Correction for 2009 Schedule Prediction

I just wanted to make a quick correction to my 2009 Broncos schedule predictions. I said that Denver would probably get a Sunday Night Game earlier in the season at Pittsburgh or at San Diego. The Broncos actually host Pittsburgh this year. As I stated in my last post, the Broncos requested to not host any primetime games in 2008. Their fans would rather have their home games be at the normal 2:00pm MST (4:00 in the East). I think Denver will continue to have that treatment, except I think they will get at least 1 home primetime game this year. I think Denver's possible SNF appearance could be an early season matchup at San Diego or a matchup at Indy.

Broncos 2009 Schedule Predictions

The 2009 NFL Schedule won't be released until early April, but I love to try and predict some of the games that will be scheduled for Denver in '09. Here's what I think will be some games that will highlight Denver's 2009 Schedule:

1) The Broncos have opened up on the road every year since the 2005 season (at Miami, at St. Louis, at Buffalo, and at Oakland). The reason this has happened is because on opening weekend of the NFL, CBS is committed to broadcasting the Men's final at the US OPEN in their 4:00 pm window. CBS doesn't air any games against FOX that weekend in the 4:oo slot, so if Denver was to play home at that time (which they have to because of MST), then it can only be against one of the two NFC teams that they host that season. In 2004, Denver hosted KC on opening weekend, but it was the Sunday Night game on ESPN. I think Denver will have a home game for Week 1 and the Giants will draw the Broncos at Mile High. Giants at Denver on FOX for NFL Opening Weekend.

2) Denver always gets a Monday Night Game, so I think the Broncos will get one this year. Pat Bowlen told the NFL last year that Denver fans would prefer primetime games to be on the road instead of home. The Bronco fans prefer the usual Sunday afternoon slot, and the NFL obliged by giving Denver two Monday Night games on the road, Oakland and New England, and a NFL Network Thursday Night game at Cleveland. I think this year Denver gets a home Monday Night game and it will be against New England. Belichick vs. McDaniels in Denver.

3) Denver has gotten a NFL Network Thursday Night game each year since it started in 2006. This year I think Denver gets another one, this time on the road against Oakland.

4) Denver could get a Sunday Night game early in the season. Possible matchups include at Pittsburgh or at San Diego.

2008 NFC Recap

Yesterday, I posted a look back at my 2008 AFC Predictions. I had some good picks (Cleveland falling off the map) and some bad picks (Cincy winning the AFC North). Let's take a look at my NFC predictions....

NFC EAST
1- Philadelphia (11-5)-This one looked shaky when Philly was 5-5-1, but it worked out in the end as Philly made the playoffs as a Wild Card (Finished 9-6-1).
2- Dallas (10-6) I figured the Cowboys would take a step back from 13-3, but they blew the last two games and didn't make the wild card like I predicted (Finished 9-7).
3-New York Giants (10-6) I thought the Giants would get in as a wild card, but I didn't think they would be so dominant as they were when they started 11-1.
4- Washington (7-9) I nailed this predicition. Washington started 6-2, then they faded (Finished 8-8).

NFC NORTH
1-Chicago (10-6) The Bears were there all season, but they couldn't get any help and lost their last game of the season to miss the playoffs (Finished 9-7).
2-Green Bay (8-8) I predicted this one to happen. The Packers lost close games all year long (Finished 6-10).
3-Minnesota (6-10) I got this one wrong. I thought they would struggle, but they took advantage of weak division to win it (Finished 10-6).
4- Detroit (6-10) I knew they would be bad and Rod Marinelli would be gone after the season, but nobody thought they wouldn't win a game.

NFC SOUTH
1-New Orleans (11-5) I was very high on the Saints, and they disappointed all season long and missed the playoffs for second year in a row (Finished 8-8).
2-Carolina (9-7) The Panthers did bounce back and won the division (Finished 12-4).
3-Tampa Bay (7-9) I was correct that the Bucs wouldn't make the playoffs, but they were 9-4 and collapsed at the end (Finished 9-7).
4- Atlanta (3-13) Nobody saw the Falcons coming. Another big surprise in 2008 (Finished 11-5).

NFC West
1-Seattle (11-5) I didn't foresee the injury problems that Seattle had when I made this pick (Finished 4-12).
2-St. Louis (8-8) I thought the Rams would be better, but they were awful all year long (Finished 2-14).
3-Arizona (6-10) I thought Arizona was going to be a disappointing team. I was way off on this one, as they won the division (Finished 9-7).
4- San Francisio (4-12) I correctly predicted the firing of Mike Nolan, but this team played well as the year ended (Finished 7-9).

Here are my 2008 NFC Playoff Predictions:
1-Philly
2-New Orleans
3-Seattle
4-Chicago
5-Dallas
6-New York Giants

NFC Title Game: New Orleans over Philly

Here are teh actual 2008 Playoff Teams:
1-New York Giants
2-Carolina
3-Minnesota
4-Arizona
5-Atlanta
6-Philadelphia

NFC Title Game: Arizona over Philly

*I correctly predicted 2 out of the 6 playoff teams (Giants and Philly).
*I picked Philly to make the NFC Championship game

A Look Back at 2008

At the beginning of the season, every NFL analyst on ESPN or the NFL Network takes a stab at predicting the exact records of all the teams in the league. It is a really hard thing to do. Since I started the blog this year, I figured I would give it a shot. One of the intriguing aspects of the making preseason predictions is the fact that the NFL is such an up and down league. Teams come out of nowhere and teams fall from grace in the matter of one season. My predictions column will be a continuing tradition here at the Bronco Blog. Let's take a look back at my 2008 NFL predictions, and I will throw in some commentary on my picks......

My 2008 AFC Predictions:

AFC EAST
1- New England (12-4)- This was a good pick, however, the Pats didn't win the division and makes the playoffs. Nobody could foresee Brady's injury (Finished 11-5).
2- New York Jets (10-6)-I had the Jets dead on this year. They didn't make the playoffs like I predicited, but they were in the hunt until their collapse (Finished 9-7).
3-Buffalo (5-11)-The Bills ended the season the way I thought they would play all year and out of the playoffs again (Finished 7-9).
4- Miami (4-12)-I was dead wrong on the Fish. Everyone in America who follows football was wrong on them. I thought 4 wins was justified but they shocked everyone (Finished 11-5).

AFC NORTH
1-Cincinnatti (10-6)-This garners my "Worst Pick of 2008." I thought that Cincy would be a sleeper with that offense. Obviously, Carson Palmer's shoulder injury hurt this pick, but this was a terrible pick for me (Finished 4-11-1).
2-Pittsburgh (9-7)-I thought the Steelers would struggle because they had the hardest schedule in the league going into the season. I knew I should have picked them to win the division or at least make the playoffs (Finished 12-4).
3- Cleveland (8-8) I nailed this pick. Everyone loved the Browns going into the 2008. I knew they were going to flop (Finished 4-12).
4- Baltimore (6-10)-I didn't think John Harbaugh would have that much influence on this team in his first year. Also, I didn't see Joe Flacco playing so steady as a rookie QB. Another 2008 shocker (Finished 11-5).

AFC SOUTH
1-Indianapolis (11-5)-I pretty much hit this one. After a slow start, Indy picked it up and made the playoffs as a wild card (Finished 12-4).
2-Jacksonville (9-7) I was right that they wouldn't make the playoffs. Many experts had them in the Super Bowl. I was wrong that they would fall so far (Finished 5-11).
3-Houston (8-8) I nailed this one perfectly (Finished 8-8).
4- Tennessee (6-10) I was totally wrong on this one. Tennessee got off to a good start and won the division title-with Kerry Collins at QB (Finished 13-3).

AFC WEST
1-San Diego (12-4)-I was correct that San Diego would win the division, but I was wrong about how well they would play all year (Finished 8-8).
2-Denver (10-6)-I don't think I am ever going to pick Denver to make the playoffs again in my predictions for a season. This one was looking good when Denver was 8-5 and needed only to win 1 out of their last 3 games to make playoffs (Finished 8-8).
3-Oakland (6-10)-I hit this pick pretty well (Finished 5-11).
4- Kansas City (3-13) I nailed this pick as well (Finished 2-14).

AFC Playoffs:
1- San Diego
2- New England
3-Indy
4- Cincy
5- New York Jets
6- Denver
AFC TITLE GAME: San Diego over Indy

ACTUAL AFC PLAYOFFS:
1-Tennessee
2-Pittsburgh
3-Miami
4-San Diego
5-Indy
6-Baltimore
AFC TITLE GAME: Pittsburgh over Baltimore

*I correctly predicted 1 out of 4 division winners (San Diego)
*I had 2 out of 6 AFC playoff teams correct (SD and Indy)


Tomorrow The NFC Recap

Dre Bly Cut

Denver continued revamping its' defense by cutting veteran Cornerback Dre Bly yesterday. The Broncos have made it clear that basically no one, with the exception of Champ Bailey, is safe from their roster purge. Bly was a two year starter, but in reality he did not live up to his expectations. He was brought in to replace Darrent Williams after Williams was murdered on January 1st 2007. Bly had his moments, but he never really lived up to his billing as a perfect compliment to Champ Bailey.

Broncos Start Trimming the Fat

The Broncos new General Manager, Brian "The X Man" Xanders, started his new job by cutting a half a dozen Broncos. The cuts are DLs Dewayne Robertson and John Engelberger, LBs Jamie Winborn and Niko Koutouvides, TE Nate Jackson, and SS Marquand Manuel. Nate Jackson and Engelberger were Shanahan favorites and it was astonishing that they would make the final 53 man roster the last few years. Players like Koutouvides, Robertson, Manuel and Winborn were all Shanahan personnel moves and none of them worked out at all.

NFL Free Agency 2009-Cornerbacks

The Broncos need to address the cornerback position in the offseason as well. Champ Bailey is still Champ Bailey when he is healthy, but Dre Bly has been nothing short of overrated since coming over via a trade in 2007. Denver traded Dominique Foxworth to Atlanta before the first game of 2008, benched Karl Paymah and went with undrafted rookie Josh Bell for the last half of 2008. None of those moves worked, so the Broncos are in the need of addressing the CB situation. 2008 5th round selection, Jack Williams, maybe a good nickel corner in the future, but let's see what is out there in Free Agency:

1) Nnamdi Asomugha (Raiders)- One of the best corners in the game is not going to leave Oakland to come to the hated Broncos. He will be too expensive.
2) Kelvin Hayden (Colts)- This would be a great pickup for Denver. He might be expensive, but pairing him with Champ would be very helpful to the secondary.
3) Bryant McFadden (Steelers)- The Steelers pass defense was one of the major reasons why their defense was the best in the NFL this year. Anytime you can pry someone away from the Steelers defense is a good move.
4) Dunta Robinson (Texans)- Houston would be crazy to let him go. He is a very solid corner.
5) Corey Webster (Giants)- He has played better every year in the league. He might command a big salary, but he would be a nice fit in Denver.
6) Ron Bartell (Rams)- An underrated player coming from a bad defense. He could be a bargain value special.
7) Leigh Bodden (Lions) - A good player from a terrible team and defense. He could be on his way out and could find a big deal waiting for him.
8) Domonique Foxworth (Falcons)- It was a mistake getting rid of him. He is a good 2nd or 3rd corner. Also, Foxy is a great character guy and a good locker room presence. Bring the Fox back in 2009.
9) Keiwan Ratliff (Colts)- I like him more than most experts, but I can't see Indy losing both him and Hayden. Maybe he is the odd man out.
10) Corey Ivy (Ravens)- He played well in the 2008 playoffs. He would be a nice addition, but you can't expect him to come in and play like a dominant corner.
11) Chris Gamble (Panthers)- Another value player at corner from a good defense. Certainly an upgrade over Dre Bly.

NFL Free Agency 2009-Safeties

The Broncos back end to their defense was just as porous as their front seven. The safety position was a nightmare in 2008. Marlon McCree was a disappointment, Calvin Lowry was flat out awful, Vernon Fox was a non factor, Josh Barrett was young and might not be the answer, and I grew very tired of watching Marquand Manuel get burnt every week. The Broncos need to upgrade the safety spot badly. Here are the top safeties (SS and FS) available in Free Agency:

1) Brian Dawkins (Eagles)- The best safety on the board eventhough he is an older player. Fantastic player to add to the secondary, but I don't think Denver will be able to pay him and afford him.
2) Jermaine Phillips (Buccaneers)- The second best safety on the board. I am sure Tampa Bay will look to bring him back. It will tough for Denver to snag him.
3) O.J. Atogwe (Rams)- I know the Rams defense was awful last year, but Atogwe was a nice player for them. He seemed to always be around the ball and making plays.
4) Atari Bigby (Packers)- He is restricted, but he is a solid safety. He really made a name for himself during Green Bay's 2007 run to the NFC Title Game. He is a physcial player-something that the Broncos lack.
5) Mike Brown (Bears)- I know he always gets injured, but for a stop gap addition, he could be a solid pickup.
6) James Butler (Giants)- Tough to say if Butler is a product of the scheme and system in New York. I am not that sold on him coming to Denver.
7) Jim Leonhard (Ravens)- Fun player to watch, and he had a great 2008 postseason. He might be a product of the system and great defense in Baltimore too.
8) Yeremiah Bell (Dolphins)- I like this player a lot. He really helped that Miami defense this season, and would be a good and affordable addition in Denver.

Free Agency 2009- Outside Linebackers

If Denver is going to a 3-4, then the Broncos need a good pass rusher from the outside. There are rumblings that they could move Elvis Dumervil, but you need to upgrade this position through the draft or free agency. Here are some of the better Outside Linebackers available:

1) Terrell Suggs (Ravens)- The jewel of the OLBs in free agency. Could get franchised by the Ravens, and will be too expensive for Denver.
2) Karlos Dansby (Cardinals)- I think Dansby is a terrific player. If you watched the 2008 playoffs, then you saw Dansby emerge into a possible star. He is going to command a nice salary, but if Denver could swing it, this would be a great move.
3) Tyjuan Hagler (Colts)- I like this player a lot. He could be affordable and come in and make an impact on the Denver defense.
4) Kevin Burnett (Cowboys)- He seems underrated and everytime you watch the Cowboys, you hear his name. I would hope that he doesn't turn into another Boss Bailey for Denver.
5) Leroy Hill (Seahawks)- Maybe he could give you some value at the OLB spot. He probably won't command a high salary. Could be a good run fitter as well.

Free Agency 2009- Inside Linebackers Continued...

4) Eric Alexander (Patriots)- A restricted free agent, but he could be a bargain friendly kind of player. He comes from a 3-4 scheme and would be a solid addition to Denver's linebacker group.

5) Channing Crowder (Dolphins)- He played real well this year for Miami. Another 3-4 inside linebacker. He might get too pricey for Denver's taste, but would certainly help out the run defense.

6) Monty Beisel (Cardinals)- A member of the Super Bowl runner up Cards, could be a good fit in Denver.

7) Napoleon Harris (Vikings)- I always liked Harris, and he was a good piece of the run-stopping puzzle in Minnesota.

8) Jonathan Vilma (Saints)- It is amazing how much Vilma's stock has fell since the 2007 season with the Jets. Originally, he was jettisoned from New York because he didn't fit the 3-4 mold. He was quiet in New Orleans last year. I still think he can play and play effectively.

Free Agency 2009- Inside Linebackers

The Broncos need a player at every level of their defense. They have not had a strong inside/middle linebacker since Al Wilson left the team after the 2006 season. There are some big names on the market this year:

1) Ray Lewis (Baltimore)- The best linebacker free agent out there. He will probably stay with the Ravens or command too big of a salary for Denver to sign him. The Broncos probably would want to go for a younger player as well.
2) Bart Scott (Baltimore)- He will be the odd man out in Baltimore. If Denver goes to the 3-4, this could be a great pickup. He will command top dollar.
3) Mike Peterson (Jacksonville)- Although he had major problems with Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville, he is a solid LB and tacking machine. If he can control his "locker room issues" he could be a significant upgrade for Denver.

Defensive Tackles Continued...

4) Kevin Vickerson (Tennessee)- He is a restricted free agent, but could be one of those players that you could pluck away and settle in a rotation on your D-Line.
5) Shaun Cody (Detroit)- Maybe a change of scenery could help this one time college standout.

NFL Free Agency 2009-Defensive Tackles

Although the defensive end possibilities are not that great for Denver in Free Agency, there could be some talent and hidden gems in the defensive tackle area. Again, the Broncos could be switching to a 3-4 alignment in Mike Nolan's new defensive scheme. If that is the case, then the Broncos would need a really talented nose tackle in the framework of Vince Wilfork in New England. Here are the best DT's available in Free Agency this year:

1) Albert Haynesworth (Tennessee)- One of the best players on the market, it doesn't look like Denver would be able to get him.
2) Gabe Watson (Arizona)- An underrated player who might be able to provide an upgrade for Denver at a decent market price.
3) Jonathan Babineaux (Atlanta)- Another player that is not a household name that could be a find for Denver. Again, another upgrade over current personnell on Denver's D-Line.
4)

Free Agency Time

We all know that February is the worst sports month of the year. Obviously, this is a down time in the NFL offseason too. This month is about teams getting ready for the Scouting Combine and Free Agency. We know that Denver will be active one way or another in Free Agency. Whether they go for the big splash or not, it remains to be seen. The Broncos focus in Free Agency should be on the defensive side of the ball. Let's take a look at some Free Agents that could be a possible fit in Denver:

DEFENSIVE END: The Broncos might switch to a 3-4 under Mike Nolan's new scheme. Here are some DE's that could help:
1) Julius Peppers (Carolina)- He is the jewel of the Free Agent DEs. A talent like him doesn't hit the market every year. The impact pass rusher the Broncos desperately need.
2) Igor Olshansky (San Diego)- A high motor guy. He is a 3-4 defensive end with a nasty streak. It would be nice to pluck someone from the rival Chargers.
3) Chris Canty (Dallas)-

Broncos 2009 Opponents

The Broncos certainly will have one of the toughest schedules on paper in 2009. Of course, the dates and times will be released in the Spring, but at least we know who Denver will face next year. Due to the rotation of divisions in the AFC and NFC, the Broncos draw the AFC North and the NFC East. Those are two of the better divisions in the whole league. Also, with Denver finishing second in the AFC West, their other conference matchups in the AFC East and AFC South are the Patriots and the Colts. From the outset, it looks like a murderous schedule, but you really have no idea if this will have any impact on the 2009 season for Denver. You can't get wrapped up in how everyone did in 2008 when you are looking at the schedule.


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Offseason Blog Schedule

Now that the dreaded NFL offseason has arrived, the Bronco Blog will continue to be open for business. Some of the entries on the blog will include a look back at my 2008 NFL Predictions. Also, I will have a lot of 2009 NFL Draft breakdown information, including mock drafts and outlooks. I want to analyze the free agent period as well. I will relate everything to the Broncos and look at some of the moves Denver will make in the draft or free agency. In addition, I will have some fun trying to make predictions for the upcoming 2009 NFL schedule. I will be blogging as much as I can to try and move this NFL offseason along as quickly as possible.

Super Bowl Recap

Super Bowl XLIII is in the books as the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 27-23 in Tampa on Sunday night. The victory gave the Steelers their 6th Super Bowl title in franchise history. The game was an exciting conclusion to another great NFL season. No sport can match the product of the NFL, and this Super Bowl was a fitting conclusion to a memorable 2008 season. As far a breakdown of the Super Bowl, here are my thoughts on the game: First, if the Steelers would have lost the game, it would have been the biggest meltdown in Super Bowl history. The Steelers had so many chances to put this game away. The biggest was when Pitt couldn't add a touchdown to their 17-7 lead late in the third quarter. They settled for a field goal, and they left the door open for Arizona to come back. Second, Ben Roethlisberger has established himself as an elite Quarterback. He may not be Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, but Big Ben is up there after capturing his second Super Bowl in his five year career. He might not put up the best numbers or sometimes he drives you nuts, but he is a gamer and a winner. When your team is down three points with a little over two minutes to go in the Super Bowl, and your quarterback takes you down the field with big throw after big throw to win the game, he is an elite player. Big Ben has carved his own niche. Third, the Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes play will go down as one of the greatest touchdown plays in Super Bowl history. It was a just a fantastic play on every level. Fourth, Arizona and Kurt Warner were definitely not losers last night. The Cardinals run in the playoffs was amazing, and they certainly should hold their heads up high during the offseason. Warner didn't disappoint and played great in the fourth quarter, and he basically willed his team backed in the game late. Finally, although many people are getting ready to argue that this was the greatest Super Bowl of all time, let's just put a hold to all of that talk. This was a very good game, but this was not a great game. The game was very nondescript and choppy for three quarters. The game was an average to below average game until Arizona started to make their comeback down 20-7. The fourth quarter of this game was exciting and amazing, and it will go down as one of the best fourth quarters ever, but this game lacked the energy and excitement for three quarters before it picked up. At least the game lived up to the hype. Also, the Super Bowl has become a good game every year with some memorable fourth quarters and great finishes. That is all you could ask for in a Super Bowl game. Congrats to the Steelers on their 6th Vince Lombardi trophy

Super Bowl XLIII Recap