shanahan, though he has faced mounting criticism, continues to have the backing of owner Pat Bowlen. But this year won't be any easier for the Denver Broncos, who have gone 10-6 the past two seasons only to be embarrassed in the playoffs. They have a tougher schedule -- both Super Bowl teams are on the slate -- and the AFC West, with the improvements made by Oakland and the Chiefs, figures to be a tougher division. A stretch run that starts Thanksgiving Day in Dallas and ends New Year's Eve in San Diego will determine whether the Broncos will return to the postseason.

SI EXPERT PREDICTION: 7-9, 3^rd in AFC WEST

LET’S GO PROVE THEM WRONG.

Citation:

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/teamReport?categoryId=67044&type=InsideSlant

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=cr-broncos05preview&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/specials/preview/2005/teams/afcw/denver_broncos.html

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/powerrankings

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/powerranking?season=2005&week=1

[Crushaholic]

That's a cool avatar, but it would have been nicer if you could have found a pic that has the Broncos logo in the background...

[MNBronco]

Honestly, I haven't been so mystified by the lack of respect for the Broncos (not that I mind, its just confusing) since the lead up to SB32.

Headscratcher.