MSN Low Expectations = Me a Happy Fan

[artie_dale]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I love all the low expectations every seems to be giving our Broncos. Just got an ESPN notification that John Clayton said that the Broncos took steps backwards this off season due to losing Brock, Malik, and Travethan. Even Madden seems to be in on it (which is totally 100% fine by me).

Love being the underdawgs. Hate being overrated.


https://twitter.com/ChrisHarrisJr/status/730808100857356288

[TXBRONC]

It's never really bothered me. The media misjudges teams all the time. If I remember correctly, the media really didn't see Denver as serious threat to get to the Super Bowl. When they did almost no one including Mark Schlereth any kind of chances to win.

[NightTrainLayne]

Indeed.

When was the last time we got a good "grade" in the off-season?

Meanwhile, how good is the roster Elway has put together? Good enough to go to 2 out of the last 3 super bowls, and win one.

[Northman]

I know we wont be "quite" as good as last year but 7-9? Somebody is smoking a lot of crack. We are still good enough to put up at least 9-10 wins if not more.

[TXBRONC]

Indeed.

When was the last time we got a good "grade" in the off-season?

Meanwhile, how good is the roster Elway has put together? Good enough to go to 2 out of the last 3 super bowls, and win one.

Other than the year we brought in Ware and Ward I think the media has generally been critical. I put no stock in draft grades but for the most part Denver's drafts as average. The only twice has the media ever praised Denver's drafts i.e. when we drafted Miller and this current draft.

[OrangeHoof]

It's that the media hates Woody Paige and still blames us for the 2011 season.

[Ravage!!!]

I guess considering our QB situation, I don't have 'high expectations' of our team. I certainly don't know why anyone outside of Bronco fan-hood would.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

Lol @ Harris

[spikerman]

I guess considering our QB situation, I don't have 'high expectations' of our team. I certainly don't know why anyone outside of Bronco fan-hood would.

I don't understand this. Denver should get QB play at LEAST as good as last year.

[Simple Jaded]

I feel much better about the QB situation than I did before free agency, I might actually rather draft a 1st round QB every 5 years than pay $18/per for God knows what.

[nevcraw]

We can't be any worse on offense. Even during the second coming's epic rein (oz) his numbers were mediocre. More and more I think his running away from the pressure to Houston is a huge blessing is disguise. Sanchez will not lead the league in turnover because kubes won't allow it. And if the the offense isn't better kubes should be fired.
And besides the pundits bs the defense will be fine if not better in some areas. I miss Danny the most but listening to wade he said he only played 30 percent of the snaps. Which makes him amazing to lead the team in tackles but also less of a priority with all of the other players needing to be secured to long term contracts who have far more of a role.

[artie_dale]

It's never really bothered me. The media misjudges teams all the time. If I remember correctly, the media really didn't see Denver as serious threat to get to the Super Bowl. When they did almost no one including Mark Schlereth any kind of chances to win.

True story. They hyped Carolina up the same way they hyped us up vs the Seahawks (still hurts to lose like that in the big game).

[artie_dale]

We can't be any worse on offense. Even during the second coming's epic rein (oz) his numbers were mediocre. More and more I think his running away from the pressure to Houston is a huge blessing is disguise. Sanchez will not lead the league in turnover because kubes won't allow it. And if the the offense isn't better kubes should be fired.
And besides the pundits bs the defense will be fine if not better in some areas. I miss Danny the most but listening to wade he said he only played 30 percent of the snaps. Which makes him amazing to lead the team in tackles but also less of a priority with all of the other players needing to be secured to long term contracts who have far more of a role.

I don't think that will be necessary. If anything, they should consider hiring an offensive coordinator to take over bringing in an offense scheme that works today (a good handful of us questioned the effectiveness of a Kubes' ran offense, but the latest positive example is Baltimore two seasons ago). I give Kubes' the most credit for our team being able to bounce back and fight through the playoffs after our loss to the Steelers (that was another example of Brock only playing one half... or Kubes' play calling... but I think it was more Brock not being able to produce once the Steelers started playing more man & bump & run).

But, like I said, after that game, he talked to the players in the locker room and told them that he still believes in them and that he thinks they can still go all the way and asked them, "Are going coming with me?" (or something along those lines. John Fox didn't have that ability (look at loss to Balitmore 4 yrs ago and loses to the Colts). Seems that was all we needed, was a motivator to get these guys to play with a fire in their belly.

[TXBRONC]

True story. They hyped Carolina up the same way they hyped us up vs the Seahawks (still hurts to lose like that in the big game).

I remember.

[TXBRONC]

We can't be any worse on offense. Even during the second coming's epic rein (oz) his numbers were mediocre. More and more I think his running away from the pressure to Houston is a huge blessing is disguise. Sanchez will not lead the league in turnover because kubes won't allow it. And if the the offense isn't better kubes should be fired.
And besides the pundits bs the defense will be fine if not better in some areas. I miss Danny the most but listening to wade he said he only played 30 percent of the snaps. Which makes him amazing to lead the team in tackles but also less of a priority with all of the other players needing to be secured to long term contracts who have far more of a role.

I believe it will be better however, Denver is opening up with four new starters there still may be hiccups.

[dogfish]

cool. . . let the chiefs or raiders have the trophy for best off-season-- it's the only thing they'll ever win. . . we, OTOH, like to win when it counts. . .


:first:

[TXBRONC]

cool. . . let the chiefs or raiders have the trophy for best off-season-- it's the only thing they'll ever win. . . we, OTOH, like to win when it counts. . .


:first:

:nod:

[Simple Jaded]

Throw moar.

#kubiakthangs

:dur:

[TXBRONC]

I don't understand this. Denver should get QB play at LEAST as good as last year.

Sanchez's problem has been that he turns the ball over. If he can keep that under control Denver should actually get better play out the quarterback position.

[TXBRONC]

I was listening/watching Andrew Mason the other day and he was commenting that Lynch becoming the starting quarterback will have less to do with how well Sanchez is doing and more to do with how quickly Lynch develops. I have said all along that if Sanchez is playing well and the team is winning that Kubiak will be hard pressed to replace him but Mason is right, then Sanchez may not remain starter even if he's playing well.

[Joel]

I believe it will be better however, Denver is opening up with four new starters there still may be hiccups.
Agreed, but our line also had four new starters last year, so one could argue its performance has only one direction to go. Sambrailos season-ending injury combined with Mathis and Vasquez playing hurt all year never really gave the line a chance to solidify.

Come to that, it could even be claimed we have "only" two new starters there: By the playoffs, Garcia played about as much as Mathis and, on the other end, Sambrailo started the first three games, albeit at a different position than this year. Presuming he has the strength to face DTs, the speculations he'll be our RG place far less demands on him than LT did; if he's not strong enough, it sounds like we drafted a true G who is, and also has ZBS agility and balance.

So maybe we're back to "the interior's better than our OTs," but Okung's a solid LT when healthy, so if he and Stephenson are good enough Sanchez doesn't wet himself we may surprise even ourselves. We know we're going to lean heavily on CJ and (probably) Booker, with a dash of Hillman to keep the D honest, but all 31 other teams know that, too: We MUST have a Plan B when they sell out on stopping the run.

Even the most innovative offense looks like Martyball when it consistently fails 1st and 2nd down, until reaching the 4th qtr with a deficit of multiple scores turns it into arena league. We're not just swapping linemen for the Hell of it though: Kubiak and Dennison are trying to improve a key unit they, we and everyone else KNOWS is bad. Their track record suggests we're on the RIGHT track, even if we didn't win a SB their first year—oh, wait.... ;)

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

I was listening/watching Andrew Mason the other day and he was commenting that Lynch becoming the starting quarterback will have less to do with how well Sanchez is doing and more to do with how quickly Lynch develops. I have said all along that if Sanchez is playing well and the team is winning that Kubiak will be hard pressed to replace him but Mason is right, then Sanchez may not remain starter even if he's playing well.

It will be interesting to see how it plays out. It will be hard to keep Lynch off the field if he starts to play well with his ridiculous upside, but at the same time messing with the chemistry of a winning team can be dangerous, if we are in a playoff race.

[TXBRONC]

It will be interesting to see how it plays out. It will be hard to keep Lynch off the field if he starts to play well with his ridiculous upside, but at the same time messing with the chemistry of a winning team can be dangerous, if we are in a playoff race.

Exactly, that's why I Kubiak would be hard pressed yank Sanchez if he's playing well and the team.Is willing.

[Simple Jaded]

Agreed, but our line also had four new starters last year, so one could argue its performance has only one direction to go. Sambrailos season-ending injury combined with Mathis and Vasquez playing hurt all year never really gave the line a chance to solidify.

Come to that, it could even be claimed we have "only" two new starters there: By the playoffs, Garcia played about as much as Mathis and, on the other end, Sambrailo started the first three games, albeit at a different position than this year. Presuming he has the strength to face DTs, the speculations he'll be our RG place far less demands on him than LT did; if he's not strong enough, it sounds like we drafted a true G who is, and also has ZBS agility and balance.

So maybe we're back to "the interior's better than our OTs," but Okung's a solid LT when healthy, so if he and Stephenson are good enough Sanchez doesn't wet himself we may surprise even ourselves. We know we're going to lean heavily on CJ and (probably) Booker, with a dash of Hillman to keep the D honest, but all 31 other teams know that, too: We MUST have a Plan B when they sell out on stopping the run.

Even the most innovative offense looks like Martyball when it consistently fails 1st and 2nd down, until reaching the 4th qtr with a deficit of multiple scores turns it into arena league. We're not just swapping linemen for the Hell of it though: Kubiak and Dennison are trying to improve a key unit they, we and everyone else KNOWS is bad. Their track record suggests we're on the RIGHT track, even if we didn't win a SB their first year—oh, wait.... ;)
Four new starters on an OL that included zero starting T's.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

Okung is more than solid when healthy. He's one of the premier LT's in football when healthy.

[Simple Jaded]

Okung is more than solid when healthy. He's one of the premier LT's in football when healthy.

Agreed, I was talking about last seasons New OL.

[VonDoom]

Mike Klis ‏@MikeKlis 17m17 minutes ago

Broncos 2016 over/under win total by Westgate Last Vegas Super Book: 9 1/2 wins. Down a half from last year's 10. #9sports

Mike Klis ‏@MikeKlis 13m13 minutes ago

Other over/under win totals by Westgate LV Superbook: SEA 10.5; PITT 10.5; NE 10.5; ARI 10; CIN 9.5; DEN 9.5; KC 9; OAK 8.5; SD 7. #9sports

Mike Klis ‏@MikeKlis 3m3 minutes ago

Broncos only tied for 9th-best odds to win SB 51 at 18-to-1. NE favored at 6-1. SEA, GB, CAR all 8-1. PITT 9-1. #9sports

[Denver Native (Carol)]

The Denver Broncos have had one of the more interesting off-seasons in the NFL, since their season ended in February after winning Super Bowl 50.

After the club won their third championship in franchise history, the Broncos roster was picked apart by a number of teams around the league.

First, starting quarterback Peyton Manning decided to retire after 18 incredible seasons. That was very little surprise. We had seen over the past few seasons that Manning’s body had started to give out on him, and while his mind was sharp, he was struggling to do the things he used to do with ease.

Then free agency hit, and the player moves really started.

Defensive lineman Malik Jackson opted for more money in Jacksonville.

Linebacker Danny Trevathan and safety Omar Bolden both joined former Denver head coach John Fox in Chicago.

Tight end Vernon Davis and safety David Bruton are now in Washington.

rest - http://sports.yahoo.com/news/experts-predicting-denver-broncos-crash-133058394.html

[TXBRONC]

rest - http://sports.yahoo.com/news/experts-predicting-denver-broncos-crash-133058394.html

Go right ahead and write the Broncos off.