AFC West Denver Broncos
Finished 2004 season 10-6, 2nd place in the AFC West behind the San Diego Chargers, lost to Indianapolis Colts in the Wild Card round of playoffs
Key returning starters:
Jake Plummer - QB
Rod Smith - WR
Al Wilson - LB
Champ Bailey - CB
John Lynch - S
The Broncos are coming off two disappointing seasons of exiting the playoffs in the Wild Card round by the hands of the Colts. Can the addition of the Cleveland Browns defensive front help this team get over the next hurdle and go deep into the playoffs, or will the entire defense suffer as a whole? Can Jake Plummer lead this offense to be a high scoring machine, or will red zone struggles continue?
2004 Stats:
Ranked 5th overall in offense, #3 ranked in AFC
Ranked 4th overall in defense, #3 ranked in AFC
Your thoughts on the Denver Broncos this upcoming 2005 season...strengths/weaknesses and your prediction on where they will finish in the division.
posted by Steve at 7:20 AM
10 Comments:
I think this season the Broncos are going to get to the next step. So far this pre-season, that defensive line from Cleveland looks solid and I think throughout the season, if they can create a pass rush, the opposing QB won't have all day to pick our secondary apart. This will also create more turnovers which is something Denver has lacked in the past couple years.
Offensively, I don't believe the Broncos did anything to improve themselves. The improvement will have to come from their red zone production - no more field goals and no more turnovers. 80% would be a damn good number for the Broncos to achieve in scoring effenciency within the red zone.
It's also an intimidation factor - knowing that if a team gets into the red zone they score touchdowns a lot.
Denver also needs to improve on special teams. How long has it been since the Broncos have returned a kickoff/punt for a TD? Saurebrun is going to improve our punting team 10 fold, not allow our defense in tight spots from poor punts.
Here's something positive for the Broncos...Ian Gold resigned. You now take one of the best LB corps in the league and make them the #1 LB corp in the league.
I'm expecting some exciting things from Denver this season. I think Denver gets past the wild card round of the playoffs but lose in the divisional round. I also don't think Denver wins the division this year, I think they will finish 2nd with an 11-5 record.
1st off these are the three major things the Broncos must get better at if they want to have ultimate success. #1 3rd Down Conversions, got to convert on 3rd downs, it was a thorn in our heel last season not being able to convert on them in crucial situations. #2 Special Teams, Broncos need to get better on special teams. It killed the Broncos last season not having a good returner nor a good punter, they did great work in the off season by picking up Sowerburns from the Panthers, hopefully we can pin some teams back on there own goal line a few times a game and capitalize with scores. #3 RED ZONE OFFENSE - This is the biggest one of them all. If the Broncos can convert more TD's then FG's they will be one of the highest scoring offenses in the NFL hands down. They have the call playing skills to get them down there in the redone they just need to punch it in while we're there. Denver is going to have a tough battle in a damn tough division. 2nd Place. 10-6 The Broncos just have not shown me enough this off season to make the jump from 10-6. Especially after wasting a 3rd rounder on Maurice Clarette.
Yeah Red, I agree with all your points there - another factor in the red zone, which actually came into play against SF - is those damn penalties. I mean a TD was called back because of holding and a 3rd and 2 became 3rd and 22 before too long. Stupid penalties killed us on 3rd down conversions as well as in the red zone.
I am predicting a third place finish for Denver. They took the Browns terrible defense and put a new shirt on them and expect lightning in a bottle. Romeo Crennel is a good judge of talent and was willing to show those guys the door. Jke Plummer is no longer a young QB with potential, he just is not cabale of taking the broncos to the next step. do you really think that they closed the gap on Indy? No, Indy would administer another humiliating spanking on this Bronco team as well. Sorry, no playoffs this year. This team is not in the class with Patriots and Colts or even the Jets.
Yeeeaaahhh baby!! The only problem is we go to the superbowls on the 2(12,22,32) however not 2 so 40 is fine for me. This team has found the additions to cover Reggie Wayne not just Marvin we have a defensive front that will put pressure on QB's +the fastest hardest hitting linebackers in football. Check around if you doubt that. Look our offense is fine the emergence of Tatum is taking a little longer then expected but red zone TD's will happen from the work ethic. Ashley will steal some of Moss's thunder he outran Jakes arm the 2nd play of the Texans game. We are the team to beat in the AFC I know that is a big statement but that is what champions prove. Our time our year!!! Title #3!!
Interesting view Johnny - I would agree they aren't in the same class as the Patriots/Colts at this time, which is why the Broncos will probably not get far in the playoffs again...BUT lets remember we just took the defensive live from the Browns and added additional personnel on defense. If the d-line doesn't pan out, well, the Broncos are in the same situation as they were last season, so does it really hurt them? This team has ranked in the top 5 both offensively and defensively.
Lets look at this, the top 4 offensive teams all had defenses ranked 25th or higher in the NFL
3 of the top 5 defenses last year in the NFL didn't even make the playoffs.
Now I understand it's just your opinion on a 3rd place finish in the west and not making the playoffs, I just don't agree with it based off statistics as well as other teams in the West. KC had the 31st ranked defense in the NFL last season, Oakland was right in front of them @ 30...KC may have improved their defense a little, but Oakland sure took a step back.
San Diego, in part, had success because of their switch to the 3-4 scheme, not seen in the AFC West for quite some time. But it's a natural progression for teams to adjust to that and I don't see that same success this season in SD - Plus the off-field issues with Antonio Gates has brought in un-needed attention to this team. I'm not taking anything away from San Diego...but expectations are awefully high for a QB who has had 1 good season in a short NFL career.
Are you people kidding me? Who wins the division not the Chiefs. Overrated o-that is aging plus that de is still soft. The chargers dont have an easy schedule the Raiders! LOL! We increased the team speed overall and quite frankly johnnysox you know nothing about football cause we can now pressure Manning &cover all his receivers they cant get deep enough behind the best linebackers in football better secondary &a de line that is deep &improved we were three games with less then 30 seconds left from that being a home game. So eat that HATERZZZ!! Wake up 10-6 teams that should have been @ worst12-4 have little room for improvement we were good now we will show greatness the Patties have holes in the middle big gaping holes the Colts have no de still!!!! Home field is the key wake up smell the grass
We can revisit this again after October 16 when the Patriots arrive in Denver to hang an L on the Broncos. Seriously, the Broncos need a huge first half of the season as their 2nd half schedule is brutal starting Oct 30 with the Eagles, at Raiders, Jets, at Dallas, at KC, Ravens. DEC 17 aT Buffalo (tough place in Dec)at Chargers. All very tough games!
Denver fans, don't blame me for my doubts about Broncos chances. Check out these power rankings and see where you are slotted and what the experts say:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/4802386?GT1=6773
They say your mom is a whore Sox
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