Week 15 Reaction

Another abysmal second half caused the Broncos to drop a second consecutive game and fall to 10-4 on the year. The offense again scored zero points in the second half, but this time it was after putting up four touchdowns in the first rather than four field goals. But this was Pittsburgh, not Oakland. Brock seems to be reluctant to go downfield with the football in the second half even though that was part of his success in the first half. He was doing his part in the first half of picking apart that shaky secondary then he decided to be conservative with his throws in the second half. The defense was not playing like one would expect the 2015 Broncos defense to play, especially in the secondary.The culmination of; talent that Pittsburgh has at wide receiver, bad play and injuries ultimately spelled doom for the defense in the second half. 

Brock was awful in the second half. There is no way around it. He was 7-26 after he went down with a left shoulder injury late in the first half. His poor play could be explained by that injury, but he has not proved during the past month to be a different second half player than the player he was today. Time will tell, but if the coaches do think the injury is to blame, we could see Manning in 8 days. 

One last gripe about the offense is that CJ Anderson was left out of the running game. Hillman played well, but CJ needs to see more touches than he did today. Maybe they were saving him since it was his first week back from injury, I’m not sure. 

The defense could not have been asked to hold up any longer against Pittsburgh’s vaunted passing attack. Constant three and outs in the second half caused the defense to ire out much quicker than it would have under normal circumstance. The lack of TJ Ward, Darian Stewart and a banged up David Bruton left the Broncos without adequate help up top and the corners were left out to dry. Chris Harris played his worst game as a pro football player and if these two teams were to meet up again, I would not expect the same play from him. For the most part, the corners held up just about as well as they could without any help from the safeties. 

The biggest issue to come out of the game was not the loss itself, but the fact that the team needs to win out to ensure the division and a playoff spot. Cincinnati beat San Francisco this week, but I believe Denver can and will beat them. Hopefully Manning is healthy enough to suit up for that game. 

Denver @ Pittsburgh Preview

This is likely a make or break game for Brock Osweiler, in terms of his potential to start ahead of a healthy Peyton Manning. The offense has not scored a touchdown in 23 straight drives and if Brock is not able to get it done in the red-zone on Thursday. Brock has been pretty good for the majority of his 4 starts, but I would trust Manning more for the remainder of the season. Based on his performance during the beginning of the season, there is no reason to believe the Broncos can win a Super Bowl when is he under center, or more appropriately, behind center. 

Although Manning was able to practice this week, Brock will get the start as they wait for Manning to get to 100%. He will have a favorable matchup against the Steeler’s secondary, which has struggled for the majority of the season. However, they can be very opportunistic so it is important for Brock to be precise with his passes. He needs to get the ball out of his hands earlier in order to avoid the pass rush. CJ Anderson practiced this week, which hopefully indicates that he will play this week. They sorely missed him in the run game and in pass protection against Oakland. His return will be an instant boom to the offense and he should be able to put them in the end-zone for the first time in a game and a half. Emmanuel Sanders needs to be a lot more involved in the offense if they want to be effective in the passing game. Without Vernon Davis, Virgil Green will find himself playing a lot more snaps this week. 

The Secondary’s ability to cover Antonio Brown effectively without giving too much help is paramount to the success of the defense. Chris Harris should be able to get the job done, but fans need to remember that Antonio Brown is one of the best receivers in the NFL and will be a difficult matchup. Part of their ability to limit Pittsburg’s passing attack lies in the health of David Bruton. The pass rush needs to consistently get multiple players to Ben Rothlisberger because one is often not enough. Von Miller has been playing very well this year and I see no reason that he wont be able to continue his success this week. Demarcus Ware should see more snaps this week after only playing 26 downs last week. Danny Trevathan should also make his way back onto the field after missing last week with a concussion. Todd Davis played well in his absence, but its always good to have a starter back. 

Brandon McManus has missed a field goal in each of the past three games and it ended up being the reason why the game against Oakland did not go into overtime. I’m not blaming him for the loss because obviously the offense should have put it in the end zone on at least one of their drive. He has proven to be a really good kicker and I don't think his struggles the previous three weeks will be any indicator of his reliability going into this game or into the future. 

I would not bet on the Broncos to win this game, but they definitely do have a chance if the offense is able to score touchdowns instead of field goals. The addition of CJ Anderson should alleviate a lot of the problems the offense has had and I think Brock might be able to take advantage of a sub-standard Steelers secondary. The key is limiting Pittsburgh’s passing attack by not letting them convert huge plays. With Bruton likely playing, the passing defense shouldn't let up big plays downfield like they did on Oakland’s go ahead touchdown last week.  The Broncos should make this a competitive one score game, but there is no way that expect to win this week. 

Broncos Sign Evan Mathis

The Broncos have signed a one year deal with guard Evan Mathis who was cut from the Eagles a couple of weeks prior. He is one of the best guards in the league and he excels at run blocking. He should be able to open up more running lanes for CJ Anderson to run through. He is a welcomed addition to the Bronco's line.

Mathis said that winning a Super Bowl was a big deal for him, which is probably why he chose the Broncos. Hopefully he does well enough for him to complete that goal.

I do like Max Garcia, but he has to become a more well rounded player. Mathis will likely only be here a year, which will give Garcia more time to develop and work on his craft. I am sure he will be the starter entering the 2016 season.

Breakdown of PFF Grades for the Broncos Texans Game

Defense

Shaq Barrett stood out with a 5.6. He has solidified his spot on the team in my mind and as long as he is not asked to drop into coverage a lot.

Shane Ray finished with a 2.7 overall grade and had a better run defense grade than pass rush grade (1.8 and 1.3). He has shown that he will be an effective player in his first season.

Brandon Marshall scored a 2.1 in pass coverage. It is always good to have a linebacker that can play in man coverage and matchup well against mostly anyone.

Lorenzo Doss scored a l.5 in pass coverage, which should help him sneak ahead of Curtis Marsh and make the team.

Kayvon Webster scored a -1.6 in pass coverage, which he needs to improve on before the regular season begins. He has the talent, he just needs to bring it on the field.

Taurean Nixon had an awful -2 in pass coverage. He really needs to improve or else he could find himself missing out on the practice squad.

Offense

Paradis continued his fantastic camp/preseason with another good performance. He finished with a 1.7 and further solidified himself as the starter. Max Garcia also played well and Ty Sambrailo improved.

Peyton Manning had an awful -1.5. It was expected since the first team offense did not score at all.

Ben Garland and Shelly Smith both improved dramatically from the first game. Garland finished with a 2.4, while Smith had a 2. This was the type of improvement fans and coaches wanted to see out of the backups. It is good to know that the line is not an injury or two away from disaster. Gradkowski and Clark also finished positively so it was a good day for the backup linemen.

Michael Schofield finished with a 1.3 and it was great to see him play well in light Ryan Harris' -2.5. Harris is no sure thing so it is important that Schofield shows that he might be able to take the reigns at some point.

Jordan Norwood certainly hurt his chances to make the team after an abysmal game on Saturday. He finished with a -1.6 and did not get any return work, probably because of the muffed punt against Seattle.

Bronco's Backfield Situtation

CJ Anderson is the number one back and nothing will change that in the preseason. He has run well, but I just hope they don't run him too much before the season even starts. During the regular season, he will receive a majority of the carries and should not have any problem doing so as he demonstrated last year. CJ has not received many touches in the first two games of the preseason, but fans know what he is capable of doing.

The surprise of preseason is Ronnie Hillman because many people including myself wrote him off before camp even began. He had a really good training camp and it translated into the preseason where he won the starting job over Montee. Has a ran hard in both games, is finding the holes well and bursting through them. Al long as he continues to hold onto the ball there is no reason for him not be the #2 back. In theory, he will be a great change of pace back to have behind Anderson. I hope that we get a glimpse in the next game of what the touch distribution will look like.

What happened to Montee Ball? He played well during his rookie season in relief of Knowshon, but struggled during his very short sophomore campaign. Now he is getting third string reps behind CJ Anderson and Ronnie Hillman, two players Bronco fans never thought they would see ahead of Ball in at this point in 2014. That is not an indictment on those two because Hillman has run hard in the preseason and fans should already know what CJ can do. Montee is not hitting the hole hard and looks very hesitant. He is very clearly the fourth most talented back in this backfield at this moment.

Montee Ball does not have much of a future on this team past his rookie deal if he does not improve immensely this season. I believe Juwan Thompson is a better running back than Ball. He has done nothing this preseason to prove otherwise. He runs harder, looks quicker and just looks like an overall better back than Montee. Jeremy Stewart and Kapri Bibbs are not making any waves and Bibbs will likely be cut on September 1st.

Bronco's Special Teams Review

The Broncos return coverage was under scrutiny after allowing a touchdown and two other long returns against the Seahawks. They responded very well. The only kick off was returned 22 yards and the held them to a 6.4 yard average on 5 punt returns. This gives me a lot of home because I was very down on this unit entering the game.

The competition in the punting game was a highlight after Lanning was brought in and Colquitt struggled against Seattle. Colquitt averaged 43.8 yards per punt on 5 punts and had a long of 53 yards. He also had a punt that he should have put inside the 10, but he only got to the 15. It is the type of thing he needs to work on in order to win the job. He needs to perform better because Lanning averaged 50 yards per punt on 2 punts with a long of 56 yards. This battle will likely go into the fourth preseason game, but I think and hope that Lanning will win the job.

Nobody stood out on punt returns besides Omar Bolden, but that was for the wrong reasons. He had one return where he went in reverse 6 yards. Luckily for him, no one impressed enough to justify overtaking him. Corbin Louks returned two kickoffs for 26 yards each. This could help propel him onto the team after making the game winning touchdown catch as well. I hope he gets plenty of chances to return kicks next week.

Brandon McManus demonstrated why I believe he will win the starting kicking job. He was able to kickoff the ball well, which helped the kick return team. He also kicked the first extra point, which is notable because some thought that would be a sticking point to the Broncos only keeping him on the roster.

Stock Watch: Preseason Week Two

Stock Up

Ronnie Hillman: He was ahead of Montee on the depth chart heading into this game and did nothing to surrender that position. He finished with 8 carries for 54 yards, which puts him above 6 YPC for the second straight game.

Marcel Jensen: He had two catches in this game that he was able to turn into 42 yards. I don't think that he has a legitimate shot at a roster spot, but he could end up on the practice squad.

Corbin Louks: He made a fantastic catch in the end-zone that put the Broncos ahead for good. That catch combined with his two kick returns for an average of 26 yards could vault him onto the roster. He looked good returning kicks and if he is able to repeat that again next week, he will make a push for the fifth receiver spot.

Todd Davis: As I mentioned last week, Todd Davis disappointed against Seattle, but he showed what he was capable of today. He always seemed to be around the ball in the run game and finished with five tackles. He also stuck on his man in coverage. I was glad to see him bounce back from a rough first outing.

Ty Sambrailo: He played much better against Houston than he did against Seattle, which was a relief to many Bronco fans. However, there are still plenty of things he needs to work on. He was called for another penalty, which took away a nice run by CJ.

Stock Down:

Nathan Palmer: He did not catch a single pass in this game. With Bennie Fowler making more plays and Louks making a name for himself tonight, he could find himself buried in the depth chart.

Jordan Norwood: The same goes with him. He did not record a catch either  and did not return once in this game. Without the chance to show his worth in the return game, his chances to make the roster slip away.

Brock Osweiler: He did not play well. Although he was pressured more, he still made bad mistakes and was inaccurate with his passes. I still think what we saw against Seattle is more in line with how good Brock is, it would be nice to see him become more consistent. His pick six was an awful throw too. He did not see the defender which is something he should look at on film.

Reaction to the Broncos Backups Against Houston

Brock Osweiler overthrew some of his targets early, but he had a great pass for a touchdown to Andre Caldwell with 7:21 left in the second quarter. Later in the game, he threw a pick six and it looked like he did not even notice the defender. He struggled after a really good showing against Seattle, but I don't think he looked comfortable behind the backup offensive line. He finished 7 of 16 for 121 yards, a touchdown and the interception. However, 57 of those yards were gained on the touchdow pass to Caldwell. Trevor Siemian came in after Brock, which indicates that he is the third QB on the roster. He may be ahead of Dysert, but that does not mean he will make the final roster. He did lead a nice go ahead drive with less than two minutes left that was capped by a nice throw and a great catch by Louks. He needs to keep having good games in order to force the Broncos to keep him on the active roster.

Montee did not receive his first carry until the second quarter. It looks like he has been relegated to the third running back on the team and likely wont receive more than five touches in regular season games after a poor showing today. He still struggled to run the ball and only had 4 yards on 4 carries. This does not bode well for his future NFL prospects. Hillman is firmly ahead of Ball on the depth chart now. He ran very well, finishing with 54 yards on 8 carries, and is going to see plenty of touches behind CJ this season if he is able to stay healthy. Juwan Thompson had a 23 yard run on his first carry in the game. He is a good back and would prove it more if he had a better line blocking for him.

The backup offensive line looked to be playing better, but that is not saying much considering how poorly they played against Seattle. They were able to open up more running lanes in this games which indicates at lease some improvement.

Darius Kilgo had another sack, which just proves that he will be a key rotational player on the defensive line this season. He is easily noticed because he always seems to be pushing back his man so far in the preseason. He had another tackle for a loss later on in the game. He has been making a name for himself in the preseason and could be a key rotational player to Sly Williams when the regular season rolls around. Vance Walker was also able to record three tackles and showed people that the line will be alright even with Wolfe gone the first four games.

Shane Ray had a nice pass knockdown with the pressure early in the 3rd. Shane was all over the place again and was involved in 6 tackles and had half a sack. He was beaten in pass coverage, which is something he will have to work on this season. He was slow to get up on a sack early in the third, but the trainers did not spend a lot of time with him and seemed fine agter the game. Barrett had another sack in with 11 minutes left in the third, but it was nullified due to a holding call on Webster. He had a strip sack with 14 seconds left in the game when Houston was looking to go ahead in the game. He has certainly proved to coaches that he deserves a roster spot.

Corey Nelson has probably performed the best out between him, Barrow and Johnson. He is consistently on his man in pass coverage and he made some nice plays in the run game. He was involved in 6 tackles overall. Steven Johnson also played well, but I still believe Nelson is the better player.

Kayvon Webster had a very nice sack on a perfectly timed blitz that kept Houston from scoring before halftime. However, he also committed a holding penalty that lead to a Houston first down on their field goal drive early in the third. He is still a little inconsistent, but he is only coming in on dime packages and I would take him one on one against any teams 4th best receiving option.

Curtis Marsh was beat deep early in the fourth and the play set up Houston inside the five yard line. He cannot let those plays happen if he is going to make the final 53-man roster. Doss probably played better than Marsh because of the absence of mistakes. The race between the two is still very tight and it will likely take all four games to decide the better fit.

Bolden and Bruton both seemed to play well as backups and did not let any big plays happen. They are going to be effective backups of Ward or Stewart go down for a short period of time.

Reaction to the Starters in the First Half

Manning: He looks fine. There have been some rough spots, but there have been some crucial mistakes to end drives. (Two drops and a holding). Did not score on four drives. I am not worried because he still looked poised. CJ had a nice run for 14 yards when the Broncos were deep in their own territory. He finished with 6 carries for 24 yards and had a couple of good runs called back because of penalties. He does not seem to have any lingering effects from his injured ankle. James Casey is unfortunately notable because had a drop late in the first quarter on third and one, which is disappointing because it was is an integral play on this offense for third and one situations. Hopefully that is not a problems that continues into the regular season.

Demaryius had a drop on what would have been a first down on the first drive. Had two nice catches the drive after. He finished with three catches for 24 yards, but it was his first game back and should be much better by the regular season. Virgil Green had a holding penalty with 6:18 in the first when Broncos were on Houston's 40. He only had one catch for 14 yards in the first half, but he said that he wanted to improve from his performance run blocking in Seattle. That penalty does not help, but he blocked better afterwards. Owen Daniels had four catches and Manning made it a point to get him the ball quickly and often.

The starting offensive line played much better than they did against Seattle. However, they have been called for a lot of penalties. The starters stayed in even when Manning, Demaryius and CJ all came out because they need the work still. They protected Brock well on his long TD pass to Caldwell with 7:21 left in the second quarter.

The defensive line played well as a unit as a unit. Good push on a third and one with around 11:14 left on the third. Vance Walker also made some nice plays in the first half. Sylvester Williams had a quick sack on a great spin move for the teams first sack of the game with 17 seconds left in the half.

Brandon Marshall only played the first quarter since it was his first game back. He still finished with three tackles and was very good in pass coverage. He had nice coverage on Blue on third down to force a punt with 9:11 left in the first. Almost had a pick late in the first quarter. He reads the pass well and always seems to be right with his man. Todd Davis played much better than he did against Seattle. He was better in coverage and made some nice tackles in the run game.Von Miller did not have a sack in the game, but he still played well and had a nice tackle at the line of scrimmage. Ware jumped offsides early in the game to make a third and 10 into a third and 5, which hurt, but they still ended up getting the stop.

Harris Aqib and Roby all played very well. Roby has shown good growth and he has been on top of his man for most of the game. The entire secondary played well as they held Houston scoreless in the first half. They did not give up any big plays and came up with stops when needed.

Broncos Will Wear Alternates against Green Bay, Oakland

Im very excited that the Broncos will be wearing blue jerseys with white pants against the Packers; recreating the Super Bowl XXXII look. Pat Bowlen will be inducted into the Ring of Fame on that night against the Packers, which is why they are going with this style. It will be a night to remember because Bowlen was integral to the success that the Broncos have had since he bought the team. During his tenure, the team appeared in more Super Bowls than they had losing seasons. I'm very excited that I decided to get tickets to this game because there is going to be a great atmosphere and there are few things better than watching a legend being honored live.

They will wear the all blue alternates against the Raiders on December 13th. They have worn these once per year since they have switched to Orange as the primary color. I really like the all blues, but I wish they would have just chose the Packer game to wear the alternates because then they could have used all blue against Kansas City on week two Thursday night because the NFL said they might start using color-on-color for Thursday night broadcasts.

Broncos @Texans Backup Preview

Brock Osweiler played well against Seattle and proved to me that he can be the QB after Manning calls it quits. He at least has the potential of Jake Plummer and he lead the Broncos to an AFC championship game. He should be able to handle Houston's second team well. I am more interested in seeing if Siemian or Dysert receive third team reps. Siemian clearly outplayed him in Seattle, but I am not sure if he has convinced coaches to keep him on the final 53. He seemed very poised against Seattle, which is something he should carry over into Houston. Dysert might not see any playing time considering his struggles and that Manning could be playing the entire first half.

Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman are firmly number two and three on the depth chart and are not fighting for a roster spot. However, if Hillman has another good game and Ball struggles, he could find himself receiving more touches than Ball in the regular season. Hillman ran very well in the first game and I would love to watch him repeat that performance in Houston. Montee had some decent runs, but did not have a great game overall. Hopefully he is able to string together some quality runs in this game. Juwan Thompson did not run well, but he did not get any help from an offensive line that struggled to give him lanes. He is still likely to make the roster considering Jeremy Stewart and Kapri Bibbs have not done anything spectacular. I hope the line can block at least semi decently so he at least has a chance to run well.

Cody Latimer is the third receiver when everyone is healthy, but he will get a lot of playing time in this game since Sanders is not going to play. Bennie Fowler will also get a lot of playing time because he has had a great camp along with a productive first game. With another excellent showing, he could solidify a roster spot for himself. Jordan Norwood also has a chance to make the roster, but he needs to do better on special teams to give him a boost. Jordan Taylor and Solomon Patton also have a shot, but Andre Caldwell stands in their way because of his relationship with Manning and his veteran leadership. The coaching staff probably would like to see more out of Dominique Jones. He only had one catch in the first game and I am sure the coaching staff would like to keep a third tight end on the roster even though James Casey will play fullback and tight end. Hopefully he is able stand out on Saturday.

The backup offensive line was not any good against Seattle. They struggled to produce holes in the running game and also had some trouble pass blocking. Ben Garland, Michael Schofield and Gino Gradkowski all had bad games. Each of them had a chance to start this season and it is a relief to know that they aren't likely to anymore. However, they really need to show improvement just in case one of the current starters is lost due to injury.

Darius Kilgo played very well against Seattle and demonstrated to fans why he has jumped up the depth chart. He should have a good follow up game and should prove to be a good rotational player during his rookie season. Marvin Austin was placed on IR, which means Sione Fua likely makes the team. Kenny Anunike will miss this game, which means Antonio Smith will see plenty of snaps. Chuka Ndulue and Josh Watson will also get chances, but their hopes lie in a spot on the practice squad.

Shaq Barrett looks to dominate much like he did in the first game. I go to CSU so I have been a fan of him, but his game against Seattle opened the eyes of many fans. If he lives in the backfield against the Texans, he could start earning himself some decent rotational time during the regular season. Unfortunately, Lerentee McCray will not see any action this week because he is still in the process of returning from multiple injuries. Chase Vaughn had a pretty good first game, but his chances of getting on the 53 man roster are slim, but he will be fighting for a spot on the practice squad. Lamin Barrow, Steven Johnson and Corey Nelson are all looking to make an impact in this game because one of them could find themselves off of the roster. Lamin Barrow has struggled on defense, but seems to be a good special teams player, which significantly help his chances to make the roster. My guess is that if the decision had to be made today, Corey Nelson would be the odd man out, but there are still three games left for players to prove their worth.

As I have mentioned before, the battle for the last corner spot on the roster will be important for the coaches to watch. I would rather Curtis Marsh and Lorenzo Doss win the job than Tony Carter. Fans know what they will be getting from him and to be honest, he is a solid player, but he gambles too much for the fifth corner on the depth chart. I want to see Omar Bolden playing safety. He missed the first game, but if he proves himself against Houston, I can rest easier about the safety situation after Ward and Stewart. Hopefully Josh Bush or Ross Madison stand out in this game, but for a safety that deep in the depth chart, they need to show coaches that they can make plays on special teams.

Brandon McManus, in my mind, has a legitimate shot of supplanting Barth if he is able to keep making field goals. I would like to see him kick some new extra points to prove that he has the consistency to be the only kicker on the roster. Some might think this is crazy considering the bad position the Broncos were in last season because of their confidence in him, but kickers do improve. Matt Prater also had accuracy issues at the beginning of his career and he ironed those out. Another reason to keep him over Barth is that he can boot it into the end-zone at a higher angle, which gives the kick team more time to get downfield and they could obviously use that. Spencer Lanning was signed right before the Seattle game, which he was not able to play in. He has a legitimate shot at supplanting Colquitt because he struggled at Seattle and during the 2014 season. If Lanning is able to have a net yardage in the 40's, he will likely make the team. The return team needs to perform better. They muffed two punts against Seattle and nobody really stood out to supplant Omar Bolden. Patton, Norwood, Burse, Fowler and Caldwell will all likely get shots to return. All of them need to do a lot better than they did against Seattle to catch the coaches eye.

There are many roster spots to be won, which is what makes preseason football watchable. I am excited to see which backups are able to make a name for themselves and get on the coaches radar.

Broncos @ Texans Starter Preview

The Broncos and the Texans kickoff in Houston at 6:00 mountain standard time. Peyton Manning and Demaryius Thomas will be making their 2015 preseason debuts so it will be great to see those two work together again even if it is only preseason. Kubiak stated that Manning and Thomas will likely play one and half quarters or into halftime depending on how it is going. This will be a good test for the line because they will have to accommodate  for JJ Watt.

The offensive line needs to show improvement from last game. They struggled against Seattle, but they improved throughout the game, which gives me some hope. However, they still need to prove themselves early in the game. Playing against JJ Watt and the rest of Houston's starters will be a big test even though it is preseason. Ty Sambrailo needs to show that he can handle the Houston pass rush. Having Manning back there makes it a little more high stakes than Brock. I believe he has the ability to be really good and will likely show positive steps during this game. Max Garcia and Paradis need to show consistency after they both had good first games.

Virgil Green showed that he will be a formidable receiving option against Seattle. He is not as talented as Julius Thomas, but he is still able to create matchup problems. He will likely be targeted often again as the new offense will give him plenty of opportunities. Owen Daniels will see his first action as well and it will be nice to see him and Green in two tight end sets.

Demaryius and Emmanuel will see the field together for the first time. Hopefully Manning will be able to connect on one long ball to either of the two. We could see some three wide sets with Cody Latimer which adds another dimension to the number one offense.

The starters on the defensive line performed well in the first game, but I would like to see continued growth from Sylvester Williams at nose tackle. Keep and eye on Vance Walker because he will be starting for Wolfe during the first four games. He was solid against Seattle and that is all Denver needs him to be since he will be backing up Wolfe for most of the Season. I am not worried about Wolfe or Jackson this game, they have proved that they will be effective.

Brandon Marshall will see his first action this season, but Trevathan will miss this game. I love Marshall and am ready to see him work in the new defense. Todd Davis will be lining up next to him. As I have said, I want to see him play much better than he did in Seattle. He needs show that he can stop the run after only having one tackle last week. Von Miller and Shane Ray are going to start again. Both of them were fantastic last week. Miller obviously had the strip sack, but Shane was in the backfield consistently as well. Expect to see more of the same on Saturday.

TJ Ward most likely will play after being excused from practice. If he plays, I hope that he gets more work covering players one on one. If he is able to be serviceable in that area this season, this defense will be dangerous. Darien Stewart will start and hopefully play well again. Rahim Moore plays for Houston so Bronco fans can get a glimpse of how Stewart and Moore compare.

Connar Barth and Britton Colquitt are still the starters ay kicker and punter, but they could both lose their jobs. They cannot afford to make any major mistakes in these upcoming games because of the competition.

I cant wait to see how all of the starters perform against Houston. It's only preseason, but it can be an indicator of how a team will play in the regular season.


Update: I now know that Sanders will not be playing in this game. Hopefully we will see Demayius and Emmanuel on the field at the same time in the third game.

Who and What to Watch For on Saturday Against the Texans

Peyton Manning: He will be making his debut in the new offense against the Texans, which is probably the most intriguing thing about this game. Everyone knows Manning is a great QB, but for some reason, some talking heads don't think he will be able to succeed in this offense. Some have said that the Broncos wont even win the division and a few have questioned their ability to make playoffs this season. Most of this stems from Manning's unspectacular finish to last season, but that was caused by a torn quad and is not indicative of his future. Manning will come out strong on Saturday and prove to everyone that he is ready to ball out this season.

Ronnie Hilliman: He played great against Seattle and it would be nice to see him prove that he can continue to play well. I think he will show that he will play an important role in this offense after his performance on Saturday.

Demaryius Thomas: He will be seeing his first action since signing his new contract. He will be playing for as long as Manning does and it will be fantastic to see both of them work in Kubiak's offense.

Left side of the offensive line: Sambrailo, Garcia and Paradis were all making their first starts and it showed during the game. Sambrailo mostly struggle. Hopefully he is able to correct his mistakes because Manning will be behind center on Saturday. Garcia and Paradis both played well. Garcia could improve his pass blocking a little bit, but he should he will be a very effective run blocker in his first season. Paradis also played well and coaches love him and it would be great if he followed with another good performance.

Shaq Barret: He was outstanding against the Seahawks and with another stellar performance he could solidify a roster spot. His new physique was obviously beneficial to his game and it will be great to see dominate again.

Todd Davis: He did not play well against the Seahawks, but I know that he has the potential to be a good player in this league. I think he will be able to demonstrate his potential when he gets into the groove against Houston.

Competition for the Fifth Cornerback Spot: Tony Carter, Curtis Marsh, Lorenzo Doss and Taurean Nixon are all competing although it looks as if Nixon could find himself on the practice Squad. Doss likely would not pass through waivers because he is a fifth round pock so it is important that he wins the job. I'm not a fan of Tony Carter and am indifferent to Marsh. I think the battle will boil down to Marsh and Doss, but their performances in this game will have a lot sway in that decision.

How Good Will the Bronco Defense Be in 2015?

The Broncos had a good defense last season, but they had the potential to be so much better, which is why they chose to hire Wade Phillips as Jack Del Rio's replacement. Wade brings a new style of defense with him that I think suits the Broncos' needs much better than Del Rio's style. The switch to the 3-4 could automatically make some players better than they were in 2014. I believe that Derek Wolfe, Malik Jackson and Demarcus Ware are all better suited for the 3-4. Demarcus Ware started off 2014 fantastically, but ran out of gas and was unable to sustain his success. Now that the Broncos have Shane Ray, they likely rotate him a lot of Ware. This should keep him fresh for the entire season, which is necessary for the Broncos to have a top five defense. It should also be noted that Ware plays really well in a 3-4 defense and reuniting with his old coach could help him out. Derek Wolfe will miss the first four games of the regular season due to a suspension that involved PED use. However, when he returns I expect him to have his best season in the league. He was a tweener on the line in a 4-3 because he was too small to play defensive tackle and not quick enough to effectively play defensive end. He should be a perfect fit as a 5 technique in Wade's 3-4. Malik Jackson is sort of the same story, but he was a little more effective than Wolfe in the 4-3 last season.

Every Bronco fan should be ecstatic at just how much potential this defense has in 2015. Just the talent alone is staggering. Chris Harris, Von Miller, Aqib Talib, TJ Ward, Brandon Marshall, Danny Trevathan and Demarcus Ware are all top 10 at their respective positions in my mind. Malik Jackson will make waves around the league in my opinion. They also had  In 2014 they had the second best run defense in terms of yards and the 9th ranked passing defense in terms of yards. However, they were 16th in terms of points scored per game. They did this without Danny Trevathan for most of the season and Brandon Marshall also missed a couple of games. This season they hope both will be healthy and flourish in the new defense. Bradley Roby will take a step forward and teams will struggle to pass against the Broncos. The pass rush combined with the sheer talent on the outside will disrupt the flow of the opposing teams passing game. It should also be noted that Trevathan and Marshall are good coverage linebackers which will help take away check downs to the tight end or running back. If everyone were to stay healthy, this defense could be top ten on talent alone, but when combined with Wade Phillips taking over the defense, I think it makes them a lock to be a top five defense. In 2014, Del Rio was way too conservative for me and many other fans. At times it seemed like he refused to blitz, even though he had one of the best blitzing safeties in the league at his disposal.  Wade should change that this season. Expect the defense to blitz a lot and to go after the football much more than previous years.

The defense played wonderfully in the first preseason game. They got to the quarterback seven times and forced four fumbles. That is what Kubiak and Elway want to see from this defense. This makes me exited to see what they are capable of in the regular season. I honestly believe this team could be a playoff contender with Brock at QB because of the talent on the defense. Manning makes them Super Bowl contenders.

Expect big numbers from Von Miller this season. He is one of the best defensive players in the NFL and is in a contract year. He is going to ball out. Also, the transition to the 3-4 might benefit him too. Shane Ray will have plenty of chances to get after the quarterback when he is relieving Demarcus Ware. I think he could het 8 or more sacks this season. Maybe I am too excited and will be disappointed, but just thinking about the changes and their performance on Friday makes me believe they are going to be elite.

Pro Football Focus Grades Are Out

Kenny Anuike and Shaquil Barrett registered the best scores on the team with +4.5 and +3.5. It was obvious that both of those players were disruptive whenever they were on the field. However, one surprising grade, at least to me was a +2.6 for Gino Gradkowski. I thought he had a solid game, but that was a higher grade than I was expecting. Chris Clark had a solid +2.5, but he was playing against backups and we already know that he can hold his own against backups. Von Miller had a +2.2 and it was obvious that he was disruptive, even in his limited playing time, as highlighted by his strip sack on the second play. Max Garcia pulled in a +2.2 run blocking, which is a very good sign that he will keep his starting job. He did have one hurry tallied against him, but overall he still played well.

A Very Early Look at Potential Nugget Draft Picks in 2016

The Nuggets should be able to garner a top five pick since they have a shot with their pick as well as the Knicks since they will get to keep the better of the two. The Nuggets can forget about drafting Jamal Murray or Kris Dunn, two of the top point guard prospects, because Mudiay fills that need. I would also be surprised if the Nuggets went with a center unless Nurkic took no steps forward in his game. That leaves power forward, shooting guard or small forward if a prospect really sets himself away from the field. I really believe they need to upgrade at the power forward spot. I love Faried, but I think it is time for him to start coming off of the bench where he would be better suited. If the Nuggets end up getting a top two pick in the draft, they would be set with either Ben Simmons Skal Labissiere. They are the two best prospects in the draft. Drafting either of these two would be a dream come true for the Nuggets. Ben Simmons can possibly play either forward spot, although he is probably better fit for playing the four in the NBA. He has tremendous athleticism and once finds an offensive game in the NBA, he will be deadly on both sides of the floor. Skal can play either center or power forward, but I think he will fit better at the four in the NBA due to his light frame. Both of these guys can shoot, which is a almost a must for big men now. Drafting either of these two would be the best case scenario for the Nuggets at this point.

Say the Nuggets land the fifth pick, they would probably draft Ivan Rabb or Dragan Bender. Both of them are a bit more raw than Skal and Simmons. Rabb is a 6-10 220 pound power forward who needs to work on expanding his post move repertoire. He also needs work on his low post defense, other than shot blocking he does not seem to provide anything else on defense. Dragan Bender is a 7-0 215 pound power forward coming out of Croatia. It is not known if he will come to the NBA the year that he is drafted. He also needs to put on weight and still has a very raw game, he is much like Porzingis in that regard.

The Nuggets will likely also have Houston's draft pick as long as they make the playoffs. If Portland surprises and makes the playoffs (not likely), then they would also get their pick. Houston's pick will likely be in the late 20's. The Nuggets might want to look at a 2 guard in order to add depth at the position. If Gary Harris does not improve, they will be very thin in that area heading into the 2016 season if they do not pick someone up.



*Obviously it is very early and things could change dramatically considering all of the players I listed had not played one minute of college basketball. However, it fills the gap between free agency and training camp.

How I Feel About the Nuggets' Offseason

The Nuggets will not be a good basketball team this year. They were not good last year and lost their best player. However, that does not mean that I hate their front office right now. They have done the best one could hope with the circumstances bestowed upon them. Ty Lawson had to be traded after his second DUI in five months. I thought the Nuggets should have traded him for whatever they could get on draft day after Emmanuel Mudiay dropped because I did not think his stock would go up with teams knowing they would trade him and him having to share minutes with Mudiay. Unfortunately, they could not trade him on draft night, then the second DUI came and the Nuggets traded him for scraps from Houston and a protected 2016 first round pick. The fact that Mudiay is on the Nuggets makes me very excited because he has the potential to become a star for this team. He probably will not be very good this year because he needs to work on his jumper. However, he can get to the hoop and pass with extremely good vision.

The Nuggets also extended Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari. Wilson received $46.5 million over 4 years while Gallo signed a 2 year $34 million extension, which keeps him on the team until 2018. Both are key players on this team. If Gallo can stay healthy and play like he did last season then he will be worth the money.  Wilson is a good defender who scored 14 points per game last season and pulled down 6 rebounds. He is a good player to have around a locker room with a lot of young players. 

Nikola Jokic was finally signed, he was the 41st pick in the 2014 draft. He stands at 6 foot 10 inches 250 pounds. I think he has all of the tools to become a good big man in the NBA. Him and Nurkic would be a rough duo to bang down low with. Im glad they got a deal done because this is the year to try anything out so they might as well see how good Jokic will be. 

The Nuggets get the option to swap picks with the Knicks in the draft. They don't project to be too good either, which is a very good thing for the Nuggets. They could have a good season, which in this teams context would be being out of the bottom 10, and still receive a top five pick if the Knicks do not play well. They could also play poorly and it would work out because they would have two chances to win the lottery. 

Broncos Game One Review of the Special Teams

The Broncos really need to make some major changes in their special teams coverage. Most of Seattle's points came as a result of bad special teams coverage. Tyler Lockett returned a Connor Barth kick for a touchdown in the second quarter. Part of the issue with Barth doing kickoffs is that they are low so the coverage team doesn't have as much time as they need to get down the field. Seattle finished with 6 returns for 236 yards, which is unacceptable.

The punt coverage was not too bad, but Lockett had one return for 18 yards. If he had more chances, the coverage team could have been exposed further. The Broncos signed Spencer Lanning before the game. He did not play, but Colquitt did absolutely nothing to prove the Broncos wrong. Im really exited to see Lanning because Colquitt has not played well lately and he had an abysmal 39.3 yard average against Seattle Friday night. Hopefully Lanning can play well in order to supplant him on the depth chart. 

The Broncos were not able to return any punts and both Jordan Norwood and Solomon Patton muffed returns. It was raining, but they still need to be able to field punts. They cannot give teams free yards by making mistakes like these. They had some success on kick returns Norwood had two returns for 53 yards so it could be interesting to see if he receives more work returning kicks. Patton had one return for 19 yards and was largely non-noteworthy.

They Broncos did do one thing well and that was making field goals. McManus showed up and made three field goals. He will need to be consistent throughout the preseason in order to have a shot at the final roster. Barth 2-2 and kicked both extra points, which could point to the coaching staff not still not trusting McManus to hit short field goals. 

The special teams unit still has a lot to work to go before it is ready for the regular season. Hopefully they are able to figure things out in practice before they face Houston on Saturday.

Preseason Game One Review of the Defense

The defense played fantastic Friday night against the Seahawks. The starters did not let Seattle's starters move the ball much. They got to the QB often and seemed to always have tight coverage downfield. Von Miller only played a handful of plays, but on the second play of the game he had a strip sack on Russell Wilson. It was a nice glimpse of what to expect from him this season. Seattle was obviously not showing much, but the Broncos were also playing a vanilla defense. Blitzing is going to be a major part of this offense, but in the preseason, that type of play is limited. However, with a limited defensive game plan, they still played very well. At one point early in the second half, Seattle only had 7 total passing yards. They were able to consistently get to the quarterback, generating seven sacks. Malik Jackson had one with an unofficial assist from Shane Ray who forced Russell Wilson into Jackson. Jackson has a ton of potential in this new defense and he demonstrated just underrated he is in many national circles. Shaquil Barrett played like an absolute monster in this game. He had a sack and four tackles with an addition tackle for loss. He might have made the roster based on this game if he is able to play well in the remaining preseason games. Anuike was able to register a sack, hit the QB two more times and made 8 total tackles. He really boosted his prospects to make the final roster, especially since Wolfe is missing the first four games of the year. Speaking of Wolfe, he played well and I really wish he would be available for all 16 games because I believe he is going to be a much better player in the 3-4. Darius Kilgo registered a sack in the game as well as four other tackles and a TFL, which is nice to see from a rookie. He will likely make the roster with his good camp showing combined with his in game stuff. If he continues to improve he could become a part of the regular rotation at nose tackle.

I was hoping to see more from Todd Davis in this game. He had a good camp and showed promise in the action he saw last season. He only registered one tackle, but it did not look like he was exposed in the passing game, which is a good sign. Corey Nelson showed that he has the ability to be a good backup linebacker. He had a nice tackle for loss during the game and was around the ball on what seemed like every play. It does not look as if Lamin Barrow has improved much heading into his second season. He was not as impressive as the other linebackers in camp and he did not stand out during the game. I do think he will make the roster, but his future outside of a special teamer could be slipping away.

Chris Harris sat out this game and Aqib Talib only played for a little bit so Roby got plenty of action. He was not challenged much, but he did look good in coverage and I believe the Broncos have the best combination of three corners in the league. Curtis Marsh has bounced around the league since being drafted in 2011, but he played well and showed some promise. He played often due to Kayvon Webster missing the game. They will likely only keep five corners and with Harris, Talib, Roby and Webster all likely making the team, there is only one spot and Marsh put himself in a good spot after the game. Fifth-rounder Lorenzo Doss, played well and  being a mid-round pick could elevate him above Marsh when it comes time to make roster decisions. Darian Stewart is replacing Rahim Moore and he had a solid game against Seattle. That is all the Broncos really need him to do in order to have a really good defense. Ross Madison had a very productive game and now has a legitimate chance to make the final roster. He had two pass defensed to go along with three tackles. His ability to cover is important for his chances to make the team.

Normally I would also write about the special teams here, but that will be in a different article considering how awful the showing was.

Preseason Game One Review of the Offense

I know it is only preseason, but it is difficult to not be exited about the work that most of the players displayed last night. The offense played well overall and was consistently able to drive down the field. Brock was great and finally proved, at least to me, that he can be a good quarterback in the league. He made plenty of throws and was confident in the pocket, which is something he lacked when he saw action earlier in his career. I only saw one bad pass that he threw last night, which is a major improvement from previous preseasons. He put passes in the perfect spot to lead receivers away from hits, which is a skill he likely honed watching Manning. It also looks as if Trevor Siemian could pass Dysert on the depth chart, after his solid performance. He made some smart throws and looked much better than Dysert who came in flat and did not impress.
CJ Anderson only received three carries and had to come out of the game after injuring his ankle. The injury appeared to be minor, but there was little reason to put him back in the game. On the carry he got injured, Ty Sambrailo missed a key block and was the reason he was stuffed for about a four yard loss, which altered his stats. His first two carries were solid, but it was hard to get a feel for how good he will be this season because of the limited carries. Montee Ball had some good runs mixed in with some bad runs. He finished with 8 carries for 26 yards to go along with 1 reception for 7 yards. He looked like he will be effective in this offense as the one cut and go style fits him very well. Ronnie Hillman showed that last season was not just a fluke and ran with purpose for the entire game. He had 8 carries for 66 yards and was decisive in his running, something that plagued him early in his career. He also added one catch for 11 yards. He showed the coaching staff that he deserves more touches during the regular season. One comparison that I thought he has a chance to live up to is Tatum Bell in 2005. He can come in and spell Anderson, which will allow the coaching staff to get the most out of the run game like they did with Mike Anderson and Bell in 2005. Juwan Thompson failed to find much running room during his time in the game. He finished with 8 carries for 12 yards, but added a reception for 18 yards. Hopefully he is able to improve in the next couple of preseason games because he is now firmly the fourth running back on the depth chart after Hillman's performance Friday night. Jeremy Stewart only had 4 carries for 10 yards and added a catch for 8 yards. He needs to make a splash in the coming games in order to have a chance to make the roster. Kapri Bibbs did not run the ball in this game and it is looking more and more like he does not have much of a chance to make the team.
Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders did not play on Friday, which gave Cody Latimer plenty of reps to show why he was drafted in the second round last year. He did not disappoint as he pulled in 4 receptions for 49 yards. He also had a spectacular catch that did not count because of a false start penalty. He demonstrated that he can be an effective third receiver during the season. He showed a lot of growth from the past preseason, which should be expect heading into his second year. The receiver picture behind him just got murkier after this game. Andre Caldwell did not have a catch the entire game, but he would have likely made a big play where he beat his man down the field, but Brock slightly under-threw him.  Bennie Fowler played a good game and showed he can create separation in his routes. He finished with three receptions for 67 yards including a pretty long throw from Siemian. He could be a good candidate to make the roster depending on what he does in the following preseason games. Jordan Norwood also had three catches, but unlike Fowler, he was only able to amass 29 yards. He also muffed a punt in the game, which means he probably needs to perform a little better on the offensive side of the ball if he wants to make the team. I think he has plenty of talent to make the roster, but it will be interesting to see if the coaching staff and front office want to go with three inexperienced players behind Demaryius and Emmanuel. They probably wouldn't want to do that, which is why I think Caldwell makes the roster for another season.
Virgil Green was the only tight end to do much receiving game as he finished with 5 receptions for 45 yards to go along with a touchdown. Green looked like he will replace Julius nicely. Although he is not as talented in the receiving game as Julius, Friday's game revealed that he is still a good receiver in his own right and was able to get open numerous times during the game. He is also a better blocker than Thomas although he did have a couple of missed assignments early in the game. Owen Daniels did not play because he is familiar with the offense, but it will be interesting to see how it plays out when he is on the field at the same time as Green. Dominique Jones received some playing time and looked alright, but he did not do much to stand out to coaches or fans in my opinion.
The line was shaky to start the game when Brock was sacked on the second offensive play for the Broncos. However, they did seem to figure things out as the game progressed on. Ty Sambrailo had a rough game. He missed a handful of assignments and had a false start. Fans were probably hoping to see him play better considering the hype he received in camp. He has the skills necessary to play his position so hopefully his showing last night was not a sign of things to come. We did not hear Max Garcia's names too much and it looked like he was able to run block effectively as well as give Brock time in the pocket. Matt Paradis also looked like he played well, which is good for both Paradis and Garcia considering both of their jobs are still in open competition. Ryan Harris played solid at right tackle and I would be okay entering the season with him starting, which is a good thing considering Schofield did not do much to impress me. He still seems to be making the same mistakes and just might not be good enough to play tackle in the NFL. With Sambrailo starting on the other side, it would be better if the Broncos opted for a veteran presence on the right side. The second team line as a whole seemed to run block well and give some time to the QB, but that was also playing against Seattles backup defensive line.
As a whole, the offense played great even if they did settle for a lot of field goals. Brock gave us fans hope for when Manning decides to call it quits. The running game makes all of the backs better than they would be, which was demonstrated perfectly by Ronnie Hillman last night. Latimer took another step in his game and should get a lot more reps this season than he received during his rookie season. The offensive line looked like it could be serviceable in pass blocking, which was my biggest concern. Maybe Manning will play a drive or two in the second preseason game in order to show off the true ability of this offense.

Stock Watch Post-Preseason Game Number One

Stock Up

1. Brock Osweiler: Brock played the best he has ever played in the league so far. He looked composed under pressure and made plenty of throws. He finished 15-20 for 151 yards and a beautiful touchdown pass to Virgil Green. He definitely proved that there is a future after Manning. His touchdown throw to Virgil was in the perfect spot. I cant remember any bad looking passes besides maybe one or two. He made a very precise pass to Latimer in the second quarter when he put the ball behind him so Latimer could avoid a big hit. Brock has really never been able to play with a functioning line so it was great to see what he was able to do when he had time to throw. You could tell that he was focused on making quick reads because he was throwing nearly every pass when he got to the end of his drop. Seattle sat a lot of players on their starting defense, but Brock still demonstrated what he is able to do on the football field. 

2. Trevor Siemian: Zach Dysert came in and played in the beginning of the second half, but he played awful and likely lost his third string job to Trevor Siemian who made some good throws including a nice pass to Bennie Fowler. He finished with 90 yards on 5 of 6 passing. If Siemian keeps up this level of play, it could be tough for the Broncos to hide him on waivers. However, it is never a bad thing to have a backup with decent upside on the roster. 

3. Ronnie Hillman: Ronnie showed he can be a really good change of pace back this season. He found the holes really well and burst through them without hesitation. He showed the most out of any back that was on the field today. He could be good for 5 to 10 touches on game day. 

4. Cody Latimer: He finished with 4 catches for 49 yards and also had a spectacular catch that was called back due to a false start. He really showed that he made strides during the offseason and he will likely be a very effective third receiver during the regular season.

5.Virgil Green: He made a very good touchdown catch and played a big role in the rest of the receiving game. While he is not as talented as Julius Thomas, tonight showed that he will be a viable replacement. 

6. Bennie Fowler: Fowler made his case for a roster spot with a handful of catches that netted 67 yards. Caldwell did not show much today so maybe the coaching staff saw something today that could get him on the team. 

7. Shaquil Barrett was a beast today, he was all over the place and made a fantastic sack early in the game. He could have impressed coaches enough to get some more snaps even with McCray comes back. 

8. Shane Ray: He was phenomenal during this game. He forced a fumble and was very disruptive. He still made some minor mistakes, but he looks like he could be a franchise player for years to come. 

Stock Down

1. Zach Dysert: He had an awful showing today. He did not seem comfortable in any way in this offense and apparently he has struggled for a majority of camp. If he does not turn it around in the second preseason game, he could find himself firmly behind Siemian. 

2. Jordan Taylor: I thought he could have been a sleeper to make the team, but the biggest play he had all night was batting the ball out-of-bounds on an onside kick. 

3. Joe Jon Duncan: If he wants a chance to make the final roster, he needs to block much better than he did tonight. At best he is a practice squad player. 

I will have a full review of the game up tomorrow. 

Denver Broncos Pre-season Week One Preview: Defense & Special Teams

The starters on the defensive all around are no surprise. Wolfe, Williams and Jackson will be the starters on the line. I expect Wolfe to see more limited action considering he will miss the first four games. Vance Walker and Antonio Smith will be the players to watch to get a feel of how the first four games might go in Wolfe’s absence. Darius Kilgo and Sione Fua overtook Marvin Austin on the depth chart, which surprised many people, so it will be interesting to see if they will prove themselves to those fans on the field. Kenny Anuike is the sleeper player to watch on the line. He has a chance to make the roster due to Wolfe’s suspension, hopefully he should be able to crack into the 53 man roster. 

We know Von Miller and Demarcus Ware will again be prominent pass rushers in the new 3-4. What we don’t know is how Shane Ray will translate into the NFL. I love him as a player and think he will be very good, but there are no guarantees when it comes to the draft. He will get a lot of playing time considering Miller and Ware will see very little or none at all. He should be able to generate pressure, especially when he goes against backup linemen. Lerentee McCray is a player I love very much. I believe he can be effective as a pass rusher on the edge so the 3-4 will benefit his skill set. Shaquil Barrett is a long-shot to make the roster, and if McCray really stands out in the new defense, he could find himself out of a job. 

Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan are going to be starters on the inside. They both have potential to be all-pro’s if they can stay healthy. I am hesitant to say that we will see a lot of him in this first game considering they are both coming off of injuries, it would be awful if either went down in a meaningless game. I am exited about seeing Todd Davis play in some live action again. I believe he can be an excellent player, especially in spot duty when either Marshall or Trevathan come off the field. Steven Johnson is the other backup. I hope to see him or Lamin Barrow take a step forward this game. 

The defensive backfield is going to be very good this season. Chris Harris and Aqib Talib are both shut-down corners, they likely wont play more than a series. Bradley Roby proved he has the potential to be very good last season. If he can take a step forward, teams should be weary to throw too much against the Broncos. He should get a good amount of playing time in this game as the top corner. Kayvon Webster has the ability to play well at times, but needs to become more consistent in his third year. He should make the team has the dime corner. Tony Carter currently holds down the fifth spot, but there is definitely a chance he may not make the team. Curtis Marsh is listed after him, but I think Taurean Nixon and Lorenzo Doss have a chance to break into the roster if they show up and play well in this game. TJ Ward and Darian Stewart are the starters at safety. Ward will be amazing to watch in the regular season in Wade’s defense, but he does not have much to offer in the preseason considering that there wont be blitzing. It will be nice to see what Stewart has to offer. I thought Rahim Moore was solid player and if Stewart and replicate his play, this defense should be a lot better than last season. Omar Bolden and David Bruton are the backups. Both play significant roles on special teams. We should all know about Bruton’s contributions on that unit, but Bolden is now listed at both kick and punt returner. They could elect to keep another safety and if they do, Josh Bush should be the player to look out for.

Omar Bolden currently holds down the starting job at both punt and kick returner as of now. It is surprising that Jordan Norwood is sitting at fourth for both positions because he was on track to make the final roster last season mostly due to his work on special teams. It will be interesting to see if he gets some work on special teams during the game. Solomon Patton holds down the second spot and if he can separate himself and prove he is better than Bolden, then he has a good chance on making the final roster. I would like to see McManus get some work kicking field goals to see if he has improved. I have also heard Barth’s leg is a little stronger than it was last season on kickoffs. Hopefully this rings true and he is able to consistently put kickoffs in the end-zone. 

Denver Broncos Pre-season Week One Preview: Offense

The Broncos will take the field for the first time this season on Friday against the Seattle Seahawks. We can't expect coaching staff to show much of the new offense, but they will have to run some plays, which will give the fans a sense for what new offense will look like. They are playing Seattle, but I am not positive, which players Seattle will be playing, but if their stars do play, it will not be for more than a series. Demaryius Thomas and Peyton Manning are not playing for the Broncos, presumably because their is no reason for these two stars to get injured considering the money that has been invested in the two. 

Brock Osweiler will be able to get in some quality time with the starters with Manning sitting the game out. I believe he can have a successful career in this offense, but do not be disappointed if he has another rough showing when the starters leave and he is left with the backups to “block” for him. However, if he struggles with little pressure, then that can be cause to worry. I am glad he will have a chance to show what he can do with a competent line blocking for him. I believe he is better built for this offense than he was in the previous years. He has tons of arm talent and I'm exited to see what he can do on some play-action plays with Latimer going deep. 

The backfield is a little crowded right now, but after this game fans should have a good grasp on how effective it will be this season. CJ Anderson will run hard in the few carries he will like receive in the first game. Anderson showed just how much potential he has after his play last season. He will prove to people that is was not just a fluke. Montee Ball will hopefully show some promise in this game after a disappointing season in 2014. Hopefully he can show that last season was a result of injuries and not an omen of things to come this season. I think his best use on this team is playing a prominent backup role to Anderson. He is still a talented back, there is a reason he was a second round prospect. Hillman showed some positive results last season and has had a good training camp so far. I believe he can be effective back as the third back this season because he has separate skill set than both Anderson and Ball, but he needs to shine during this game in order to convince Kubiak to give him more touches. Anderson, Ball, Hillman and Thompson are the favorites to make the roster, but if either Kapri Bibbs or Jeremy Stewart shine during the game, Hillman would likely be cut considering Thompson has the potential to play fullback.

There are many spots in open competition on the offensive line. Max Garcia makes the start at left guard. He overtook Ben Garland in training camp, but he still needs to prove himself in game situations. Another surprise when the first official depth chart dropped was that Matt Paradis took over the starting center. Gino Gradkowski had the job heading into training camp and it was not assumed he would keep the job easily. Paradis was a practice squad player so hopefully his ascension proves to be because of actual improvement and not an indictment on Gradkowski. However, it likely says something about both of them. Ryan Harris will be starting at right tackle. He has the ability to be a solid player in the new scheme. Schofield will be his backup. I was hoping he would take a big step this season and be able to start on this line. Hopefully he will show something on the field that he was not able to demonstrate in training camp.

Jordan Taylor is one player I am keeping my eye on throughout the game. He has had a good camp and if he continues his success into Friday, he could find his way onto the 53 man roster. Emmanuel Sanders likely wont play more than a series, but it will be nice to see how he works with Brock. Cody Latimer will likely get a good chunk of playing time. He has a ton of talent and hopefully offseason work has improved his on field ability. I’m exited to see him get some time with the starters even though Manning wont be throwing to him. I believe he will make that step and he will show it this game. Caldwell is a big question on the Broncos too. He has been on the roster for while now, but he has not been productive for about two years. I think he needs to be released this season if the Broncos keep five receivers. He does not provide much to the team in terms of production and on the mentor side Demaryius and Emmanuel can handle that. Jordan Norwood, Nathan Palmer and Jordan Taylor all have a chance of overtaking him on the depth chart. I would like to see if Palmer makes his name on offense since he seems to be losing the returning battle.