Step Up or Get Out: Denver’s Key Players at Washington

Is it me, or is this year’s team starting to remind anyone else a little bit of the 2006 Denver Broncos?

Personally, I hate to make comparisons to old teams. What happened three years ago should have no relevance to what’s going to happen for the rest of this season. Still, the two teams are a little too similar to ignore.

That team, as you may remember, was famous for not allowing a single touchdown through their first 11 quarters of play and did not surrender more than 20 points in a game until their loss at home to the Indianapolis Colts in Week Eight. The offense wasn’t scoring as many points as Mike Shannahan would have liked and he eventually benched Jake Plummer in favor of rookie quarterback Jay Cutler.

Until their last two games, the 2009 Broncos had not given up more than 25 points in a game nor had they been outscored in the second half. Or lost a game at all. The offense, though mostly efficient and turnover free, has struggled to put points on the board. Some in the media are already calling for Chris Simms to replace Kyle Orton at quarterback despite the fact that Orton has been a good fit for Josh McDaniels’ offense.

After ending the first half of 2006 at 6-2, the Broncos slumped badly in the second half of the season and finished with a record of 9-7. The team missed the playoffs for the first time since 2002 and it was the beginning of the end for Mike Shannahan in Denver.

After ending the first half of 2009 at 6-2, the Broncos…?

That part of this article, or season, has yet to be written for the Broncos. It starts this Sunday at Washington, where Josh McDaniels and co. desperately need a win to avoid going into their key Week 11 matchup with San Diego on a three-game losing streak.

Here are three players that need to play well for the Broncos to win in our nation’s capital.

QB Kyle Orton: If you read my column from earlier this week, you know my feelings about Orton’s play as of late. He hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in the last two games and has looked frighteningly inconsistent passing the ball. Based on what he’s done, it’s hard to be too tough on Orton, but it’s obvious that something is off.

For those of you who think the Broncos would be better off with Jay Cutler (five int’s last night) or Chris Simms under center, you are mistaken. A switch to Simms would only be detrimental to the progress this team has made and barring an injury or a simply awful performance by Orton, McDaniels wouldn’t make that change anyway. So what then?

We’ve seen that Orton has a hard time getting the passing game going when the running game is faltering as well, so Denver needs to get back to what they do best. And speaking of running the ball…

RB’s Correll Buckhalter/Knowshon Moreno: Most people thought that under Josh McDaniels, the Broncos would deviate from the running game that they had relied on for years and move towards a more passing-oriented offense. This supports my belief that most people know nothing about football. Wait a minute, I was one of those people!

However, this much I do know. This season, when the Broncos run the ball well, they win. When they don’t…well, you saw what happened in the last two games. And I don’t know about you, but I say it’s time for the No. 12 pick in the draft to earn his paycheck. Moreno has been solid, but the Broncos expected him to be more than just solid when they drafted him.

CB Champ Bailey: In all likelihood, Jason Campbell won’t even look Champ’s way. Most quarterbacks don’t. However, Ben Roethlisberger did, and he and Santonio Holmes found unlikely success as they burned Bailey on more than one play.

It hurts to see that happen to your team’s best player, but even Champ has his moments of mortality. He’ll probably bounce back this week and assume his usual duties of shutting down half of the field. I don’t want to be greedy, but it’s been awhile since No. 24 has had a pick-six.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Step Up or Get Out: Denver’s Key Players at Washington

Is it me, or is this year’s team starting to remind anyone else a little bit of the 2006 Denver Broncos?

Personally, I hate to make comparisons to old teams. What happened three years ago should have no relevance to what’s going to happen for the rest of this season. Still, the two teams are a little too similar to ignore.

That team, as you may remember, was famous for not allowing a single touchdown through their first 11 quarters of play and did not surrender more than 20 points in a game until their loss at home to the Indianapolis Colts in Week Eight. The offense wasn’t scoring as many points as Mike Shannahan would have liked and he eventually benched Jake Plummer in favor of rookie quarterback Jay Cutler.

Until their last two games, the 2009 Broncos had not given up more than 25 points in a game nor had they been outscored in the second half. Or lost a game at all. The offense, though mostly efficient and turnover free, has struggled to put points on the board. Some in the media are already calling for Chris Simms to replace Kyle Orton at quarterback despite the fact that Orton has been a good fit for Josh McDaniels’ offense.

After ending the first half of 2006 at 6-2, the Broncos slumped badly in the second half of the season and finished with a record of 9-7. The team missed the playoffs for the first time since 2002 and it was the beginning of the end for Mike Shannahan in Denver.

After ending the first half of 2009 at 6-2, the Broncos…?

That part of this article, or season, has yet to be written for the Broncos. It starts this Sunday at Washington, where Josh McDaniels and co. desperately need a win to avoid going into their key Week 11 matchup with San Diego on a three-game losing streak.

Here are three players that need to play well for the Broncos to win in our nation’s capital.

QB Kyle Orton: If you read my column from earlier this week, you know my feelings about Orton’s play as of late. He hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in the last two games and has looked frighteningly inconsistent passing the ball. Based on what he’s done, it’s hard to be too tough on Orton, but it’s obvious that something is off.

For those of you who think the Broncos would be better off with Jay Cutler (five int’s last night) or Chris Simms under center, you are mistaken. A switch to Simms would only be detrimental to the progress this team has made and barring an injury or a simply awful performance by Orton, McDaniels wouldn’t make that change anyway. So what then?

We’ve seen that Orton has a hard time getting the passing game going when the running game is faltering as well, so Denver needs to get back to what they do best. And speaking of running the ball…

RB’s Correll Buckhalter/Knowshon Moreno: Most people thought that under Josh McDaniels, the Broncos would deviate from the running game that they had relied on for years and move towards a more passing-oriented offense. This supports my belief that most people know nothing about football. Wait a minute, I was one of those people!

However, this much I do know. This season, when the Broncos run the ball well, they win. When they don’t…well, you saw what happened in the last two games. And I don’t know about you, but I say it’s time for the No. 12 pick in the draft to earn his paycheck. Moreno has been solid, but the Broncos expected him to be more than just solid when they drafted him.

CB Champ Bailey: In all likelihood, Jason Campbell won’t even look Champ’s way. Most quarterbacks don’t. However, Ben Roethlisberger did, and he and Santonio Holmes found unlikely success as they burned Bailey on more than one play.

It hurts to see that happen to your team’s best player, but even Champ has his moments of mortality. He’ll probably bounce back this week and assume his usual duties of shutting down half of the field. I don’t want to be greedy, but it’s been awhile since No. 24 has had a pick-six.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Madden NFL ’10 Rankings: An Insult to Many Denver Players

Each August, EA Sports releases it’s annual edition of the well-known Madden franchise.

Madden has long been regarded as the best NFL video game out there, in many ways simply because it has been the only game that includes rosters of real players for a number of years now.

Each edition includes updated “ratings” for players and teams.

Each player is given an overall rating on a scale of 0—100, which is complied using more specific rankings of various skills.

Common skills include speed, acceleration, awareness, and strength, as well as specific skills for each position. For example, a cornerback is rated on his “shutdown” ability and a linebacker is rated on his “big hit” ability.

These numbers, especially for rookies, are almost entirely subjective. Real NFL statistics do not play an important role in determining ratings.

That means the developers and analysts who work for EA are the ones dishing out the ratings. That fact has led to some insulting results, in the eyes of a Broncos fan.

For starters, the Broncos received a team rating of 70. The offense alone is rated at a very respectable 88. While many fans would argue for at least a 90, 88 is acceptable.

The defense, on the other hand, is given a lowly 62, above only the Chiefs, Rams, and Lions. Back in grade school, that would translate to a D.

Champ Bailey is fairly ranked second among corner backs with a 96. He is the highest-rated Bronco.

On the other end, Matt Prater is insulted with a rating of 58. The EA developers essentially gave him a big fat F as an NFL kicker.

The majority of the team is underrated across the board, but no group so much as the offensive line.

The Denver offensive line was regarded as the premier group of the NFL in 2008. Jay Cutler was sacked merely eleven times…in over 600 pass attempts.

If there was one player who absolutely held down the line, it was Ryan Clady.

Clady had an outstanding season, absolutely shutting down the likes of Julius Peppers, John Abraham, Luis Castillo, and Derrick Burgess.

For these efforts, EA rewarded him with a ranking of 88, good for 12th among left tackles.

In comparison, Joe Thomas is the top rated at the position, followed by the likes of Jordan Gross, Jason Peters, Matt Light, and Jake Long.

Although these are all very respectable linemen, quite honestly they are not on the same level as Clady.

When the camera was focused on him, fans could see the opposing lineman or linebacker attempt to bull rush Clady, be knocked back, then attempt a spin move, only to be overpowered and fall to the turf.

That is the mark of a dominant left tackle, not a B+ left tackle.

As for the rest of the offensive line, Ryan Harris receives a 73, Chris Kuper a 78, Casey Wiegmann an 87, and Ben Hamilton an 81.

No player on the offensive line is graded above B+, and Ryan Harris, one of the better right tackles in the game, has a lowly C—.

In retrospect, none of this really matters. We, as fans, know that Clady and the offensive line will continue to be the best. Matt Prater will continue to improve, and the Broncos may surprise a lot of doubters around the NFL this season.

Although they might not be the best group of guys to play as against your friends on your Xbox, they might be a great team to watch in real life.

The EA ratings do not really matter, however it would be nice for Bronco fans to be able to see their favorite players perform as they actually do when they are playing a video game.

Kind of like how Patriots fans are treated to a team ranked 92 overall that will dominate any Madden online match-up.

The Best Pro Football Players in Mississippi History, Pt. Two: Running Backs

In part one of this series, I detailed some of the best quarterbacks from Mississippi universities to play pro football.

From Charlie Conerly to Brett Favre, the state of Mississippi has produced some of the best quarterbacks to play pro football. The magnolia state has had plenty of success at other positions as well.

We will look at running backs from Mississippi in this installment. While Mississippi has not produced very many great running backs from the college ranks. The state has produced one of the best ever to run the ball.

Once again there is no particular order and the team they are best known for listed.

 

Dulymus Jenod “Deuce” McAllister: New Orleans Saints via Ole Miss Rebels

Deuce McAllister could be the best running back to come out of Ole Miss. In his four years with the Rebels, Deuce put his name all over the Ole Miss record books.

At the end of his career at Ole Miss McAllister was the all time leader in rushing yards with 3,060, carries with 616. Deuce also led the Rebels with most rushing touch downs with 36 and total touchdowns with 41, and most 100 yard games with 13.

His senior year at Ole Miss, Deuce won the Conerly Trophy as best college football player and was drafted by the Saints in the first round with the 13th pick in 2001.

In his time in New Orleans McAllister has become a fan favorite.  Deuce has spent his entire eight year career with the Saints.

Due to injuries and salary cap implications the Saints had to cut McAllister after the 2008 season.

After spending his whole NFL career In New Orleans Deuce became the Saints all time leader in rushing with 5,586 yards, carries with 1,298 and touchdowns with 49. When McAllister’s career is over he will be honored as one of the Saints all time best players.

 

Sammy Winder: Denver Broncos via Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles

Sammy Winder was a walk-on at Southern Mississippi who went on to greatness a running back for the Golden Eagles. To this day he still is in the USM record books more than 25 years after his college career ended.

Winder is first in career touchdowns with 20, second in rushing attempts with 736 and third in rushing yards with 3,114 in school history. USM fans will forever know Winder for “the leap” in 1980 against Ole Miss.

With USM tied 14-14 with the Rebels Winder drive and determination to get in to the end zone will be remembered always by Golden Eagle fans.

Winder’s 11 yard scoring run is so great because of the effort he made to score. Winder looking to avoid a would be tackler dove from five yards outside the end zone to score the go ahead touchdown in an 28-22 USM win.

After his career at USM was over the Denver Broncos drafted Winder in the fifth round with the 131st pick in 1982. Winder would go on to play nine year for the Broncos.

Winder was on a team that went to three Super Bowls (XXI, XXII, and XXIV) but lost each time. Winder was named to the Pro Bowl twice in 1984 and 1986.

Winder is still third all time in Denver history in rushing yards with 5,427, rushing attempts with 1,495 and in touchdowns with 39. Winder was also known to Bronco fans for his touchdown celebration dance the ‘Mississippi Mud Walk.’

 

Walter Payton: Chicago Bears via Jackson State Tigers

One of the greatest and most beloved players to ever come out of Mississippi was Walter Payton. Payton decide to follow in his brothers footsteps and go to Jackson State to play college football.

During his time at Jackson State Payton became well known national and put his stamp on the JSU record books. To this day Payton is still first with 66 touchdowns scored, and third in rushing yards with 3,563.

Payton’s 66 touchdowns was a NCAA record and in 1973-74 also named an All-American and Black College Player of the Year. Payton’s nickname at JSU was “Sweetness” and in 1975 he graduated from Jackson State.

Payton was drafted in 1975 by the Chicago Bears in the first round with the fourth pick. Payton’s first game as a Bear was not stellar rushing the ball eight times for zero yards.

Over the years that changed as Payton when on to break every rushing record in his 13 seasons in the NFL. Payton rushed for 16,726 yards on 3,838 attempts to go along with 110 rushing touchdowns.

As of 2006, he was the NFL’s second all-time rusher, and he ranked third in rushing touchdowns scored.

Payton would win Super Bowl (XX) in 1985 as the Bears went 15-1 and had the whole country doing the “Super Bowl Shuffle”.

Payton played in nine Pro Bowls (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986), was named first team All-Pro Six times (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1984, and 1985), and was the NFL MVP in 1977 and the Pro Bowl MVP in 1978.

The Chicago Bears retired Payton’s number 34 and he was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996. Payton was elected in to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996 as well.

In 1999 Payton lost his battle with a rare liver disease but will be remember for the two awards given in his honor each year.

The best college offensive player in Division I-AA receives the “Walter Payton Award” and the NFL gives the “Walter Payton Man of the Year” Award for player achievements in community service during a particular season. These awards will make sure all of us remember “Sweetness.”

From the last two installments we see the Magnolia State has produced what could be the best quarterback ever in Brett Favre and the best running back ever in Walter Payton.

Next in this series in are great wide receivers and offensive line men and tight ends from the state of Mississippi.

 

See Part One

See Part Three: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/211472-the-best-pro-football-players-in-mississippi-history-pt-3-wide-outs

 

The Best Pro Football Players in Mississippi History, Pt. Two: Running Backs

In part one of this series, I detailed some of the best quarterbacks from Mississippi universities to play pro football.

From Charlie Conerly to Brett Favre, the state of Mississippi has produced some of the best quarterbacks to play pro football. The magnolia state has had plenty of success at other positions as well.

We will look at running backs from Mississippi in this installment. While Mississippi has not produced very many great running backs from the college ranks. The state has produced one of the best ever to run the ball.

Once again there is no particular order and the team they are best known for listed.

 

Dulymus Jenod “Deuce” McAllister: New Orleans Saints via Ole Miss Rebels

Deuce McAllister could be the best running back to come out of Ole Miss. In his four years with the Rebels, Deuce put his name all over the Ole Miss record books.

At the end of his career at Ole Miss McAllister was the all time leader in rushing yards with 3,060, carries with 616. Deuce also led the Rebels with most rushing touch downs with 36 and total touchdowns with 41, and most 100 yard games with 13.

His senior year at Ole Miss, Deuce won the Conerly Trophy as best college football player and was drafted by the Saints in the first round with the 13th pick in 2001.

In his time in New Orleans McAllister has become a fan favorite.  Deuce has spent his entire eight year career with the Saints.

Due to injuries and salary cap implications the Saints had to cut McAllister after the 2008 season.

After spending his whole NFL career In New Orleans Deuce became the Saints all time leader in rushing with 5,586 yards, carries with 1,298 and touchdowns with 49. When McAllister’s career is over he will be honored as one of the Saints all time best players.

 

Sammy Winder: Denver Broncos via Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles

Sammy Winder was a walk-on at Southern Mississippi who went on to greatness a running back for the Golden Eagles. To this day he still is in the USM record books more than 25 years after his college career ended.

Winder is first in career touchdowns with 20, second in rushing attempts with 736 and third in rushing yards with 3,114 in school history. USM fans will forever know Winder for “the leap” in 1980 against Ole Miss.

With USM tied 14-14 with the Rebels Winder drive and determination to get in to the end zone will be remembered always by Golden Eagle fans.

Winder’s 11 yard scoring run is so great because of the effort he made to score. Winder looking to avoid a would be tackler dove from five yards outside the end zone to score the go ahead touchdown in an 28-22 USM win.

After his career at USM was over the Denver Broncos drafted Winder in the fifth round with the 131st pick in 1982. Winder would go on to play nine year for the Broncos.

Winder was on a team that went to three Super Bowls (XXI, XXII, and XXIV) but lost each time. Winder was named to the Pro Bowl twice in 1984 and 1986.

Winder is still third all time in Denver history in rushing yards with 5,427, rushing attempts with 1,495 and in touchdowns with 39. Winder was also known to Bronco fans for his touchdown celebration dance the ‘Mississippi Mud Walk.’

 

Walter Payton: Chicago Bears via Jackson State Tigers

One of the greatest and most beloved players to ever come out of Mississippi was Walter Payton. Payton decide to follow in his brothers footsteps and go to Jackson State to play college football.

During his time at Jackson State Payton became well known national and put his stamp on the JSU record books. To this day Payton is still first with 66 touchdowns scored, and third in rushing yards with 3,563.

Payton’s 66 touchdowns was a NCAA record and in 1973-74 also named an All-American and Black College Player of the Year. Payton’s nickname at JSU was “Sweetness” and in 1975 he graduated from Jackson State.

Payton was drafted in 1975 by the Chicago Bears in the first round with the fourth pick. Payton’s first game as a Bear was not stellar rushing the ball eight times for zero yards.

Over the years that changed as Payton when on to break every rushing record in his 13 seasons in the NFL. Payton rushed for 16,726 yards on 3,838 attempts to go along with 110 rushing touchdowns.

As of 2006, he was the NFL’s second all-time rusher, and he ranked third in rushing touchdowns scored.

Payton would win Super Bowl (XX) in 1985 as the Bears went 15-1 and had the whole country doing the “Super Bowl Shuffle”.

Payton played in nine Pro Bowls (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986), was named first team All-Pro Six times (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1984, and 1985), and was the NFL MVP in 1977 and the Pro Bowl MVP in 1978.

The Chicago Bears retired Payton’s number 34 and he was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996. Payton was elected in to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996 as well.

In 1999 Payton lost his battle with a rare liver disease but will be remember for the two awards given in his honor each year.

The best college offensive player in Division I-AA receives the “Walter Payton Award” and the NFL gives the “Walter Payton Man of the Year” Award for player achievements in community service during a particular season. These awards will make sure all of us remember “Sweetness.”

From the last two installments we see the Magnolia State has produced what could be the best quarterback ever in Brett Favre and the best running back ever in Walter Payton.

Next in this series in are great wide receivers and offensive line men and tight ends from the state of Mississippi.

 

See Part One

See Part Three: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/211472-the-best-pro-football-players-in-mississippi-history-pt-3-wide-outs

 

Denver Broncos a Playoff Team in ’09?: Coaching Is Capital, Players Are Pivotal

The Denver Broncos come into the 2009 season after experiencing a blizzard of changes in the off-season; seeing their all-time greatest coach in Mike Shanahan fired, their Pro Bowl quarterback traded, and numerous trade and draft-day acquisitions filling the current roster.

While there are many question marks that surround this football team, one thing is for sure, this is the most exciting preseason for the Broncos in a long time.

Josh McDaniels was named the 12th head coach in Denver Broncos history, and is already number one in one category for the Broncos, he’s their youngest coach ever.

Although, McDaniels, 33 years old, is just one of many baby-faced coaches in the NFL in 2009, as Raheem Morris of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who was also a candidate for the Denver job, is the NFL’s youngest at 32 years old. Eric Mangini and Tom Cable are all part of this young coaching trend as well.

McDaniels though has shown that he is “the man” in Denver now, hiring his own coaching staff, which includes ex-49ers’ head coach Mike Nolan to run the Broncos defense, and bringing in numerous players that fit his style.

McDaniels, the new-age “mastermind” of offense, brings his highly effective spread offense to Denver. His revolutionary system is the same one that led the Patriots to NFL records in overall points (589), points per game, and yards per game in the 2007 season.  

It’s also the same system that took Matt Cassel from not good enough to start in the NFL, to having a decent season in ’08, and eventually going to Kansas City in a trade, earning Cassell huge starting QB money.

The looming question for the Broncos offense in 2009 is whether or not McDaniels’ schemes can evolve the game play of Kyle Orton, or Chris Simms, as one will likely be Denver’s starter this season.

Orton, acquired from Chicago as a result of the month-long McJaygate, is currently the favorite to take the starting job. He is a three-year veteran and Simms has missed the last two seasons following spleen surgery, so he is a wild card.

Orton enjoyed his best season statistically in 2008 with 2,900 yards, 18 TDs and 12 INTs, but those stats leave a great deal to be desired for Broncos’ fans as Cutler was a top-five quarterback last year.

Orton is not a great deep-ball passer, as he went 1-11 in passes of 30+ yards in ’08, but McDaniels’ offense revolves around short dink-and-dunk passes, spreading the field and the ball to multiple receivers.

Luckily for Orton, Denver is absolutely stacked at the receiver position, and he would be smart to throw in each’s direction.

Brandon Marshall, the Broncos best receiver, has a rare combination of speed, strength, and size that makes him a tough cover for any cornerback. Though, after being arrested his third time this offseason after a domestic abuse call in Atlanta, Marshall will probably miss the first half of 2009.

Eddie Royal, a second-year phenom from Virginia Tech is a burner, but his speed might not be utilized with Orton’s smallish arm. Royal though could be an awesome slot receiver for the Broncos, especially with McDaniels calling the plays.

Wes Welker, who does not come close to Royal in athleticism, had a great 2007 and 2008 with 223 receptions, for 2,340 yards, and 11 touchdowns under McDaniels. Think what Royal could do with all those looks across the middle and to the sidelines.

Along with those two studs, McDaniels brought in Jabar Gaffney, his old number three option in New England to play the third receiver spot for Denver. Gaffney had 38 catches for nearly 500 yards in ’08, and his numbers should rise in 2009 as he will get starting time with Marshall out.

The Broncos also have Chad Jackson, and ex-Patriot, and they drafted Kenny McKinley in the fifth round.

At tight end, the Broncos have Daniel Graham and Tony Scheffler as one is a great blocker, the other an awesome receiver. Graham is another New Englander turned Denverite, and will hopefully be utilized more than he was under Shanahan.

Scheffler has been rumored in trades, but if he is still on the team in ’09, he should have many catches down the middle of the field.

The most exciting question mark on offense is Knowshon Moreno, who was drafted 12th overall by Denver in the draft, the first running back taken. Moreno could have a huge impact on this Broncos team, and should get a look as the starter.

Denver though was the second-best offense in 2008 so McDaniels should be able to produce big numbers from all those play makers. Defense is where the Broncos truly struggled in 2008, going 30th in points, giving away games in fourth quarters.

Denver switched back and forth between the 4-3 and 3-4 in 2008, choosing to stick with the 4-3 to end the season. In 2009, the Broncos will play in the 3-4 scheme, a big time change from the 4-3 used for the past few decades in Denver.

Mike Nolan is in charge of this rag-tag squad, and has a huge challenge ahead of him to improve the defensive side of the ball.

The Broncos were so bad on D in 2008 that only three starters from last year are guaranteed to start in ’09: Champ Bailey, D.J. Williams, and Elvis Dumervil.

Bailey had his worst professional season of his career, missing seven games with a groin injury, forcing him to also miss the Pro Bowl for the first time ever. Williams missed time as well, five games, but still finished with 68 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

Dumervil was arguably Denver’s best defender in 2008 with 5 sacks, but he only recorded 17 tackles, a number that must rise in ’09. Dumervil is looking at a move in position from DE to OLB in the 3-4 scheme, and his numbers might suffer as he weathers that move.

Brian Dawkins is the biggest offseason pickup for the Broncos, a 15-year veteran that can still play well. His leadership at safety will help Denver’s defensive backfield.

Rookie Alphonso Smith may challenge for the other starting CB spot, and Renaldo Hill is the likely starter at the other safety spot.

Ex-Brown Andra Davis should be another starter at linebacker, but after that, many spots are still up for grabs.

Who will compose the Broncos defensive line? Matthias Askew, Robert Ayers, and Kenny Peterson? Many question marks arise in this area, and the Broncos front seven may still be soft in 2009.

Overall, Denver’s offense should be good, and has a chance to be great. But, according to Randy Moss and Welker, they have just recently fully grasped the highly complex offense, after playing for two years in it.

This will cause problems for Marshall since he will be out, Royal because of his youth, and Orton since he has to learn the offense in only a few months. The Broncos though should still rank in the top-10 in offense in 2009, and will surely be exciting to watch.

The defense on the other hand will probably be a weak spot for the Broncos yet again in 2009. With up to eight new starters and a new scheme for many of them to learn, Denver will likely rank in the bottom-10 in defense this year.

When all is said and done, Denver could win 10 games and may make the playoffs. The AFC West is not particularly strong, and no one can say for sure how effective all this change will be.

Although, the Broncos have one of the toughest schedules in the NFL in ’09, playing the NFC East (Giants, Cowboys, Eagles), and also contenders in the Patriots, Colts, and Super Bowl champion Steelers.

In reality 8-8 would be a solid 2009 campaign, and they will likely hover around that mark this season.

Everything relys on how well McDaniels’ and Nolan’s coaching schemes work in Denver, and how completely the players buy into them.

There are many question marks that surround this team, but it all makes for mile high excitement this offseason, the most exciting in many years for the Broncos.

Denver Broncos Defense: Good Players, Wrong Scheme? You Be the Judge

Hello, its me again here to talk about the Broncos defense.  I know what your thinking, “here is another yahoo who’s gonna tell us how bad we’re gonna be”.  Well if that’s what you were thinking, then you are wrong.  I am here to say the opposite and I’ll tell you why.

The additions of Brian Dawkins, Reynaldo Hill, Andre’ Goodman, Ronald Fields, Chris Baker, Andra Davis among others really caught my eye.  While most people think we have not done enough to upgrade a horrendous defense, I thought we did. 

See I thought that what the defense needed all along was a scheme change, and I’m not referring to the type of scheme change that happened when we got rid of Coyer and brought in Bates, I mean a switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4.  Contrary to popular believe, we do have the pieces for that kind of defense.

I will proceed to break down each position and point out the leading candidate so far (in my opinion of course, the only one who knows in the end is the coach).

We will start with the nose tackle.  While some believe that this the most important position in the 3-4 and unless you have an experienced and stud nose tackle you will never succeed in executing this defense, I tend to disagree. 

Not completely of course, I think that both the ILB positions and the nose tackle are the most important positions in this scheme.  When it comes to a nose tackle you need size, strength, quickness, vision and the ability to shed blockers. 

I believe we have that player in camp already.  The Broncos pursued Chris Baker heavily outta collage for a reason, he has the size 6’2″ 326 lbs, the lateral quickness, the vision, the ability to shed, but most importantly he has experience. 

He played the position in college, granted it was only for a year but I have looked at tape from the university of Hampton and I must say I am impressed.  The kid possesses all the tools be a stud nose tackle for years to come.

Many people believe that Ronald Fields was brought in to be the starter, I dissagree.  I believe he was brought in to be the back up and someone who can help Chris along in learning the Mike Nolan system. 

Starter: Chris Baker, back up: Ronald Fields.

Now lets talk DE.  This is a position that we actually have very good prospects in.  I believe that the front runners are, Marcus Thomas and Kenny Peterson.  While some might say Thomas is better suited for NT, Lets think about this for a second. 

To play NT you need to anchor and two gap, same thing for a DE in a 3-4, with the exception that in obvious pass situations, the DE will be asked to actually rush the passer.  This plays to Thonas’ strength. 

While in college Thomas would penetrate the pocket and attack the QB from the inside, this unfortunately has not translated to the NFL yet.  He has all the tools to be a five technique DE in the 3-4.  Marcus can use his quick first step, while the NT draws the double team, to rush the QB.

While Peterson seems to be the incumbent, do not be surprised to see rookie Everette Pedescleaux take over some time during the season.  Everette has the size 6’6″ 305 lbs, strength, toughness and quickness to the ball to be the starter.  He is also great against the run as well as Marcus. 

Starters: Marcus Thomas and Kenny Peterson/Everette Pedescleaux, Back ups: Carlton Powell and Mathias Askew.

Which brings me to the OLB spots.I believe Elvis Dumervil will make the successful switch to a 3-4 outside linebacker and Robert Ayers will also make a successful transition.  They both posses the speed and strength to be pass rushers in this type of scheme. 

Now, Robert did play ,some, standing up at Tennessee so, while the speed of the game and the size of the playbook might overwhelm him to start the season, I think he will be just fine.  The numbers might not be there right away, but they will come. 

Now let’s talk Elvis, he will probably be coming from the blind side of the quaterback.  We all know that elvis has the speed and strength to get to the QB, the question is, can he go out and cover?  The answer, yes.  He can drop back in coverage, but I think a zone suits him best. 

Starters: Elvis Dumervil and Robert Ayers, Back ups: Tim Crowder, Jarvis Moss.

DJ Williams will play one of the ILB positions that is guaranteed barring injury, and the other will be played by Andra Davis, but eventually he will be replaced by Wesley Woodyard, I believe this is why they kept him.  While some of you might wonder if Wesley can handle and shed blocks from guards?

The answer is yes, but not as you might think.  Wesley is extremely quick and fast for his size 6’1″ 240 lbs he will beat blockers with his speed.  You might ask, is that big enough to play ILB in a 3-4? 

Once again the answer is yes, that is the same size as some of the better 3-4 ILB today.  We all know that DJ can play any LB position so he will be great as usual.

Starters: DJ Williams and Andra Davis/Wesley Woodyard, Backups:  Boss Bailey and Wesley Woodyard/Andra Davis/Jeff schweiger.

DBs is where our strength (as of now) is.  Andre’ Goodman will start opposite future HOF Champ Bailey.  These two WILL form a formidable tandem.  Unlike Bly, Goodman ‘s skills have not diminish at all.  Opposite a healthy Champ anyone can look bad, so look for Goodman to give us a very consistent performance week in and week out. 

The X factor here is Smith, he will not, of course, over take Champ, but he might be able to challenge Goodman for playing time.  He reminds MCD (and me) a lot of Asante Samuel, small, speedy corners with great instincts, (even though both slipped in the draft due to size and bad 40s). 

Barring injury I think Goodman will beat out Smith and start opposite Champ.

Starters:  Champ Bailey and Andre Goodman, Back ups:  Alphonso Smith and Jack Williams/Joshua Bell

Now the Gems of our defensive Backfield the safeties.  Brian Dawkins still has juice left in the tank, and now a need to prove it.  Reynaldo Hill is no superstar, but he is consistent and more than productive. 

These two, however, have been brought in to teach.  Seeing how Dawkins is in his mid 30s and Hill is in his early 30s, they brought them in for consistency and mentoring.  Who you might ask?  Josh Barrett and Darcel McBath. 

The coaching staff likes both very much, even though Barrett was drafted by the previous administration, MCD likes him a lot.  He likes his speed, instincts and hitting. 

McBath is here to learn from Dawkins, the young one is fast and hits hard, and Dawkins will teach him how to direct those hits and read the offense. 

David Bruton was selected in the fourth round of the draft, he will be a ST ace and will push Barrett but not beat him out.  Neither Barrett or McBath will see the starters roll, barring injury of course, at least not this year.  They are to sit and learn from two of the best in the business.

Starters:  Brian Dawkins and Reynaldo Hill, Back ups:  Josh Barrett and Darcel McBath.

Well this is the end of my report, hope you all like it. 

Denver Broncos Are Going To Be Major Players for RB Derrick Ward

Per Lindsay Jones of the Denver Post, the Denver Broncos figure to be big players for running back Derrick Ward when he hits the free agent market next Friday. No confirmation was given by Ward or any of his representatives, or any Broncos’ representatives for that matter. It seems as though this report is purely […]

Broncos Release Five Players

The Broncos on Wednesday announced five roster moves. The team released Anthony Alridge, Alex Haynes, Chad Mustard, P.J. Pope and Cliff Russell. Alridge, who joined the team as a college free agent during the 2008 offseason, spent the entire regular season on injured reserve after injuring his ankle the team’s final preseason contest at Arizona. […]

The Denver Broncos Must Face Their New Reality

Times are changing in the Rocky Mountains. The Balloon Boy scandal is about to go away. Bill Ritter won’t run for re-election as Governor of Denver. Last but not least, Mike Shanahan will be coaching a team other than the Broncos.

And with that, the last page of the Shanahan Era in Denver has finally been turned, while the next chapter of the Josh McDaniels Saga has yet to unfold. I am uncertain. I am wary. I am scared to death.

It hasn’t been easy being a Broncos fan over the past four years. The team has seemingly lost their identity as one of the competitive teams of the league and become the annual whipping boy for the Chargers.

This was true in Shanahan’s final three seasons with the team, and nothing that McDaniels tried this year did anything to change that.

The Broncos are stuck, as one may say, in football purgatory. Not getting worse, but never improving either. This year’s team teased all of us with their euphoric 6-0 start, only to succumb to their greatest collapse to date, going 2-8 in their final 10 games.

I wish that I could tell you why this happened, why this keeps happening. The success that the Chargers have enjoyed this decade makes it even worse. San Diego has won five of the last six AFC West titles. Oakland won the first three this decade.

The Broncos? 1-1, which is 1 division title and 1 playoff win. They have 0 playoff appearances since 2005 with a 32-32 record over that time span.

We can all agree that 2005 featured the last truly great Broncos team. I remember every game from that season. Every touchdown. Every score. Every key play and every hurtful loss. And you know what? I can’t say the same about 2006-2008.

Know why? I blocked it out because I believed those seasons to be a fluke, that this was still a playoff team that was missing just one or two key players.

At this point, its obvious that I’ve been lying to myself all this time because I was hurt by the truth. And the truth is that the Denver Broncos in 2010 are not a great team. They are not a competitive team.

Simply put, they are average and irrelevant in today’s NFL. Not only that, but with the Avalanche enjoying a surprisingly successful season, the Broncos are the worst of the 4 major sports teams in Colorado.

Ten years ago, the Rockies and Nuggets could barely get fans to attend their games. Now they put on a better show than the Broncos ever can.

What’s even more frustrating is that nearly every good player on this team has a down side. Brandon Marshall, fresh off another 100-catch season, is good as gone. Champ Bailey is in the final year of his contract and may not be back in 2011.

Brian Dawkins played too much and wore down at the end of the year. Even Elvis Dumervil struggled when teams ran the ball at him more often.

I don’t write this for the sole purpose of being a pessimist and I do not withdraw myself as a Broncos fan. I could never do that.

For now, what I’m saying is that the Broncos of the present are bogged down in their own mediocrity and the Broncos of the future are completely unpredictable.

There. I feel better. Now the bright side to this column (didn’t think there was one did you?). The moves that the Broncos will do, should do, and probably won’t be able to do this offseason.

 

First things first; it’s time to completely cut ties with the Shanahan regime. If McDaniels is going to do things the Patriot Way, then he needs to do them all the way.

That means almost all of the Shanahan holdovers need to go. Rick Dennison and Bobby Turner are good coaches, but their zone-blocking and cut-back running styles of coaching don’t fit with what McDaniels is trying to do on offense.

Besides, they will get plenty of interest from other coaches, including Shanahan and Gary Kubiak, and would be hard to keep.

After that, it’s time to clean house with the players. Brandon Marshall and Tony Scheffler want out almost as much as McDaniels wants to get rid of them.

Ben Hamilton is a fraction of the player he used to be and is now too light for the offensive line. Peyton Hillis, Jarvis Moss, and Marcus Thomas were seldom used and rarely effective.

However, a few of the Shanahan starters from last year, outside of Champ Bailey, Ryan Clady, and Elvis Dumervil, will be back.

Eddie Royal saw a pretty large dip in his production from 2008, but he’ll get another chance because of his potential. Brandon Stokely and Spencer Larsen are wild cards who may or may not be back.

Next on the agenda is improving at the line of scrimmage. It’s no secret that the Broncos had major issues at their offensive and defensive lines toward the end of the season.

Offensively, they need to get bigger. Clady, Harris, and Kuper (if he’s resigned), are all good fits, but I’m not so sure about Casey Wiegmann.

Hamilton was benched midseason in favor of Russ Hochstein, who outweighs Hamilton by about 20 pounds, and the same thing could happen to Casey this spring. Those two may even retire.

The Patriots’ offensive line features five starters who each weigh 300 pounds or more, so look for McDaniels to replicate that here in Denver.

As for the defense, the teams with the best 3-4 defenses are typically the ones with the best nose tackles.

Ronnie Fields was decent for the Broncos this year, but his weaknesses began to show more as the season went on. He’ll have competition for his job in camp next year, as will Ryan McBean and Kenny Peterson.

The team could also use a true run stuffer at middle linebacker. DJ makes a lot of tackles and Andra Davis is solid, but neither of them instill fear into the hearts of running backs.

When Al Wilson roamed the middle of the field, the Broncos were consistently one of the hardest teams to run against. They have yet to replace him.

Lastly, the Broncos lack the playmakers that they need to compete in today’s NFL. With Marshall on his way out, someone else will have to make up for his 100 catches, and I doubt that someone is Jabar Gaffney or Brandon Lloyd.

Correll Buckhalter was better than expected, but he’s not the long term answer at running back.

Which brings us to Knowshon Moreno. I know, he’s a rookie, and I’ve already mentioned how the Broncos had a struggling offensive line most of the season. Moreno played well early on, but he was a non-factor in the final three games.

First-round picks are expected to make plays to help their teams make the playoffs, and Moreno didn’t make enough of those plays this year. Obviously he’s not going anywhere, but he needs to become more of an impact player.

That goes for the other Broncos first-round picks too, Robert Ayers and Alphonso Smith. Ayers finally began to get after the quarterback towards the end of the season, but not so much at the beginning.

Smith was nearly invisible all year and got beaten in coverage for a costly touchdown against the Raiders in week 15. Progress must be made here, or it will put the Broncos in a tough spot.

For all you Kyle Orton haters out there, I guarantee you that he will be back next year. Unless the Broncos draft a total stud at quarterback or Tom Brandstater magically turns into Tom Brady overnight, Orton will also be starting once again.

Whether he deserves it or not is a topic for another column. Orton will be your quarterback next year Broncos fans. Don’t like it? Deal with it.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

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