No blockbuster deals..........

[Broncos86]

yeah it would be nice to have our speedy linebackers be able to drop into coverage instead of blitzing them every play

[fisherman2$]

Passrusher

What was missing last year and seems so far this year is getting to the QB. If your front four can do this it leaves your speedy linebackers to cover the backs out of the backfield and to drop into coverage. If you can get the QB to release before he or the receiver is ready you can have more inconpletions and maybe interceptions. If the QB can set up and wait for the play to develope, no DB's can cover forever (as in the Steelers on 3rd down last year.) Last year we had to blitze too often which is a gamble. It all starts with getting to the QB, not just pressures but knocking him on his butt.

[JkThSnake #16]

we dont need any blockbuster deals.... i think the key to sucess is keepin a good chemistry between players and coachs which is what we have

You are right good teams build threw the draft. and we will this year i hope we take lawson and marney in the 1rst and the take a TE in the 2nd . well be fine every year people complain every year we make the playoffs

[Broncos86]

we dont need any blockbuster deals.... i think the key to sucess is keepin a good chemistry between players and coachs which is what we have

[Archimedes Owl]

I agree with much of this, but I see 10-6 or 11-5 as more likely than 9-7. Still, the Jets fans were pretty optomistic at this time last year after their playoff win, and look what happened to them (Pennington's injury, their team falling apart, the #4 pick in the draft)!

I thought 11-5 maybe 12-4 was the possible range for the Broncos last year and they exceeded that by a couple of games. Some of it was luck. (Ian Gold sticks out his hand accidentally deflecting a TD pass and the Broncos beat the Redskins, etc.). Some of it was a favorable schedule (playing teams at home rather than on the road) and some was that the Eagles and Patriots whom the Broncos played weren't as good last year as they were in 2004.

Then Jake Plummer managed to stay healthy all season once again. That can't continue forever. QBs eventually get hurt. That's life in the NFL. I would expect Plummer to miss at least a couple of games this year. If it's more than 2 games the Broncos won't make the playoffs. Then 9-7 or 8-8 would be a fair prediction.

You can't expect the same amazing luck (ex: drafting Darrent Williams as a PR/KR and having him unexpectedly turn out to be your starting CB) all year.

The Broncos are going to have to pick some GREAT draft picks and everybody on the team is going to step up if this team is to duplicate the success of last year.

Most likely they will be worse, not better.

TE, DE, a backup QB (Gus Ferrotte doesn't count) and some depth on the OL are the chief needs. Especially DL.

For every Ian Gold deflection at the end of the game, there was a blind Eli touchdown throw.

Denver was not lucky to go 13-3.

Two of three of Denver's losses could have gone either way, so I wouldn't say that Denver was lucky to go 13-3 against their schedule.

It is true that Denver's schedule turned out to be much easier than it first appeared. I mean, the AFC East and Baltimore pretty much fell apart, but the NFC East turned out to be much better than anticipated.

The Broncos did play the Patriots at a good time to make defeating them a bit easier, but the Eagles were a pretty good team when Denver played them.

I mean, after all, they had played the Chargers the week before and had held them to only seven yards rushing. And they still had McNabb, T.O. and Dawkins. They were a good team and will again be a good team next year.

[UltimateSoldier]

What do you mean by that???????

I know it sounded a little scarcastic, but I wasn't.

[Cugel]

Problem is Pittsburgh is pretty much the same group of guys too. Bengals will be hot again, Dolphins could tear things up too. Personally, I could really see the Steelers going back to back before I see the Broncos in the SB. I think 9-7 sounds about right, at the moment, for the Broncos. That being said, I still need to see what they do in the draft and free agency before I make my final decision on the Broncos 2006-07 record. Rod Smith is getting old, Lelie has proven his inconsistency, huge question mark at running back and tight end, and a defensive line that could just be worse than last season. Trying to stay optomistic, but it's hard when I look at this team, right now.

I agree with much of this, but I see 10-6 or 11-5 as more likely than 9-7. Still, the Jets fans were pretty optomistic at this time last year after their playoff win, and look what happened to them (Pennington's injury, their team falling apart, the #4 pick in the draft)!

I thought 11-5 maybe 12-4 was the possible range for the Broncos last year and they exceeded that by a couple of games. Some of it was luck. (Ian Gold sticks out his hand accidentally deflecting a TD pass and the Broncos beat the Redskins, etc.). Some of it was a favorable schedule (playing teams at home rather than on the road) and some was that the Eagles and Patriots whom the Broncos played weren't as good last year as they were in 2004.

Then Jake Plummer managed to stay healthy all season once again. That can't continue forever. QBs eventually get hurt. That's life in the NFL. I would expect Plummer to miss at least a couple of games this year. If it's more than 2 games the Broncos won't make the playoffs. Then 9-7 or 8-8 would be a fair prediction.

You can't expect the same amazing luck (ex: drafting Darrent Williams as a PR/KR and having him unexpectedly turn out to be your starting CB) all year.

The Broncos are going to have to pick some GREAT draft picks and everybody on the team is going to step up if this team is to duplicate the success of last year.

Most likely they will be worse, not better.

TE, DE, a backup QB (Gus Ferrotte doesn't count) and some depth on the OL are the chief needs. Especially DL.

[mopatt24]

Hey I'm as excited as the next guy to see if our TE coach can catch lightning in a bottle twice and turn Duke into a stud. But when exactly did he prove he can block in the NFL? I think he played 20 plays all season. He's learning to block in the NFLE and hopefully will learn to run some routes as well. All we know for sure is he can outjump the short DBs on the fade route. Neal and Myers are not studs. If we really want a good d-line we need BOTH a stud DT and a passrushing DE.

Duke was in blocking the last 4 or 5 games of the season. I seem him in there blocking alot in those games and he's pretty dam good at it. I'm not saying that Myers and Veal are studs, but they held there own pretty dam good. I say more of a passrushing DE is needed on the line.

[DiehardinAlaska]

Do you mean shot-blocker?

The only thing I see thats needed on Defense is a speedy DE. Warren, Myers, And Veal can rotate that DT spot pretty good. Although it wouldnt hurt to add another set of fresh legs in there though. Our need is on the offense, there's a huge question mark at RB, WR, and TE. Wesley Duke, I think will be fine. He's already a proven blocker and from what we've seen so far, he can go up for a catch. My worry about him is that knee. He tore his ACL what, 2 or 3 times already? Thats kinda scary. I would like to see us go after a RB and a DE in the first round ( Maroney and Wimbley ) and I am praying that we at least make an offer for Javon Walker. Any thoughts?

Hey I'm as excited as the next guy to see if our TE coach can catch lightning in a bottle twice and turn Duke into a stud. But when exactly did he prove he can block in the NFL? I think he played 20 plays all season. He's learning to block in the NFLE and hopefully will learn to run some routes as well. All we know for sure is he can outjump the short DBs on the fade route. Neal and Myers are not studs. If we really want a good d-line we need BOTH a stud DT and a passrushing DE.

[mopatt24]

The only thing I see thats needed on Defense is a speedy DE. Warren, Myers, And Veal can rotate that DT spot pretty good. Although it wouldnt hurt to add another set of fresh legs in there though. Our need is on the offense, there's a huge question mark at RB, WR, and TE. Wesley Duke, I think will be fine. He's already a proven blocker and from what we've seen so far, he can go up for a catch. My worry about him is that knee. He tore his ACL what, 2 or 3 times already? Thats kinda scary. I would like to see us go after a RB and a DE in the first round ( Maroney and Wimbley ) and I am praying that we at least make an offer for Javon Walker. Any thoughts?

[broncos4ever]

Problem is Pittsburgh is pretty much the same group of guys too. Bengals will be hot again, Dolphins could tear things up too. Personally, I could really see the Steelers going back to back before I see the Broncos in the SB. I think 9-7 sounds about right, at the moment, for the Broncos. That being said, I still need to see what they do in the draft and free agency before I make my final decision on the Broncos 2006-07 record. Rod Smith is getting old, Lelie has proven his inconsistency, huge question mark at running back and tight end, and a defensive line that could just be worse than last season. Trying to stay optomistic, but it's hard when I look at this team, right now.

I agree with some of this... I think Pittsburgh will be tough. Dolphins will need to have everyone mesh together before they get really good. Which Culpepper will show up??? Bengals, I still don't believe in at this time. So I would say 10-5 but lean more toward 11-4.

What I am not sure about is why you would say a worse DL? The Browncos will have another year of experience, we still have the draft and the rest of free agency, but even staying put where we are we really don't have a super issue there if we keep the same defensive scheme of pressuring the quarterback and keeping our main Defensive Players healthy...

[Shaolin]

Leave to the Shaolin Monk to the voice of reason. Thank you.

What do you mean by that???????

[UltimateSoldier]

Our only real need this year is at DE, cause we lost pryce, at rb, te and wr, it is good if we add some depth, but it is not extremely needed, we will rock this year again...

Leave to the Shaolin Monk to the voice of reason. Thank you.

[evolaerok]

I know one thing, our division may have gotten a little worse. Two of our foes are going to have a QB with little to no experience. KC will still have the dangerous running game, but Green and the WR's are getting old, not to mention their weak secondary might have gotten weaker.

[Shaolin]

Who do we have to play next to Warren? We have Brown, Lang an unproven guy in Cory Jackson(I think he'll be good) at end. If we make our DT our strongest possition on the line it will make other teams run towards the sidlines which our LB's will dominate. If we get another stud at DT I bet we have the best run defense in the league this year

I'm still to see what lang and jackson can do, though jackson has the size that i like....lol