Analysis: Even in preseason, winning is good for Broncos

[TXBRONC]

Analysis: Even in preseason, winning is good for Broncos
By Jeff Legwold
The Denver Post
Posted: 09/01/2011 01:00:00 AM MDT

The Broncos' best teams in the preseason have usually been their best teams in the regular season. It would certainly stand to reason that their most talented teams would play better in the regular season, but those teams also played with enough passion in the preseason and had enough depth to have plenty of August success as well.

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_18799665


I never thought about there being a connection between Denver winning in the preseason and what happens in regular season. I enjoy watching Denver win irregardless if the game counts or not but I still don't think it's as important to regularly season success. IIRC the Steelers in the '70 wouldn't do all that well in the preseason but then they went out won four Super Bowls in the mid to late '70s.

[SOCALORADO.]

DETROIT LIONS 2008
Preseason 4-0
Regular Season 0-16
END THREAD.

[BroncoNut]

Preseason wins are meaningless

[camdisco24]

They can set the tone for the starters, but IMO wins/losses dont matter because the people wrapping up the games aren't the people starting on Sunday.

[BroncoStud]

We're just starved for ANYTHING positive. We could win 2 games, we could win 8 games, hard to tell at this point.

[underrated29]

We're just starved for ANYTHING positive. We could win 2 games, we could win 8 games, hard to tell at this point.



add them together and you shall have your answer.

[TXBRONC]

They can set the tone for the starters, but IMO wins/losses dont matter because the people wrapping up the games aren't the people starting on Sunday.

I think that's Legwold is trying to say.

[TXBRONC]

add them together and you shall have your answer.

I love your positive thinking but with our schedule it could prove to be very difficult to win ten games.

[Dzone]

I will accept nothing less than a winning record and playoffs this year. Anything less is a total failure.

[gregbroncs]

While I don't really buy that the preseason has a direct correlation. I do believe success in the pre-season can show the depth of your team in case of injuries and can help give a struggling franchise a little bit of confidence.

[BroncoNut]

While I don't really buy that the preseason has a direct correlation. I do believe success in the pre-season can show the depth of your team in case of injuries and can help give a struggling franchise a little bit of confidence.

stupid post, but yeah, I agree (just kidding)

[HORSEPOWER 56]

TX,

I really, really, really, wish you would stop using the word irregardless... It's like driving an icepick into my eyeball.

Thanks.

:D

[HORSEPOWER 56]

While I don't really buy that the preseason has a direct correlation. I do believe success in the pre-season can show the depth of your team in case of injuries and can help give a struggling franchise a little bit of confidence.

I agree, but if anything, all it has shown is the glaring lack of depth that we have on both lines. Our backups haven't looked good at all.

Our starting offense has looked... about like last year with a better run game and the starting defense has looked promising, but the backups have been bad.

[Canmore]

I agree, but if anything, all it has shown is the glaring lack of depth that we have on both lines. Our backups haven't looked good at all.

Our starting offense has looked... about like last year with a better run game and the starting defense has looked promising, but the backups have been bad.

Huge understatement. They are dreadful. From what I can see our line depth is bottom of the barrel. Look for some moves when we go to 53 players. We can't get any worse bringing in a couple of released/waived players.

[Tned]

Huge understatement. They are dreadful. From what I can see our line depth is bottom of the barrel. Look for some moves when we go to 53 players. We can't get any worse bringing in a couple of released/waived players.

I'm thinking both DL and OL pickups are likely after Saturday's cuts. That said, in terms of the line, having one of those guys elevated to the first team due to an injury, might be covered up by the guys around them. Assuming it's not Clady or Kuper, if it's one of the other guys, we are probably still ok. Lose multiple OL's and we are in trouble.

[BroncoStud]

I will accept nothing less than a winning record and playoffs this year. Anything less is a total failure.

What is this based on? We essentially have the SAME personnel aside from the rookies...

Is this based on Fox as a head coach? He's .500 over his career...

It's like we see some decent play in Preseason and suddenly Denver is supposed to be good... I just don't see it that way, hope I'm wrong.

I think week 1 is going to be a painful reminder of who Denver really is.

[Lancane]

I'm thinking both DL and OL pickups are likely after Saturday's cuts. That said, in terms of the line, having one of those guys elevated to the first team due to an injury, might be covered up by the guys around them. Assuming it's not Clady or Kuper, if it's one of the other guys, we are probably still ok. Lose multiple OL's and we are in trouble.

It's not like we're playing 'Blind man's bluff', the only two positions on this team with solid depth is saftey, think about that? How long have we wanted to say that? Not since Braxton and Atwater have we been so well off at the safety position; Moore is looking like the real deal, Dawkins is a H.O.F safety and his backup McCarthy seems to be his eventual replacement, that doesn't exclude Carter, Bruton and McBath. The other is at linebacker, we have maybe not the best linebacker corps. but far from the weakest, the key of course is Miller. If Von was injured for whatever unsavory reason, the linebacker corps. will be above average but we lose our defensive centerpiece, he's the franchise quarterback of the defensive unit. Of course we have good depth and would likely be able to still field a solid defense, but Miller is the X factor, the playmaker the defense will feed off of. Williams and Mays are both solid, not to mention we have Irving, Mohamed, Haggan, Robinson and Woodyard...but none of them would be able to replace Miller, he's too vital. And that would put a lot of weight on the other units and key members such as Bailey, Dawkins, Moore and Dumervil, maybe too much. Defensive line is still questionable, but I believe Fox can mix it up enough with play calling to hide the deficiencies we do have.

IMHO, it's the offense where we really need to be concerned, and I am not talking about the quarterback position, I'm talking all the others. If Clady, Kuper or Franklin got hurt, it could severely hurt the production of this offense, Beadles and Walton maybe not as much...but they're still better then those behind them and that worries me just as much. McGahee and Moreno, if either goes down we'll be hobbled big time on the ground, the run game is barely stable as is. Receiver is a big concern as well, let's face it...what if Lloyd doesn't play as well? Royal while being solid hasn't shown his game-breaking ability since his rookie year, can he handle the second position? Decker is also important, he's already our slot receiver...but if Royal or Lloyd fall? What do we have in terms of depth, we don't have a possible receiver that can be a number one, Thomas hasn't proved anything and is deep on the depth chart, one injury or sub-par effort there could be devastating for the offense.

I agree with you T, I think that the waiver wire might be our lifeline in regards to both offensive and defensive line help, but what about the other positions? Seriously I hope the team looks to add someone for cornerback depth because I believe Cox is gone, we need defensive tackle help, offensive line depth would be great, hopefully they also add a good quality backup receiver and tailback while they're at it.