Could the '05 Broncos D be our greatest ever...?

[JRWIZ]

Probably not, but they have a lot of potential.

If all the players bring their best game the number of #1 draft choices we have on this squad, could bring a great year and if we stay healthy.

The ST needs to give them better field position than last year. A big punt return cost us the JAX game only had to cover 38 yards for the TD. Only time all day they got past our 40 yards line the defense was superb that day.

Browncos need to live up to their draft hype. price needs to play like he did before he got the big contract.

DJ needs to adjust to a position he has never played. Gold needs to be a better player he was before he left DEN. I have never thought him to be that great. He made a lot of plays because he was trailing the play, with his speed. Wilson should be his usual self.

We need to have ONE safety that can ball hawk and play deep coverage my guess BROWNER here. He is a good to great CB without CB speed. John will play the run well and create doubt in the minds of those WR and TE that dare to come into Lynch country.

I'm not at all worried about Champ and his coverage skills. Will he get beat from time to time. Name one CB that has not, it is not about him. His lack of concentration it is about him ALWAYS playing the other teams best WR or TE. The odds are small, but with a great route and a perfect pass NO CB can shut down a GREAT WR all the time. Add to that bad weather and the offense has a slight edge. Walls needs to play at the level he did in 2003.

Alot of things need to fall into place for this team to be the best ever. But they have the potential, to best just that.

[Ravage!!!]

The best EVER?? wow. Thats a tall order.

I think our defense was majorly over-rated last season. I think our weak schedule helped out the "ranking" by a ton. So do I think that we can make up for the lack last year, and thus improve to be the best Bronco Defense ever?? No.

[topscribe]

Well . . .

To come up to the juggernauts of the 1977 and 1978 teams and the teams of the mid-1980s is a tall order indeed. And we must not forget that defense of 1998, which seems rarely mentioned. However, I do believe the Broncos are forming a defense that very much has the potential to attain and maybe even exceed those teams.

We do have some question marks, of course, the most notable and discussed being the defensive line. As Trevor Pryce remarked, it has the most talent of memory. The ensemble of Courtney Brown, Luther Elliss, Gerard Warren, Ebenezer Ekuban, and, of course, Pryce gives us five former first-round draft choices to begin, and it is consensus the talent is still there. Add to that Mario Fatafehi, Michael Myers, the suddenly promising Aaron Hunt, and newly acquired, speedy John Engelberger. As Pryce also mentioned, all this talent must gel and play like they want it. (This was also implied here in another post by Jrhampton.) If they do, however, this line has possibilities few in the NFL have had, let alone the Broncos.

As Lvbronx adeptly pointed out, the linebackers are not necessarily the best we've had. I'm not sure anyone has had a better corps than the group composed of Randy Gradishar, Joe Rizzo, Bob Swenson, and Tom Jackson. The Meckenburg-led group of 1986 and surrounding years were no slouches, either. However, as noted by BBJ, the talent of the present group runs deep. The trio of Wilson, Gold, and D.J. Williams are so good that players who would be starters for many other teams, Terry Pierce and Jashon Sykes, are riding the bench. Chukwurah may be developing into a good enough linebacker to be one of those starters, too. Then we have a very fast Markus Steele sitting there, who has yet to find the opportunity to show what he can really do. Top to bottom, this has got to be one of the deepest linebacking corps ever.

At starting positions at cornerback, we are in excellent shape. It was pointed out that Champ Bailey had a down year in 2004. But I contend his only problems comprised a lack of pass rush. He is still the best CB in football. We also have a very capable Lenny Walls, who was our #1 until Bailey's arrival, at the other position. Beyond them is where we run into our real question marks. Who will be our nickel? Or dime? We certainly have the talent, especially in Foxworth. And we must not count out Roc Alexander . . . . the likes of Champ Bailey hasn't. Then, of course, we have talented and fast, but raw, Paymah and Darrent Williams. One thing for sure: That group will do nothing to hurt the team's overall speed. It is only at this position that I was sorry to see someone go, namely Herndon. He was not the greatest CB, but he took a great deal of experience with him.

At safety, we have our present-day Atwater in John Lynch, and we have unloaded the Atwater-pretender in Kennedy. Putting the relatively speedy, ball-hawking Ferguson in there was a sudden upgrade. Coming up fast on the inside are Brandon Browner and Jeremy LeSueur, who have the speed, size, and physicality to be a very good safeties if they can develop the field awareness.

One of the biggest differences in our defense will be the improvement of our special teams. The additions of Sauerbrun, D. Williams, Keith Burns, the three new cornerbacks with all their speed, and Gold hopefully will present the team with field position they have not enjoyed in recent years. An improvement in possession time, largely the responsibility of the offense, which has apparently improved, will also help.

The Broncos have all the ingredients to form the greatest Bronco defense, and perhaps one of the great NFL defenses, of all time. Whether they can put it all together remains to be seen.

IMHO.

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[theshiverman]

I know that it's a pretty tall order, but I think that they can...

At least talent-wise...

IMO, we have more talent on Defense than dare-I-say ever...

I think that the weakest link in our Defense is John Lynch...Assuming that Nick Ferguson starts at the other Safety, I expect him to "lay the wood" like Kenoy did and run with a receiver downfield, like Kenoy didn't...
Our Linebackers are solid...any one of Wilson, Williams or Gold could lead this team in tackles, or make the Pro-Bowl...Sykes and Chukwurah are formidable reserves...
Champ Bailey is Champ Bailey...I feel that he had a sub-par season last season and having spent a year on our Defense will benefit from at the very least, knowing the personel...He played opposite Lenny last year for a couple of games...and having a guy like Ferguson back there who is interested in making plays on the ball more-so than hunting heads ala Kenoy Kennedy should benefit Champ...Oh, yeah...and I expect us to have a pass-rush as well...
We are loaded with Rookies and Roc Alexander for depth...I wouldn't be surprised to see us pick up a journeyman CB either...
On the line we have two potential starters in their contract years...(C.Brown, G. Warren)..Pryce is the catalyst here, IMO...IF Trevor can play to 80% of his potential, this line will wreak havoc on opposing Offenses...Just as the enigma that is our Defensive Line is perplexing to us, it is a scouting nightmare for Offensive game-planning...

Dont forget we got that Moss stopper Lenny Walls, Moss is shaking in his sneakers as we speak...lol

[GuitarJ]

Excellent post Top

[Johnny Law Man]

Let's not forget that the rules were enforced differently back in '77/'78...

Now, the NFL has made sure that scoring is through the roof...

[duaneok66]

I know that it's a pretty tall order, but I think that they can...

At least talent-wise...

IMO, we have more talent on Defense than dare-I-say ever...

I think that the weakest link in our Defense is John Lynch...Assuming that Nick Ferguson starts at the other Safety, I expect him to "lay the wood" like Kenoy did and run with a receiver downfield, like Kenoy didn't...
Our Linebackers are solid...any one of Wilson, Williams or Gold could lead this team in tackles, or make the Pro-Bowl...Sykes and Chukwurah are formidable reserves...
Champ Bailey is Champ Bailey...I feel that he had a sub-par season last season and having spent a year on our Defense will benefit from at the very least, knowing the personel...He played opposite Lenny last year for a couple of games...and having a guy like Ferguson back there who is interested in making plays on the ball more-so than hunting heads ala Kenoy Kennedy should benefit Champ...Oh, yeah...and I expect us to have a pass-rush as well...
We are loaded with Rookies and Roc Alexander for depth...I wouldn't be surprised to see us pick up a journeyman CB either...
On the line we have two potential starters in their contract years...(C.Brown, G. Warren)..Pryce is the catalyst here, IMO...IF Trevor can play to 80% of his potential, this line will wreak havoc on opposing Offenses...Just as the enigma that is our Defensive Line is perplexing to us, it is a scouting nightmare for Offensive game-planning...

come on . . .

the Broncos have a very good defense, but there are too many question marks up front and in the secondary to even bring this topic up for discussion . . .

[Fins4Life]

Big Bad John are you out of your mind? The Unicorns have a great linebacking corp. Thats it!!! Oh yeah and one top 3 cornerback. You guys should really be worried about your D LINE Yes D LINE. Catch a clue all the Turds on the Browns line are now Unicorns. Was it you Big Bad John that got offended by my sig???????????????LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL I really hope it was U that complained

Best D of all time... That has to be a JOKE!!!

[topscribe]

Big Bad John are you out of your mind? The Unicorns have a great linebacking corp. Thats it!!! Oh yeah and one top 3 cornerback. You guys should really be worried about your D LINE Yes D LINE. Catch a clue all the Turds on the Browns line are now Unicorns. Was it you Big Bad John that got offended by my sig???????????????LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL I really hope it was U that complained

Best D of all time... That has to be a JOKE!!!

I hope you are not representative of the intelligence of the average Dolphin fan . . .



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[Amigo_Bronco]

One step at the time!

Dont forget we got that Moss stopper Lenny Walls, Moss is shaking in his sneakers as we speak...lol

At this point, I would be happy with having a defense better than last year. And that's likely.

DL: At this point, the team keeps mostly the same roster excepting Hayward and Johnson. I guess expecting at least the same level (which by the way, wasn't that high) is not unattainable.

LBs: Spragan is gone, Gold and Burns are back... looks like an improvement.

Safeties: I share the optimism and also hope an improvement. Kennedy is gone, but Browner and LeSeur are in. The problem is, even with Kennedy's limitations, at this point of their careers, he's a more solid player than the "rookies", but at some point you have to take risks. Now, I'm trying to remove my "homer" glasses and post a question: it has been said that Ferguson's type of game will benefit the secondary... well, one question: if that's the case, why Ferguson was in the bench and Kennedy playing? Things could work out fine, but this point raises some concerns.

CBs: Middlebrooks and Herndon are gone, the rookies are in. Of course, the greatest players in history were rookies one time, and rookies having great seasons isn't something unheard of, but lack of experience is a weakness.

And to state the obvious, the defense is a unit, and the play of one part of the defense is highly influenced by the others. The case that comes to my mind is Randall Gay, from the Patriots; he was an undrafted free agent and ended the season as a starter. I don't think that his talent is much higher than Roc Alexander's or the rookies just drafted, I think that the play of the whole defensive unit of the Patriots helped him.

[JRWIZ]

To come up to the juggernauts of the 1977 and 1978 teams and the teams of the mid-1980s is a tall order indeed. And we must not forget that defense of 1998, which seems rarely mentioned. However, I do believe the Broncos are forming a defense that very much has the potential to attain and maybe even exceed those teams.

We do have some question marks, of course, the most notable and discussed being the defensive line. As Trevor Pryce remarked, it has the most talent of memory. The ensemble of Courtney Brown, Luther Elliss, Gerard Warren, Ebenezer Ekuban, and, of course, Pryce gives us five former first-round draft choices to begin, and it is consensus the talent is still there. Add to that Mario Fatafehi, Michael Myers, the suddenly promising Aaron Hunt, and newly acquired, speedy John Engelberger. As Pryce also mentioned, all this talent must gel and play like they want it. (This was also implied here in another post by Jrhampton.) If they do, however, this line has possibilities few in the NFL have had, let alone the Broncos.

As Lvbronx adeptly pointed out, the linebackers are not necessarily the best we've had. I'm not sure anyone has had a better corps than the group composed of Randy Gradishar, Joe Rizzo, Bob Swenson, and Tom Jackson. The Meckenburg-led group of 1986 and surrounding years were no slouches, either. However, as noted by BBJ, the talent of the present group runs deep. The trio of Wilson, Gold, and D.J. Williams are so good that players who would be starters for many other teams, Terry Pierce and Jashon Sykes, are riding the bench. Chukwurah may be developing into a good enough linebacker to be one of those starters, too. Then we have a very fast Markus Steele sitting there, who has yet to find the opportunity to show what he can really do. Top to bottom, this has got to be one of the deepest linebacking corps ever.

At starting positions at cornerback, we are in excellent shape. It was pointed out that Champ Bailey had a down year in 2004. But I contend his only problems comprised a lack of pass rush. He is still the best CB in football. We also have a very capable Lenny Walls, who was our #1 until Bailey's arrival, at the other position. Beyond them is where we run into our real question marks. Who will be our nickel? Or dime? We certainly have the talent, especially in Foxworth. And we must not count out Roc Alexander . . . . the likes of Champ Bailey hasn't. Then, of course, we have talented and fast, but raw, Paymah and Darrent Williams. One thing for sure: That group will do nothing to hurt the team's overall speed. It is only at this position that I was sorry to see someone go, namely Herndon. He was not the greatest CB, but he took a great deal of experience with him.

At safety, we have our present-day Atwater in John Lynch, and we have unloaded the Atwater-pretender in Kennedy. Putting the relatively speedy, ball-hawking Ferguson in there was a sudden upgrade. Coming up fast on the inside are Brandon Browner and Jeremy LeSueur, who have the speed, size, and physicality to be a very good safeties if they can develop the field awareness.

One of the biggest differences in our defense will be the improvement of our special teams. The additions of Sauerbrun, D. Williams, Keith Burns, the three new cornerbacks with all their speed, and Gold hopefully will present the team with field position they have not enjoyed in recent years. An improvement in possession time, largely the responsibility of the offense, which has apparently improved, will also help.

The Broncos have all the ingredients to form the greatest Bronco defense, and perhaps one of the great NFL defenses, of all time. Whether they can put it all together remains to be seen.

IMHO.

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Very well put as usual.

I for got to add to my list of things that need to happen is a good scheme to be in place. I still think teh special teams caused alot of problems last year and although they have made MAJOR aquistions in this area, I have not seen an upgrade in the coaching area here. So spending the money of players may be for naught.

Last year lots of folks were calling for Coyers scalp, as I truly believe that they thought it was scheme and not players that did not perform.

This year we should be able to see if it was Coyer or players that did not work in certain games.

As Ravage pointed out the schedule was weak last year but personally that sounds like he is making an excuse, for their #4-6 ranking last year.

[Skywalker]

To come up to the juggernauts of the 1977 and 1978 teams and the teams of the mid-1980s is a tall order indeed. And we must not forget that defense of 1998, which seems rarely mentioned. However, I do believe the Broncos are forming a defense that very much has the potential to attain and maybe even exceed those teams.

We do have some question marks, of course, the most notable and discussed being the defensive line. As Trevor Pryce remarked, it has the most talent of memory. The ensemble of Courtney Brown, Luther Elliss, Gerard Warren, Ebenezer Ekuban, and, of course, Pryce gives us five former first-round draft choices to begin, and it is consensus the talent is still there. Add to that Mario Fatafehi, Michael Myers, the suddenly promising Aaron Hunt, and newly acquired, speedy John Engelberger. As Pryce also mentioned, all this talent must gel and play like they want it. (This was also implied here in another post by Jrhampton.) If they do, however, this line has possibilities few in the NFL have had, let alone the Broncos.

As Lvbronx adeptly pointed out, the linebackers are not necessarily the best we've had. I'm not sure anyone has had a better corps than the group composed of Randy Gradishar, Joe Rizzo, Bob Swenson, and Tom Jackson. The Meckenburg-led group of 1986 and surrounding years were no slouches, either. However, as noted by BBJ, the talent of the present group runs deep. The trio of Wilson, Gold, and D.J. Williams are so good that players who would be starters for many other teams, Terry Pierce and Jashon Sykes, are riding the bench. Chukwurah may be developing into a good enough linebacker to be one of those starters, too. Then we have a very fast Markus Steele sitting there, who has yet to find the opportunity to show what he can really do. Top to bottom, this has got to be one of the deepest linebacking corps ever.

At starting positions at cornerback, we are in excellent shape. It was pointed out that Champ Bailey had a down year in 2004. But I contend his only problems comprised a lack of pass rush. He is still the best CB in football. We also have a very capable Lenny Walls, who was our #1 until Bailey's arrival, at the other position. Beyond them is where we run into our real question marks. Who will be our nickel? Or dime? We certainly have the talent, especially in Foxworth. And we must not count out Roc Alexander . . . . the likes of Champ Bailey hasn't. Then, of course, we have talented and fast, but raw, Paymah and Darrent Williams. One thing for sure: That group will do nothing to hurt the team's overall speed. It is only at this position that I was sorry to see someone go, namely Herndon. He was not the greatest CB, but he took a great deal of experience with him.

At safety, we have our present-day Atwater in John Lynch, and we have unloaded the Atwater-pretender in Kennedy. Putting the relatively speedy, ball-hawking Ferguson in there was a sudden upgrade. Coming up fast on the inside are Brandon Browner and Jeremy LeSueur, who have the speed, size, and physicality to be a very good safeties if they can develop the field awareness.

One of the biggest differences in our defense will be the improvement of our special teams. The additions of Sauerbrun, D. Williams, Keith Burns, the three new cornerbacks with all their speed, and Gold hopefully will present the team with field position they have not enjoyed in recent years. An improvement in possession time, largely the responsibility of the offense, which has apparently improved, will also help.

The Broncos have all the ingredients to form the greatest Bronco defense, and perhaps one of the great NFL defenses, of all time. Whether they can put it all together remains to be seen.

IMHO.

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awsome post top.......





it deserves a CP

[Fins4Life]

Topscribe what did I say that wasnt true????LOLOLOLOL


Twas it you Topscribe that didnt like my sig????

[Skywalker]

Topscribe what did I say that wasnt true????LOLOLOLOL


Twas it you Topscribe that didnt like my sig????

I didnt like your sig. it mad me want to puke




but I didnt complain about it.

[topscribe]

Topscribe what did I say that wasnt true????LOLOLOLOL


Twas it you Topscribe that didnt like my sig????

I don't ordinarily see the sigs because I have that feature shut off.

And what's this: "LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL"?
Looks something like machine code.

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