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roomemp
08-27-2008, 01:25 PM
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/preview08/team?team=den

I was laughing the whole time I read this. See how many mistakes they made. I hate the way the media treats the Broncos. They are so clueless.

underrated29
08-27-2008, 01:27 PM
can you post please. I can't make the jump to read it.

roomemp
08-27-2008, 01:30 PM
Jeffri
Chadiha
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 2 Head coach Mike Shanahan cleaned house after the first losing season in his Broncos tenure. The problem is that this team is still filled with far too many questions -- especially on defense -- to see them rising back above the .500 mark this year.
John
Clayton
ESPN.com DIVISION FINISH: 3 The Broncos are the Bengals of the AFC West: a team with a great QB and a shaky defense. Jay Cutler is the real deal, but the Broncos' defense has holes.
Tim
Graham
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 2 Mike Shanahan is on the hot seat, coming off his first losing season. They could ride a forgiving schedule to a wild-card berth.
Jeremy
Green
Scouts Inc.
DIVISION FINISH: 3 The Broncos have issues and inexperience along the offensive line, question marks at RB, and star WR Brandon Marshall has been suspended for what could amount to the first three games. Simply put, the Broncos have a lack of playmakers right now on both sides of the football.
Paul
Kuharsky
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 3 Jay Cutler makes some strides. But they didn't add enough and are counting on too many unproven pieces simultaneously.
Matt
Mosley
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 2 Despite receiving an offseason diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes, Jay Cutler is poised to have a breakthrough season. I think he's ready to put it all together, and Brandon Marshall gives him a constant downfield threat. The key will be the defense, though.
Mike
Sando
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 2 Jay Cutler looks like he'll challenge for the Pro Bowl sooner rather than later. He'll need a better defense at his back to challenge for more meaningful postseason honors.
Kevin
Seifert
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 2 Coach Mike Shanahan is hoping to get a more even performance from quarterback Jay Cutler. But the Broncos don't have enough juice to compete for a title.
James
Walker
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 3 The free-fall in Denver continues. Having its best offensive player, WR Brandon Marshall, sidelined because of a three-game suspension at the start of the season will hurt. And by the time Marshall returns, the Broncos will be playing catch-up.
Seth
Wickersham
ESPN The Magazine
DIVISION FINISH: 2 Musts for 2008: Creating a good pocket on offense and crumbling them on defense. The O-line, with LT Ryan Clady and a healthy C Tom Nalen, looks good. The D-line, not so much.
Bill
Williamson
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 3 Although Denver has some nice pieces in place, there are too many questions to believe the Broncos will end a two-year playoff drought.
Matt
Williamson
Scouts Inc.
DIVISION FINISH: 2 Because of the schedule they face, Denver could back into the playoffs, where they'd be one and done. Jay Cutler is coming of age and will make everyone around him better, but Brandon Marshall's suspension cripples this offense early on, and the defense and special teams are not strong enough to carry Denver.
Pat
Yasinskas
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 2 Jay Cutler's ready for a breakout year and Mike Shanahan's ready to redeem his reputation. There's a good opportunity for a wild card in this division and the Broncos should have a shot.

CONSENSUS DIVISION FINISH: 2 | NFL standings

BEST OF THE BRONCOS
Best arm: Quarterback Jay Cutler. He has a cannon arm. The third-year player has major zip on his passes and could be poised for a breakout year.


Best brothers: Champ and Boss Bailey. Champ is entering his fifth season in Denver and is an elite cornerback. Boss just came over from Detroit as a free agent and is the team's strongside linebacker.

Best talent: Receiver Brandon Marshall. Yes, he has had his share of off-field issues, but Marshall is a brilliant player. He is a beast with the ball in his hands at 6 feet 5, 230 pounds.

Best rookie: First-round pick Ryan Clady steps in as the left tackle. The Broncos believe they have a superstar on their hands with the Boise State product.

Best unit: The running backs. Selvin Young, Ryan Torain, Michael Pittman and Andre Hall all will have a role in Denver's offense. Each player brings something different to make a formidable group.


-- Bill Williamson, ESPN.com
SCOUTS INC.'S FAB FIVE
Scouts Inc. has evaluated and graded more than 2,400 NFL players heading into the 2008 season, giving Insiders a leg up on the competition with exclusive grades, alerts and scouting reports.
Top five players
ANALYSIS
1. Champ Bailey
Cornerback
6-0 | 192 (Grade 94) He is a rare breed who is not only a shutdown corner, but also has the ability and temperament to come up and force the run. He knows how to read routes and does a good job of reading the quarterback's eyes.
2. Brandon Marshall
Wide receiver
6-4 | 230 (85) He is a big target who is learning how to use his size to his advantage by screening defenders from the ball and going up to highpoint the ball in a crowd. He is a long strider who eats up lots of ground.
3. D.J. Williams
Linebacker
6-1 | 242 (75) He has the quickness, agility and acceleration to make plays in the hole or to bounce it outside to make the play off pursuit on the sideline. He is on the verge of becoming an elite linebacker.
4. Jay Cutler
Quarterback
6-3 | 233 (75) When he is focused and things are going well, he can be dominating with his arm strength and ability to throw through small windows. He is a decent athlete with adequate scrambling skills.
5. Elvis Dumervil
Defensive line
5-11 | 260 (73) He has shown flashes of rare pass-rushing skills. He is explosive off the ball and has the upfield speed and acceleration to consistently pressure the pocket coming off the edge.
Player grading scale: Elite (90-100), outstanding (80-89), solid starter (75-79), good starter (70-74)

SCOUTS INC.'S ANALYSIS
Best play option
QB Jay Cutler can make all the throws. Here's how the Broncos help him make the right decision and move the ball downfield.
More best plays

Strengths

Champ Bailey: He didn't dominate to his usually ridiculous level last season, but he remains an elite corner who has the rare ability to lock down an offense's top wideout and allow the rest of the Broncos' defense to gain a favorable numbers advantage in coverage. The Broncos would be wise to eliminate much of the suspense, walk Bailey up on the No.1 receiver and let the other 10 defenders worry about the rest. Few teams have such a luxury.


Jay Cutler: He made strides you would expect from a developing franchise QB in his second season, despite battling a diabetic condition that greatly diminished the amount of weight he was able to keep on. He still makes too many poor decisions, and with his gunslinger mentality, he probably always will. But he also has the arm and mobility to do things that few QBs can pull off.

Brandon Marshall: Just as Cutler is developing very well, Marshall is on the verge of asserting himself as one of the top wide receivers in the league. His physical skills are phenomenal and he demands the football. Marshall is only getting better, but he has character concerns. He is suspended for at least the first two games, possibly three, of the season by the NFL for off-field issues.

Weaknesses

Secondary receivers: Without Marshall on the field, Denver has no one who threatens defenses consistently. The Broncos took a quantity-over-quality approach to acquiring wideouts this past offseason. However, this group doesn't inspire confidence at this point. TE Tony Scheffler is a wild card who could develop along the same lines as Cutler and Marshall, but he has injury concerns.


Specialists: PK Jason Elam is now in Atlanta, and Matt Prater is in line to replace him. Elam was someone coach Mike Shanahan could count on when the chips were down, and while Prater might surprise, a drop-off in production from the place kicker must be expected. Making matters worse, Denver will be breaking in a new punter as well.

Who are these guys? The system has always been the key in Denver, not the running back. But that might be tested this year. Selvin Young looked good last season when he played, but can he carry the load for a full season? Behind him is Michael Pittman, Ryan Torain and Andre Hall. The system better work.

NightTrainLayne
08-27-2008, 01:31 PM
can you post please. I can't make the jump to read it.

The way it's constructed it probably won't cut-n-paste too well. Let's see.

EXPERTS' PICKS
The Broncos finished second in the AFC West last season with a 7-9 record. For Broncos and AFC West coverage, visit Bill Williamson's AFC West blog.

ANALYST PREDICTION
Jeffri
Chadiha
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 2 Head coach Mike Shanahan cleaned house after the first losing season in his Broncos tenure. The problem is that this team is still filled with far too many questions -- especially on defense -- to see them rising back above the .500 mark this year.
John
Clayton
ESPN.com DIVISION FINISH: 3 The Broncos are the Bengals of the AFC West: a team with a great QB and a shaky defense. Jay Cutler is the real deal, but the Broncos' defense has holes.
Tim
Graham
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 2 Mike Shanahan is on the hot seat, coming off his first losing season. They could ride a forgiving schedule to a wild-card berth.
Jeremy
Green
Scouts Inc.
DIVISION FINISH: 3 The Broncos have issues and inexperience along the offensive line, question marks at RB, and star WR Brandon Marshall has been suspended for what could amount to the first three games. Simply put, the Broncos have a lack of playmakers right now on both sides of the football.
Paul
Kuharsky
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 3 Jay Cutler makes some strides. But they didn't add enough and are counting on too many unproven pieces simultaneously.
Matt
Mosley
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 2 Despite receiving an offseason diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes, Jay Cutler is poised to have a breakthrough season. I think he's ready to put it all together, and Brandon Marshall gives him a constant downfield threat. The key will be the defense, though.
Mike
Sando
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 2 Jay Cutler looks like he'll challenge for the Pro Bowl sooner rather than later. He'll need a better defense at his back to challenge for more meaningful postseason honors.
Kevin
Seifert
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 2 Coach Mike Shanahan is hoping to get a more even performance from quarterback Jay Cutler. But the Broncos don't have enough juice to compete for a title.
James
Walker
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 3 The free-fall in Denver continues. Having its best offensive player, WR Brandon Marshall, sidelined because of a three-game suspension at the start of the season will hurt. And by the time Marshall returns, the Broncos will be playing catch-up.
Seth
Wickersham
ESPN The Magazine
DIVISION FINISH: 2 Musts for 2008: Creating a good pocket on offense and crumbling them on defense. The O-line, with LT Ryan Clady and a healthy C Tom Nalen, looks good. The D-line, not so much.
Bill
Williamson
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 3 Although Denver has some nice pieces in place, there are too many questions to believe the Broncos will end a two-year playoff drought.
Matt
Williamson
Scouts Inc.
DIVISION FINISH: 2 Because of the schedule they face, Denver could back into the playoffs, where they'd be one and done. Jay Cutler is coming of age and will make everyone around him better, but Brandon Marshall's suspension cripples this offense early on, and the defense and special teams are not strong enough to carry Denver.
Pat
Yasinskas
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 2 Jay Cutler's ready for a breakout year and Mike Shanahan's ready to redeem his reputation. There's a good opportunity for a wild card in this division and the Broncos should have a shot.

CONSENSUS DIVISION FINISH: 2 | NFL standings

BEST OF THE BRONCOS
Best arm: Quarterback Jay Cutler. He has a cannon arm. The third-year player has major zip on his passes and could be poised for a breakout year.


Best brothers: Champ and Boss Bailey. Champ is entering his fifth season in Denver and is an elite cornerback. Boss just came over from Detroit as a free agent and is the team's strongside linebacker.

Best talent: Receiver Brandon Marshall. Yes, he has had his share of off-field issues, but Marshall is a brilliant player. He is a beast with the ball in his hands at 6 feet 5, 230 pounds.

Best rookie: First-round pick Ryan Clady steps in as the left tackle. The Broncos believe they have a superstar on their hands with the Boise State product.

Best unit: The running backs. Selvin Young, Ryan Torain, Michael Pittman and Andre Hall all will have a role in Denver's offense. Each player brings something different to make a formidable group.


-- Bill Williamson, ESPN.com
SCOUTS INC.'S FAB FIVE
Scouts Inc. has evaluated and graded more than 2,400 NFL players heading into the 2008 season, giving Insiders a leg up on the competition with exclusive grades, alerts and scouting reports.
Top five players
ANALYSIS
1. Champ Bailey
Cornerback
6-0 | 192 (Grade 94) He is a rare breed who is not only a shutdown corner, but also has the ability and temperament to come up and force the run. He knows how to read routes and does a good job of reading the quarterback's eyes.
2. Brandon Marshall
Wide receiver
6-4 | 230 (85) He is a big target who is learning how to use his size to his advantage by screening defenders from the ball and going up to highpoint the ball in a crowd. He is a long strider who eats up lots of ground.
3. D.J. Williams
Linebacker
6-1 | 242 (75) He has the quickness, agility and acceleration to make plays in the hole or to bounce it outside to make the play off pursuit on the sideline. He is on the verge of becoming an elite linebacker.
4. Jay Cutler
Quarterback
6-3 | 233 (75) When he is focused and things are going well, he can be dominating with his arm strength and ability to throw through small windows. He is a decent athlete with adequate scrambling skills.
5. Elvis Dumervil
Defensive line
5-11 | 260 (73) He has shown flashes of rare pass-rushing skills. He is explosive off the ball and has the upfield speed and acceleration to consistently pressure the pocket coming off the edge.
Player grading scale: Elite (90-100), outstanding (80-89), solid starter (75-79), good starter (70-74)

SCOUTS INC.'S ANALYSIS
Best play option
QB Jay Cutler can make all the throws. Here's how the Broncos help him make the right decision and move the ball downfield.
More best plays

Strengths

Champ Bailey: He didn't dominate to his usually ridiculous level last season, but he remains an elite corner who has the rare ability to lock down an offense's top wideout and allow the rest of the Broncos' defense to gain a favorable numbers advantage in coverage. The Broncos would be wise to eliminate much of the suspense, walk Bailey up on the No.1 receiver and let the other 10 defenders worry about the rest. Few teams have such a luxury.


Jay Cutler: He made strides you would expect from a developing franchise QB in his second season, despite battling a diabetic condition that greatly diminished the amount of weight he was able to keep on. He still makes too many poor decisions, and with his gunslinger mentality, he probably always will. But he also has the arm and mobility to do things that few QBs can pull off.

Brandon Marshall: Just as Cutler is developing very well, Marshall is on the verge of asserting himself as one of the top wide receivers in the league. His physical skills are phenomenal and he demands the football. Marshall is only getting better, but he has character concerns. He is suspended for at least the first two games, possibly three, of the season by the NFL for off-field issues.

Weaknesses

Secondary receivers: Without Marshall on the field, Denver has no one who threatens defenses consistently. The Broncos took a quantity-over-quality approach to acquiring wideouts this past offseason. However, this group doesn't inspire confidence at this point. TE Tony Scheffler is a wild card who could develop along the same lines as Cutler and Marshall, but he has injury concerns.


Specialists: PK Jason Elam is now in Atlanta, and Matt Prater is in line to replace him. Elam was someone coach Mike Shanahan could count on when the chips were down, and while Prater might surprise, a drop-off in production from the place kicker must be expected. Making matters worse, Denver will be breaking in a new punter as well.

Who are these guys? The system has always been the key in Denver, not the running back. But that might be tested this year. Selvin Young looked good last season when he played, but can he carry the load for a full season? Behind him is Michael Pittman, Ryan Torain and Andre Hall. The system better work.


Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles.

LRtagger
08-27-2008, 01:40 PM
I would say most of them are spot on. Talking about how Cutler will emerge as a top QB, but the D is still questionable. I don't think you will find many here to argue that.

Some even go as far as to say Cutler will have a Pro Bowl caliber year and we will make the playoffs.

My question is, for those who have us as finishing 3rd in the division...who do they have finishing 2nd? Oakland?? Give me a break.

I'm surprised to see Bill Williamson pick Denver to finish 3rd.

roomemp
08-27-2008, 01:44 PM
I thought it was funny how many mistakes they made. 2 said last year was Shanahan's first losing season. The middle of the article says Champ is entering his 5th year. Now I know they just confused him with Boss but I mean really. Why comment on a team you know nothing about.

LordTrychon
08-27-2008, 01:47 PM
I would say most of them are spot on. Talking about how Cutler will emerge as a top QB, but the D is still questionable. I don't think you will find many here to argue that.

Some even go as far as to say Cutler will have a Pro Bowl caliber year and we will make the playoffs.

My question is, for those who have us as finishing 3rd in the division...who do they have finishing 2nd? Oakland?? Give me a break.

I'm surprised to see Bill Williamson pick Denver to finish 3rd.

Yeah... the mistakes are funny... but when you compile all of their comments, the top of the page says 'Consensus - 2nd in division'. Hard to argue against that, really.

GEM
08-27-2008, 01:56 PM
John
Clayton
ESPN.com DIVISION FINISH: 3 The Broncos are the Bengals of the AFC West: a team with a great QB and a shaky defense. Jay Cutler is the real deal, but the Broncos' defense has holes.

So when did 11 Broncos get arrested in the offseason? :confused:

GEM
08-27-2008, 01:57 PM
Tim
Graham
ESPN.com
DIVISION FINISH: 2 Mike Shanahan is on the hot seat, coming off his first losing season. They could ride a forgiving schedule to a wild-card berth.

Irony anyone? First losing season and hot seat shouldn't even be in the same sentence. :tsk:

Lonestar
08-27-2008, 02:41 PM
I thought it was funny how many mistakes they made. 2 said last year was Shanahan's first losing season. The middle of the article says Champ is entering his 5th year. Now I know they just confused him with Boss but I mean really. Why comment on a team you know nothing about.


I suspect they meant to say 5th year in DEN for champ

Folks keep and eye on the ball here they need to know everything for 32 teams..

Just because they are not intimate as some of us are with stats and figures, give them a break..

for the most part I think they are dead on Except for the remarks about making the playoffs.. the AFC has to many WILD CARD teams that are much stronger..

Lonestar
08-27-2008, 02:42 PM
John
Clayton
ESPN.com DIVISION FINISH: 3 The Broncos are the Bengals of the AFC West: a team with a great QB and a shaky defense. Jay Cutler is the real deal, but the Broncos' defense has holes.

So when did 11 Broncos get arrested in the offseason? :confused:

it was 2 broncs 5.5 times each.. :laugh::laugh:

I'll bet he was referring to all O and NO D

Kaylore
08-27-2008, 02:49 PM
John
Clayton
ESPN.com DIVISION FINISH: 3 The Broncos are the Bengals of the AFC West: a team with a great QB and a shaky defense. Jay Cutler is the real deal, but the Broncos' defense has holes.

So when did 11 Broncos get arrested in the offseason? :confused:

Seriously. I'm surprised how many people think we'll be terrible next year. We finished 7-9 with one of the hardest schedules in the NFL and our team is better this year with an easier schedule.

Lonestar
08-27-2008, 02:59 PM
Seriously. I'm surprised how many people think we'll be terrible next year. We finished 7-9 with one of the hardest schedules in the NFL and our team is better this year with an easier schedule.

look at how many rookies and second year guys will be playing a alot of time.. That equates to inconsistency once we get past that in 2009 we should be tough to beat..

rookies or second year players on the OLINE clady Harris and Kuper.. as we speak.. that is 3 of five and maybe even Weigmann if Nalen is hurt like most feel he will be then factor in Hamilton being one head slap away from retirement..

Rookies or new kids in the back field. Young, Aldridge, Hall, Willis on IR torain.

Rookies or new kids ton the offense at WR everyone but Stokely and Marshall.

Rookies or new kids in a DEFENSE scheme

everyone but Williams, champ and Bly..

while there may be a lot of talent out there or potential for it.. they have to be consistent and that comes with playing time..

have we fixed anything on ST other that Kick offs going into the end zone at homes..

Sorry but those are facts as many see them..

LRtagger
08-27-2008, 03:15 PM
Exactly...these guys didnt keep up with every day of camp like all of us have. They don't know what to expect from all of these young guys that have never really played. I think most of these guys probably go off what they saw last year and what they see on paper for this year. I would wager that none of them broke down our preseason play-by-play and position-by-position like many of us have.

If you have someone that doesn't follow the Broncos closely, and ask them to predict our 2008 season based on last year's play and our new roster on paper, we would look like a pretty mediocre team.

Except for Bill who follows the Broncos and AFC West very closely...I am extremely surprised on his prediction.

DenBronx
08-27-2008, 03:22 PM
Seriously. I'm surprised how many people think we'll be terrible next year. We finished 7-9 with one of the hardest schedules in the NFL and our team is better this year with an easier schedule.

i agree with you. i dont see us being worse than last year. the toughest part of our schedule is before the bye week and imo i think we will win the majority of those games. 10-6 and a wildcard is not out of the question.

Kaylore
08-27-2008, 03:35 PM
look at how many rookies and second year guys will be playing a alot of time..
And look at how many of them are better than the starters they replaced. Rookie mistakes included.

Lonestar
08-27-2008, 03:42 PM
And look at how many of them are better than the starters they replaced. Rookie mistakes included.

your correct here but remember just how far this team had slipped since John and company retired..

So improvement yes but is is Playoff caliber I do not think so.. Will they be better than last year.. sure but they will not improve enough to get past that 84-6 pasting by SAN last year..

Rookies are going to blow it when the chips are down, at the worst time and that is not even looking at the rookie wall they will most likely hit in games 12-16.

Will they be better? sure! But playoff? Not a chance unless SAN collapses..

2009-12 should be strong if we resign the talent we have..

NightTrainLayne
08-27-2008, 03:51 PM
i agree with you. i dont see us being worse than last year. the toughest part of our schedule is before the bye week and imo i think we will win the majority of those games. 10-6 and a wildcard is not out of the question.

I'm scared of the first few weeks before the bye.

A month or two ago I predicted that we would have a losing record going into the bye, but would really pick it up from there and gain some momntum, maybe even getting in the playoff race and securing a wildcard.

I feel better about the team now, than I did then, but I still think we're going to have a rough go of it those first few weeks with Marshall out, and a lot of untested players, and even veterans in different positions.

If we can get to the bye week at around .500 we'll be doing well, and I have no doubt that our post-bye play will really improve as these young guys gain some valuable experience, and time playing together.

I hope everyone doesn't panic if we start out slow.

Timmy!
08-27-2008, 04:27 PM
ESPN is full of idiots. I can't believe these morons get paid for the garbage that flows from their mouths. 3rd in the division? The Chefs or Faiders will have a better record? Riiiiiiight. Champ isn't in his 5th year. Shanny has had 2 losing seasons (it's called research you ESPN morons, try looking at 1999, or does anything past 2000 just not count?), Jay Cutler graded a 75? Also, not a single thing about Royal. I know he's a rookie and has the world to prove, but after seeing the Broncos in the preseason (something I'm sure none of these "experts" have) you'd think somebody would at least mention him somewhere regarding the receivers or at least special teams. EPIC FAIL as usual from the "experts."

Timmy!
08-27-2008, 04:30 PM
I hope everyone doesn't panic if we start out slow.

Good luck with that. :D

NightTrainLayne
08-27-2008, 04:36 PM
Good luck with that. :D

I'm on standby to bump my "Fire Slowik" thread during the first quarter against the Raiders. :D

Nomad
08-27-2008, 04:59 PM
I'm scared of the first few weeks before the bye.

A month or two ago I predicted that we would have a losing record going into the bye, but would really pick it up from there and gain some momntum, maybe even getting in the playoff race and securing a wildcard.

I feel better about the team now, than I did then, but I still think we're going to have a rough go of it those first few weeks with Marshall out, and a lot of untested players, and even veterans in different positions.

If we can get to the bye week at around .500 we'll be doing well, and I have no doubt that our post-bye play will really improve as these young guys gain some valuable experience, and time playing together.

I hope everyone doesn't panic if we start out slow.

Depends what your definition of 'slow' is! 3 of the first 4 are divisional games and the Raiders won't be a pushover, Chargers will be tough and KC should be a win. I believe it will an intense 4 weeks.

topscribe
08-27-2008, 05:23 PM
Most of them have not kept up with the Broncos this preseason and are way,
way behind on their information. That is obvious.

Probably the most accurate, succinct comment was by ESPN's Seth
Wickersham, who said, "The O-line, with LT Ryan Clady and a healthy Tom
Nalen, looks good. The D-line, not so much."

The least accurate, IMO, was by Jeremy Green of Scouts, Inc., who remarked,
"Simply put, the Broncos have a lack of playmakers right now on both sides of
the football." The Broncos are loaded with individual playmakers, with Cutler,
Marshall, Fast Eddie, Scheffler, Dumervil, D.J., and Champ, at least.

The problem lies in the D-line. If they can do a representative job of slowing
the run and mount at least an average pass rush . . . from the line, not
from the blitz . . . then they are playoff bound. If not, well . . .

-----

roomemp
08-27-2008, 05:23 PM
ESPN is full of idiots. I can't believe these morons get paid for the garbage that flows from their mouths. 3rd in the division? The Chefs or Faiders will have a better record? Riiiiiiight. Champ isn't in his 5th year. Shanny has had 2 losing seasons (it's called research you ESPN morons, try looking at 1999, or does anything past 2000 just not count?), Jay Cutler graded a 75? Also, not a single thing about Royal. I know he's a rookie and has the world to prove, but after seeing the Broncos in the preseason (something I'm sure none of these "experts" have) you'd think somebody would at least mention him somewhere regarding the receivers or at least special teams. EPIC FAIL as usual from the "experts."

That is exactly my point. I could care less what they predict (because I know the Broncos are going 19-0) Its the stuff they write. You would think ESPN would have its people actually verify what they are saying before they put it out there

underrated29
08-27-2008, 05:24 PM
if we can get out to an early lead on oakland and force them to pass we shall be golden!

KC sucks big time. I dont care what month or season or anything else there is when we play them. We will sweep them and thats all there is to it.

The bolts will be much a tougher task. We might be able to hang in there, but only if we keep LT and gates in check. If either of them has a good game we are in a shootout or a shutout.

KC could possibly be the worst team inthe league this year, and oakland always sucks and will always suck. We will take 2nd inour division as the bolts have an even easier schedule than we do.

honz
08-27-2008, 05:29 PM
I'm scared of the first few weeks before the bye.

A month or two ago I predicted that we would have a losing record going into the bye, but would really pick it up from there and gain some momntum, maybe even getting in the playoff race and securing a wildcard.

I feel better about the team now, than I did then, but I still think we're going to have a rough go of it those first few weeks with Marshall out, and a lot of untested players, and even veterans in different positions.

If we can get to the bye week at around .500 we'll be doing well, and I have no doubt that our post-bye play will really improve as these young guys gain some valuable experience, and time playing together.

I hope everyone doesn't panic if we start out slow.
If we are 2 - 5 going into the by week I will be worried, but I would be happy if we are 3 - 4 (and ecstatic if we are over .500). Our schedule before the bye week is pretty rough with Jax, NE, SD, TB, and NO all being fairly tough games. Like you said, if we can survive that first tough stretch we should be in good shape with a fairly easy 2nd half of the season.

Stargazer
08-27-2008, 05:58 PM
John
Clayton
ESPN.com DIVISION FINISH: 3 The Broncos are the Bengals of the AFC West: a team with a great QB and a shaky defense. Jay Cutler is the real deal, but the Broncos' defense has holes.

So when did 11 Broncos get arrested in the offseason? :confused:

I thought it was accurate.

The Broncos do have a great QB in Cutler and a shaky D. The Bengals do have a great QB in Palmer and a shaky D.

How do you get 11 Bronco players arrested out of that?:confused:

Stargazer
08-27-2008, 06:06 PM
Us fans will know something about how the team will be after the Chargers game.

It's still too early to make realistic predictions though. Though I will say this team is not going 13-3 or 3-13. The Broncos aren't going to be great this year, but they're not going to be terrible.

Hobe
08-27-2008, 06:06 PM
Frankly, it is just the standard generalized ESPN team revue. The mistakes make it clear that no one is paying close attention to what is happening in Denver. The inattention is probably true in both Oakland and KC as well. San Diego is the only team worth watching in the west…right? :confused:

Stargazer
08-27-2008, 06:09 PM
Frankly, it is just the standard generalized ESPN team revue. The mistakes make it clear that no one is paying close attention to what is happening in Denver. The inattention is probably true in both Oakland and KC as well. San Diego is the only team worth watching in the west…right? :confused:

Bill Williamson actually blogs for the AFC West on Espn. I would like to know why he has Denver going 3rd in the division. I guess he's picking the Raiders to be better than Denver this year.

Inkana7
08-27-2008, 07:33 PM
This is the best I've seen our 1st unit in the preseason since 2005. That alone gives me confidence.

Dreadnought
08-27-2008, 07:44 PM
Gawd, ESPN really is crewed by the most incompetent hacks imaginable. What a collection of dolts. They actually get paid for this "analysis"? People actually think these Clowns are experts? We've not at least a dozen guys here far more talented than those fools, and with far more football knowledge too.

Sports Journalism targeted down at the guy in the office who doesn't really follow football but plays in the office pool and maybe the FFL as well. :tsk:

topscribe
08-27-2008, 07:45 PM
Gawd, ESPN really is crewed by the most incompetent hacks imaginable. What a collection of dolts. They actually get paid for this "analysis"? People actually think these Clowns are experts? We've not at least a dozen guys here far more talented than those fools, and with far more football knowledge too.

Sports Journalism targeted down at the guy in the office who doesn't really follow football but plays in the office pool and maybe the FFL as well. :tsk:

Yes, but what do you think of them, Dread? :D

-----

Lonestar
08-27-2008, 07:46 PM
I'm scared of the first few weeks before the bye.

A month or two ago I predicted that we would have a losing record going into the bye, but would really pick it up from there and gain some momntum, maybe even getting in the playoff race and securing a wildcard.

I feel better about the team now, than I did then, but I still think we're going to have a rough go of it those first few weeks with Marshall out, and a lot of untested players, and even veterans in different positions.

If we can get to the bye week at around .500 we'll be doing well, and I have no doubt that our post-bye play will really improve as these young guys gain some valuable experience, and time playing together.

I hope everyone doesn't panic if we start out slow.

I think I had us 1-6 going into the bye so if anything is better than that would be gravy but 3.5-3.5 not going to happen..


@ OAK L
SAN L
NO L
@KC W but could be iffy
TPA L
JAX L
@ NE L

Timmy!
08-27-2008, 07:53 PM
And the award for biggest pessimist goes to......

:D

Lonestar
08-27-2008, 07:54 PM
And the award for biggest pessimist goes to......

:D

Make that the biggest realist..:salute:

Timmy!
08-27-2008, 08:02 PM
Make that the biggest realist..:salute:

We'll see in two months how "real" your prediction is. I'd say 4-3 isn't out of the question, but 3-4 is likely. Honestly, you think we'll just barely beat KC? Have you seen KC this preseason? How about Oakland? They both look pretty terrible.

Lonestar
08-27-2008, 08:24 PM
We'll see in two months how "real" your prediction is. I'd say 4-3 isn't out of the question, but 3-4 is likely. Honestly, you think we'll just barely beat KC? Have you seen KC this preseason? How about Oakland? They both look pretty terrible.

Winning games in the black hole is tough to start with.. couple that with a late night game on national TV, with a lot of rookies and almost rookies playing in the trenches. Then add in the first game of the season..

DEN has struggled the past 4-6 years winning on opening day away from home..

It will not be plain vanilla offenses or defenses like the cherries we have seen all preseason..

Defenses typically are better the first few games of the year.. Now having to ROOKIE OT on the field along with a basically a rookie ORG and maybe a "new to the squad center" that means the only veteran player on the team playing on the OLINE in position is Hamilton. What does that sound like to you..

Our defense is hardly as we speak anything to write home about.. SO what do you think will happen when you take an objective look at it?..

I did not say we would barely beat KC in my post so not sure where that came from..

I'll refine my thoughts on EOY wins and loses later next week.. But so far I have seen little to make me think that more than 7-9 would be a gift from heaven..

Timmy!
08-27-2008, 08:30 PM
Objectively, I see an improved team on both sides of the football. The defense can actually stop the run, or at least, not get gashed all the time. The O-line is (so far) MUCH better than I thought, Royal is a much better WR than I thought, and Cutler is doing what we know he can. I don't think we'll beat SD, I do think we'll beat both OAK and KC, without many issues. I'm already on record for saying we beat the Jags, simply because the Broncos are undefeated with me in attendance :proud: I honestly doubt we lose our 1st 4 games at home this year. No way.

Lonestar
08-27-2008, 08:38 PM
Objectively, I see an improved team on both sides of the football. The defense can actually stop the run, or at least, not get gashed all the time. The O-line is (so far) MUCH better than I thought, Royal is a much better WR than I thought, and Cutler is doing what we know he can. I don't think we'll beat SD, I do think we'll beat both OAK and KC, without many issues. I'm already on record for saying we beat the Jags, simply because the Broncos are undefeated with me in attendance :proud: I honestly doubt we lose our 1st 4 games at home this year. No way.

well lets hope your correct..about not losing while your there..

If the OAK was in DEN it would fall into my win column..

But beating JAX, NO, SAN and maybe TPA is not going to happen with possibly the except of TPA. Those are all Playoff teams your talking about and this team is way to rookie for that to happen.. IMO

Beating KC @home may also be a tough one.. they have a lot of talent if they come together fast we could be in trouble with that team also..

The second half of the season should be breeze IF we are healthy.. most of the rooks will have the game jitters done with the only thing that concerns be is the rookie wall and maybe some sophomore slumps..

Dreadnought
08-27-2008, 08:44 PM
well lets hope your correct..about not losing while your there..

If the OAK was in DEN it would fall into my win column..

But beating JAX, NO, SAN and maybe TPA is not going to happen with possibly the except of TPA. Those are all Playoff teams your talking about and this team is way to rookie for that to happen.. IMO

Beating KC @home may also be a tough one.. they have a lot of talent if they come together fast we could be in trouble with that team also..

The second half of the season should be breeze IF we are healthy.. most of the rooks will have the game jitters done with the only thing that concerns be is the rookie wall and maybe some sophomore slumps..

I think we beat NO and TB without much trouble in all honesty, and I'm not even all that sold on the Jaguars to be honest. Not an easy game, but quite winnable this year. NO was a playoff team in 06, not 07, and ther defense is worse than ours by quite a bit. TB's offense is a mess, and I just don't think they are all that solid.

NightTrainLayne
08-27-2008, 08:49 PM
I think I had us 1-6 going into the bye so if anything is better than that would be gravy but 3.5-3.5 not going to happen..


@ OAK L
SAN L
NO L
@KC W but could be iffy
TPA L
JAX L
@ NE L

We could tie one. . .that would be a .500 record. :D Don't nit-pick my post that much, you're taking it too far.

Originally, I think I had us at 2-5 at the Bye, but then 7-2 from that point out, finishing at 9-7.

But, I now feel that 3-4 or 4-3 is very possible. Just above or below .500.

Also, JR, keep in mind you have a Shanahan-coached team with two 3-game losing streaks back-to-back.

Go back and see how many times Shanny's had a 3-game losing streak since he came to Denver and tell me if you still think that's what's going to happen.

Lonestar
08-27-2008, 08:54 PM
We could tie one. . .that would be a .500 record. :D Don't nit-pick my post that much, you're taking it too far.

Originally, I think I had us at 2-5 at the Bye, but then 7-2 from that point out, finishing at 9-7.

But, I now feel that 3-4 or 4-3 is very possible. Just above or below .500.

Also, JR, keep in mind you have a Shanahan-coached team with two 3-game losing streaks back-to-back.

Go back and see how many times Shanny's had a 3-game losing streak since he came to Denver and tell me if you still think that's what's going to happen.


Not sure myself could be 1-6 and as good as 4-3 but I'm prone to go with my gut on this.. 8-8 at best this year going on the assumption no one in the AFCW has any major injuries.. Merriman going down himself does not erase the 84-6 point differently they had last year..

3 game losing streaks that is the least of our worries.. IMHO

omac
08-28-2008, 06:53 AM
I don't care if they ranked us #4 in the division, as long as they properly researched us and the other teams in the division, and they used proper arguments.

The problem is, most of the ones who ranked us #3 in the division note weaknesses in our team that are even more prevalent in both Oakland and KC.

If we are #3, then it stands to think that they have Oakland or KC at #2. But using their arguments ....

poor defense .... as bad as Denver was on defense, Oakland's was much worse.

poor OL ... as bad as Denver's OL was last season, and as inexperienced as it is this season, Oakland's and KC's were/are even worse.

inexperienced players ... are you kidding? KC is practically all inexperienced players, and there are tons of them in Oakland too. Croyle and Russell are practically rookies.

Another obvious weakness that Oakland shares with KC is both their passing offenses are horrendous. Their QBs are stlll playing much like rookies, their WR depth is extremely thin (maybe non-existent in Oakland), and their pass protection sucks.

Another thing both Oakland and KC share in common; they were both blanked out 24(?)-0 during the preseason. Oakland had a better excuse, as they were intentionaly experimenting with their passing game. KC had no excuse, especially since they were playing against Miami. :D

If Tampa Bay, Carolina, Arizona, Buffalo, or any other decent team was in this division, then sure, the logic for rating us #3 is defendable. But when the other 2 teams have similar weaknesses but in greater degree, then their logic is totally messed up. :confused:

underrated29
08-28-2008, 11:15 AM
We are not losing more than 6 games this year. Bicker all you want, its set instone. Written in the stars. as for starting the season jr, come on man. you are acting crazy.

oakland-w
san diego-l
NO-w- this could be close but our d is better and their oline isnt too good.
kc-w- they flat out suck and will take the #1 pick next year
tpa-w- good team, but with no run game we will dominate them.

We start the season 4-1- not to shabby.

jax-L- very good team, people still underestimate i dont know why.
NE-w- tough call here, but i suspect their pass D will suck and marhsall,scheff and royal will give them fits all day long. Look for Jay to have a huge day.

5-2 at halfway mark. After that i cant remember the schedule, but i think we will drop one to the browns, bolts again, and one or two others.

We are going to have a good record because we are pretty good, and because our schedule is weak.

LRtagger
08-28-2008, 11:38 AM
Winning games in the black hole is tough to start with.. couple that with a late night game on national TV, with a lot of rookies and almost rookies playing in the trenches. Then add in the first game of the season..



You are spot on here...but I would just like to add that you should factor in all of the new faces for Oakland too.

QB is basically a rookie, RB is a rook, the entire D is basically new, Javon, etc.

I think it will be a pretty sloppy game, but if we can play like we have in the preseason, we should win easily.

topscribe
08-28-2008, 12:06 PM
You are spot on here...but I would just like to add that you should factor in all of the new faces for Oakland too.

QB is basically a rookie, RB is a rook, the entire D is basically new, Javon, etc.

I think it will be a pretty sloppy game, but if we can play like we have in the preseason, we should win easily.

Not to mention Oakland's O-line generally blows and the D-line is decimated
with the retirement of Sapp.

Denver's first stringers handled those of two of last year's playoff teams,
and now they are expected to go play a second-level team and look like
the Keystone Kops? I don't think so.

I am concerned as to whether BMarsh will be allowed to play against SD. In
Oakland, they're not going to need him for the win, IMO.

-----

NorthernLights
08-28-2008, 12:18 PM
I am concerned as to whether BMarsh will be allowed to play against SD. In
Oakland, they're not going to need him for the win, IMO.

-----

I thought he was suspended for three games with the chance to bring it down to two games if he met certain obligations. Why do you think he is going to be available for the second game?

Lonestar
08-28-2008, 12:19 PM
We are not losing more than 6 games this year. Bicker all you want, its set instone. Written in the stars. as for starting the season jr, come on man. you are acting crazy.

oakland-w
san diego-l
NO-w- this could be close but our d is better and their oline isnt too good.
kc-w- they flat out suck and will take the #1 pick next year
tpa-w- good team, but with no run game we will dominate them.

We start the season 4-1- not to shabby.

jax-L- very good team, people still underestimate i dont know why.
NE-w- tough call here, but i suspect their pass D will suck and marhsall,scheff and royal will give them fits all day long. Look for Jay to have a huge day.

5-2 at halfway mark. After that i cant remember the schedule, but i think we will drop one to the browns, bolts again, and one or two others.

We are going to have a good record because we are pretty good, and because our schedule is weak.


We will be much closer to 1-6 than 5-2 thinking any other way is IMO nuts..

UR this team is so young and green and for that matter only Nalen (if he plays) and Hamilton have played a regular season game next to each other.. This OLINE combo is not going to be that cohesive after a few half games in preseason..

Not sure why no one can see that preseason is not regular season when the schemes ramp up as well as the blitzes are for real.. Look at the truly great OLINES they work for years 4-12 together to become great.. not 4 preseason games.. we have 2 rookies on the OT spots and so they played well in the preseason do you really think that this will remain the same when it counts?.. total regular season starts for the OLINE outside of Hamilton and Nalen is how many games 6-7 and that is all Kuper and he was playing on the other side of center..

After the bye other than the rookie wall this teams should do better..

Sorry but right now that is how I see it.. and this is not even talking about LB, safety, DE, or lack of back up DT.. which is just more weak spots to look at..

Lonestar
08-28-2008, 12:23 PM
I thought he was suspended for three games with the chance to bring it down to two games if he met certain obligations. Why do you think he is going to be available for the second game?

he is voting for obamas hope and change platform..

Marshall went to NYC to see Goodell hoping to get his suspension lessened.. down to one game ....

LRtagger
08-28-2008, 12:29 PM
Also,

I would like to add that I have come to the conclusion that this article was written several weeks ago. I'm guessing the guys that have us at 3rd assumed that Oakland would rush for 300 yards against us in each game and sweep us. After watching the preseason, I just dont see that happening.

Also, They list Torrain as a significant addition to the running game, but we all know he probably wont be much of a factor this year since he will be missing all of our tough games.

Also, just looking at the same thing on SD, they are high on Merriman, but at this point, no one even knows how long his knee is going to hold up. There is no way his knee does not effect his play in some way this year.

So, I assume this stuff was written before Merriman's knee damage was reported and before Torrain hurt his elbow.

Lonestar
08-28-2008, 12:37 PM
Also,

I would like to add that I have come to the conclusion that this article was written several weeks ago. I'm guessing the guys that have us at 3rd assumed that Oakland would rush for 300 yards against us in each game and sweep us. After watching the preseason, I just dont see that happening.

Also, They list Torrain as a significant addition to the running game, but we all know he probably wont be much of a factor this year since he will be missing all of our tough games.

Also, just looking at the same thing on SD, they are high on Merriman, but at this point, no one even knows how long his knee is going to hold up. There is no way his knee does not effect his play in some way this year.

So, I assume this stuff was written before Merriman's knee damage was reported and before Torrain hurt his elbow.


probably true.. But Merriman did not or was not the only factor in SAN out scoring us 84-6 last year and remember that LT is supposed to be back at 100%.

NorthernLights
08-28-2008, 12:38 PM
he is voting for obamas hope and change platform..

Marshall went to NYC to see Goodell hoping to get his suspension lessened.. down to one game ....

I think he would have a better chance if the suspension were not from the Personal Conduct Policy. Goodell has already heard everything and made a decision. What is he going to say differently to change his mind?

Maybe something like this. "Last time I was here, I said I was a really good guy. But this time, I want to say I'm a really, really good guy. Now how about letting me play against the Bolts?" :beer:

topscribe
08-28-2008, 12:43 PM
I thought he was suspended for three games with the chance to bring it down to two games if he met certain obligations. Why do you think he is going to be available for the second game?

Did I say I thought Marshall would play in the second game? What I said was,
"I am concerned as to whether BMarsh will be allowed to play against SD."

The latest news is that he was in NYC to try to get the penalty lessened.
Some think the commissioner might reduce it to one game. I was saying, in
essence, that I hope that would be the case.

Does that make more sense?

-----

NorthernLights
08-28-2008, 12:50 PM
Did I say I thought Marshall would play in the second game? What I said was,
"I am concerned as to whether BMarsh will be allowed to play against SD."

The latest news is that he was in NYC to try to get the penalty lessened.
Some think the commissioner might reduce it to one game. I was saying, in
essence, that I hope that would be the case.

Does that make more sense?

-----

Yes, thank you.

topscribe
08-28-2008, 12:59 PM
I think he would have a better chance if the suspension were not from the Personal Conduct Policy. Goodell has already heard everything and made a decision. What is he going to say differently to change his mind?

Maybe something like this. "Last time I was here, I said I was a really good guy. But this time, I want to say I'm a really, really good guy. Now how about letting me play against the Bolts?" :beer:
I think part of what they are going by is the appeal by the Packer player (I
forget the name offhand), whose appeal resulted in the penalty being lessened
from one game to a fine. In other words, the commish has lately seemed to
show some heart in such matters.

Of course, we're hoping he does in this case, and you are not. :D

-----

HolyDiver
08-28-2008, 01:11 PM
We will be much closer to 1-6 than 5-2 thinking any other way is IMO nuts.. .


1-6? Anyone who doesn't think like you is nuts? ...............Great.........Broncomania all over again.

topscribe
08-28-2008, 01:13 PM
We will be much closer to 1-6 than 5-2 thinking any other way is IMO nuts..

UR this team is so young and green and for that matter only Nalen (if he plays) and Hamilton have played a regular season game next to each other.. This OLINE combo is not going to be that cohesive after a few half games in preseason..

Not sure why no one can see that preseason is not regular season when the schemes ramp up as well as the blitzes are for real.. Look at the truly great OLINES they work for years 4-12 together to become great.. not 4 preseason games.. we have 2 rookies on the OT spots and so they played well in the preseason do you really think that this will remain the same when it counts?.. total regular season starts for the OLINE outside of Hamilton and Nalen is how many games 6-7 and that is all Kuper and he was playing on the other side of center..

After the bye other than the rookie wall this teams should do better..

Sorry but right now that is how I see it.. and this is not even talking about LB, safety, DE, or lack of back up DT.. which is just more weak spots to look at..

Yes, there is a big dropoff at DT, IMO, after Robertson and Thomas, but I
think those two are superlative. DE could have had a better showing in
preseason, too, and a lot depends on Doom's and Ekuban's states of
health.

I look at LB as a strength, however. I have a higher opinion of Boss than
you do; I believe he is in for a big year. And in his absence is Winborn, who
showed himself solid. D.J. will go to the Pro Bowl, IMO. Webster tends to
whiff at times, but his energy is contagious, and it just looks like a different
defense when he is in there.

At safety, the Broncos are blessed with McCree, who I believe is a player.
And Manuel has shown himself competent. There are depth concerns there,
however, with raw Barrett and Rodgers, and Hamza, who can be good but
sometimes forgets which side of the field he's supposed to play on.

Nonetheless, the Broncos will not be facing a team all season who does not
have problems of its own. Every team has holes, including NE.

I see 5-2, maybe 6-1. The Broncos play most of their games at home.
They will beat Oakland, lose to SD (but play a solid game), whip NO, KC,
and TPA, and then go into NE and pass their weak secondary silly and hold
off their aging DL, while they blitz Brady to death.

I don't know why it is so nuts.

IMHO.

-----

LRtagger
08-28-2008, 01:28 PM
probably true.. But Merriman did not or was not the only factor in SAN out scoring us 84-6 last year and remember that LT is supposed to be back at 100%.

Oh, I agree.

I was just saying that since they didnt mention his knee, that was probably a good indication that they wrote the stuff a few weeks ago.

Lonestar
08-28-2008, 01:30 PM
Oh, I agree.

I was just saying that since they didnt mention his knee, that was probably a good indication that they wrote the stuff a few weeks ago.

that is why I said probably true..

broncobryce
08-28-2008, 01:35 PM
We will be much closer to 1-6 than 5-2 thinking any other way is IMO nuts..

UR this team is so young and green and for that matter only Nalen (if he plays) and Hamilton have played a regular season game next to each other.. This OLINE combo is not going to be that cohesive after a few half games in preseason..

Not sure why no one can see that preseason is not regular season when the schemes ramp up as well as the blitzes are for real.. Look at the truly great OLINES they work for years 4-12 together to become great.. not 4 preseason games.. we have 2 rookies on the OT spots and so they played well in the preseason do you really think that this will remain the same when it counts?.. total regular season starts for the OLINE outside of Hamilton and Nalen is how many games 6-7 and that is all Kuper and he was playing on the other side of center..

After the bye other than the rookie wall this teams should do better..

Sorry but right now that is how I see it.. and this is not even talking about LB, safety, DE, or lack of back up DT.. which is just more weak spots to look at..

That's fine. It seems some of us have a "glass half full" perspective and some of us have a "half empty" perspective. I'm guessing you are of the half empty. We always stopped Lt before last season. If we can do so again (which I believe we can) They will have to depend on Phyllis to beat us, and that would be the revenge we have wanted. I think we win at home week 2.
The o-line looked good in pre-season, with not much blitzing true, but I believe Clady can handle it as well as Joe Thomas did last season. Cutler will be an absolute STAR this season, and our running game will hold together fine until Torrain comes back and gives us a boost later in the year.
Just my half full opinion.:salute:

hamrob
08-28-2008, 02:00 PM
I think I had us 1-6 going into the bye so if anything is better than that would be gravy but 3.5-3.5 not going to happen..


@ OAK L
SAN L
NO L
@KC W but could be iffy
TPA L
JAX L
@ NE L

You're too funny! :lol:

Four home games: San Diego, New Orleans, Tampa Bay & Jax. Do you really think we will lose our first 4 home games?

I mean everyone gets that you're a skeptic. That's fine. But don't you think that reality might be a little more optimistic then what your toting?:confused:

Heck, even if you really are as pestimistic as to project that we would lose 2 of the 4 home games and 2 of the 3 road games, you'd be more believable. In that scenario we would go 3-4 in the first 7 games and folks could perhaps find your rationale somewhat reasonable....but 1 and 6?

Wow, how can anyone respect that opinion?

Lonestar
08-28-2008, 02:08 PM
That's fine. It seems some of us have a "glass half full" perspective and some of us have a "half empty" perspective. I'm guessing you are of the half empty. We always stopped Lt before last season. If we can do so again (which I believe we can) They will have to depend on Phyllis to beat us, and that would be the revenge we have wanted. I think we win at home week 2.
The o-line looked good in pre-season, with not much blitzing true, but I believe Clady can handle it as well as Joe Thomas did last season. Cutler will be an absolute STAR this season, and our running game will hold together fine until Torrain comes back and gives us a boost later in the year.
Just my half full opinion.:salute:


OK Joe Thomas did. How many other rookies did he have on the OLINE with him? That is the difference maker..

Yes in years past we did in fact stop LT. But who was our DC, how many of those players are still on this team?.. How much experience did the SAN OLINE have at that time?. Who was their HC?..

All of those factors are now gone..

SAN has better talent top to bottom than we do (Outside of Champ, Jay and Marshall). There OLINE has now played together for two years.. OUR OLINE (outside of Nalen IF he plays and Hamilton) has 6-7 starts combined and not even in the position he played last year..

They kicked our ass last year 84-6 do you really see a 35+ point difernantial over last year in this game?

hamrob
08-28-2008, 02:11 PM
For the record...here's how I see it:

@ OAK W
SAN W
NO W
@KC W
TPA W
JAX W
@ NE L

I see us going 6-1 during this stretch. Yes, I could see us dropping a hard faught game to the Chargers in the 2nd week. But, I think we'll be ready for them. We're going to feed off of last's years blowouts and we have something to prove in this game. We will be at home and the crowd will be going ballistic as they smell blood.

New Orleans and Jax are going to be tough games as well, but I don't think they have the offenses to really take us at home. By that I mean, I don't see them scoring in the 30's to beat us. Our Defense is going to be better then what many believe...although not spectacular, they will be able to compete against teams like New Orleans & Jax. Our Offense on the other hand will be a top 5 offense. We'll score 21+ on everyone (IMO). Thus, we will be in every game. The only way we get beat by more than one TD...is if we have major injuries or if we are not prepared mentally.

Lonestar
08-28-2008, 02:12 PM
You're too funny! :lol:

Four home games: San Diego, New Orleans, Tampa Bay & Jax. Do you really think we will lose our first 4 home games?

I mean everyone gets that you're a skeptic. That's fine. But don't you think that reality might be a little more optimistic then what your toting?:confused:

Heck, even if you really are as pestimistic as to project that we would lose 2 of the 4 home games and 2 of the 3 road games, you'd be more believable. In that scenario we would go 3-4 in the first 7 games and folks could perhaps find your rationale somewhat reasonable....but 1 and 6?

Wow, how can anyone respect that opinion?


Let me try again this was my thoughts before preseason before training camp.. BUT I still believe we are closer to 1-6 than most folks at 5-2..

I'll let Y'all know next week when there is going to be a season prediction thread.. But as we speak it looks like 7-9 maybe 8-8..

Lonestar
08-28-2008, 02:14 PM
For the record...here's how I see it:

@ OAK W
SAN W
NO W
@KC W
TPA W
JAX W
@ NE L

I see us going 6-1 during this stretch. Yes, I could see us dropping a hard faught game to the Chargers in the 2nd week. But, I think we'll be ready for them. We're going to feed off of last's years blowouts and we have something to prove in this game. We will be at home and the crowd will be going ballistic as they smell blood.

New Orleans and Jax are going to be tough games as well, but I don't think they have the offenses to really take us at home. By that I mean, I don't see them scoring in the 30's to beat us. Our Defense is going to be better then what many believe...although not spectacular, they will be able to compete against teams like New Orleans & Jax. Our Offense on the other hand will be a top 5 offense. We'll score 21+ on everyone (IMO). Thus, we will be in every game. The only way we get beat by more than one TD...is if we have major injuries or if we are not prepared mentally.


wow is this not a major OUT.. IMHO

Hope your right but suspect your not..

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08-28-2008, 02:32 PM
OK Joe Thomas did how many other rookies did he have on the OLINE with him? That is the difference maker..

Yes in years past we did in fact stop LT but how many of those DC, or players are still on this team.. How much experience did the SAN OLINE have at that time.. Who was there HC..

All of those factors are now gone..

SAN has better talent top to bottom than we do (Outside of Champ, Jay and Marshall). There OLINE has now played together for two years.. OUR OLINE outside of Nalen IF he plays and Hamilton) has 6-7 starts combined and not even in the position he played last year..

They kicked our ass last year 84-6 do you really see a 35+ point difernantial over last year in this game?

Yes, my friend, I can see that differential. Last year, the Broncos had
Marshall. That was it, except when Stokley was healthy, and he was
playing out of position. Young and Hall were rookies; they aren't this year.
Jay was essentially a rookie on the field; this year he is not. Scheffler and
Jackson were hurt for much and all of the year, respectively. This year,
they are both healthy.

The Broncos did not have Robertson. Thomas was a rookie. They did not
have Boss. Webster and D.J. were playing out of position. The Broncos did
not have McCree (who is looking like a stud) or Manuel.

Back to the offense, Lepsis was trying to give us help, even though even
he knew he was washed up. On the right side was (shudder) Pears. Kuper
was raw. The Broncos had no Wiegmann to step in for Nalen.

This team could not be more different from last year's if they would have
packed up and another come in to take their place. Last year was a gauge
for absolutely nothing, regarding any predictions this year.

I do believe the O-line has as much talent as SD's now . . . no, more. They
are a little more green, yes, but the talent is amazing . . . good enough to
send Holland packing. We have a better TE corps; yes, they have Gates,
but we have Scheffler, Jackson, and Graham. We have better WRs with
Marshall, Fast Eddie, Stokley, and D-Jack.

Of course, we have to give them LT. But the Broncos have more depth there.

Cutler vs. Rivers? :pound:

Right now, we have to give the Chargers the D-line, too, although they
have no one superior to Robertson and Thomas . . . but they do have more
depth.

I'll take a healthy D.J., who I believe will be Pro Bowl this year, over a
gimpy Merriman any day. And I don't believe there is a team in the league,
much less the Chargers, who has a better secondary than Champ, Bly,
Foxy, Paymah, J. Williams, McCree, and Manuel (throw in Barrett, although
he is raw).

I have the Broncos losing to the Chargers in the first game, but not by a
blowout. And that may well be their only loss, except maybe NE . . . but
there, as I mentioned, will be Cutler vs. a relatively bad secondary.

We'll know in about eight weeks . . .

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hamrob
08-28-2008, 03:22 PM
wow is this not a major OUT.. IMHO

Hope your right but suspect your not..A smart politician...always has to have an out...or two. :elefant:

Gimpygod
08-28-2008, 03:26 PM
That's fine. It seems some of us have a "glass half full" perspective and some of us have a "half empty" perspective. I'm guessing you are of the half empty. We always stopped Lt before last season. :

I disagree with your assessment of Jr. He believes the glass is half-full... of rancid piss water populated by mosquito larvae infected with West Nile virus.:shocked:

Rivers has not, I repeat not, recovered well from his knee surgery. She* has zero mobility and has to throw off the back foot. Gates has also not recovered well. San Diego is going to have a one-dimensional offense and that dimension is getting old and also falls into our wheelhouse. These are all facts but you probably don't pay attention to them Jr. because pessimism is just as myopic as being a homer without all the upside of having hope and enjoyment in anticipation.

*as many here probably know I use a computer to translate my voice into text. The computer put the wrong pronoun in the above sentence and I was going to correct it but I decided it got the word in the first place.:lol:

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08-28-2008, 03:28 PM
QUOTE=broncobryce;359864]That's fine. It seems some of us have a "glass half full" perspective and some of us have a "half empty" perspective. I'm guessing you are of the half empty. We always stopped Lt before last season. :

I disagree with your assessment of Jr. He believes the glass is half-full... of rancid piss water populated by mosquito larvae infected with West Nile virus.:shocked:

Rivers has not, I repeat not, recovered well from his knee surgery. She* has zero mobility and has to throw off the back foot. Gates has also not recovered well. San Diego is going to have a one-dimensional offense and that dimension is getting old and also falls into our wheelhouse. These are all facts but you probably don't pay attention to them Jr. because pessimism is just as myopic as being a homer without all the upside of having hope and enjoyment in anticipation.

*as many here probably know I use a computer to translate my voice into text. The computer put the wrong pronoun in the above sentence and I was going to correct it but I decided it got the word in the first place.:lol:[/quote]

Isn't Phyllis a female name? :coffee:

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