Broncos Select Von Miller Number 2 Overall

The NFL Draft began its' three day extravaganza last night. The Broncos selected Von Miller OLB out of Texas A&M with the second pick overall. By Wednesday, Miller to the Broncos really picked up steam, and by Thursday night it was all but a certainty that Denver was going to pick the NCAA's leading sacker. The Broncos desperately needed an impact player in their front seven. The Broncos currrently only have one All-Pro or "Blue Chip" player on their defensive front seven. Elvis Dumervil can't do it all by himself. The last time the Broncos had an All-Pro linebacker was Al Wilson, and he last played in 2006. I do like this pick because I feel that Miller can bring an instant impact to the game. I wouldn't have minded Marcel Dareus, the DT from Alabama, here either, but Denver instantly improves their defense and their pass rush with Miller. Miller will play outsided linebacker in John Fox's 4-3 scheme, and he will be a three down player. Miller will certainly earn his money by rushing the passer off the edge on third down and in nickel situations. People who criticize the pick are saying that Miller is more suited for an OLB in a 3-4 defense and not a 4-3. My response is that I'm pretty sure John Fox knows how to run a defense. He will find a way to get the most out of Miller's skills. Also, the impact of a pass rusher is greater then the impact of a defensive tackle. I like Dareus, but like Glenn Dorsey and Gerald McCoy he might not be able to make an impact right away for the Broncos defense. Miller, if he plays as well as advertised, can get to the QB and rush the passer. It will be a nice compliment to Dumervil coming off the other side. I am just glad Denver made a defensive choice and didn't do anything stupid at number two. I'm glad they didn't take Blaine Gabbert or A.J. Green. They need help badly on defense and their defense just got better last night with the pick of Miller. He has no major off the field concerns or character issues, so let's hope gets going right away in Denver and contributes from the start. Good first pick by the Broncos braintrust of John Elway, Brian Xanders, and John Fox. Now, hopefully Denver can get a solid DT in the second round with one of their two picks. A safety or offensive tackle could also be available with the second of their second round picks. Maybe the Broncos also address their TE position in round three. In any event, I feel the Broncos 2011 draft is off to a good start.

The Inaugural NFL Mock Draft!

I love the draft, and I love reading mock drafts as far back as October. I never actually did a mock draft myself because it is so hard to try and figure out trades and where certain guys are actually going to go. Last year was a perfect example. Many people had San Diego taking Ryan Matthews in the first round, but most people had the Chargers nabbing in late in the first round. The Chargers used some of their later picks and moved up to grab him higher in the first round. That threw off a lot of mock drafts. It is not an exact science, and I don't believe a lot of what teams say around this time, but it is going to be fun and give it a shot. Without further ado, here is my first ever NFL mock draft...........

Round 1:

1. Carolina Panthers select Cam Newton QB, Auburn.

-The Panthers need to make a splash and although they drafted Jimmy Clausen last year, Newton's upside, potential, and instant credibility give the Panthers something to build around.

2. Denver Broncos TRADE with San Francisco 49ers. Denver gets San Francisco's 7th overall, 2nd round pick (45th overall), and 5th round pick (141 overall).

San Francisco 49ers select Blaine Gabbert QB, Missouri.

-The Jim Harbaugh Era begins with a quarterback. The Niners move up from 7th to get Denver's 2nd overall pick. The Niners get their man to lead them into the future.

3. Buffalo Bills select Marcell Dareus DT, Alabama.

-The Bills get the best defensive player on the board to rebuild their awful defensive line. GM Buddy Nix loves the SEC, and he can't pass up on Dareus.

4. Cincinnati Bengals select A.J. Green WR, Georgia.

-The Bengals are ready to move on from both Chad Ochocinco and Carson Palmer. They missed out on Gabbert, but get the top wide receiver in the draft.

5. Arizona Cardianls select Von Miller LB, Texas A&M.

-The Cards will look to add a QB later in the 2nd round and will probably end up with Marc Bulger, so they grab the best linebacker in the draft in Miller. He will immediately improve their pass rush.

6. Cleveland Browns select Julio Jones WR, Alabama.

-The Browns need some offensive firepower and new head coach Pat Shurmur is an offensive coach and GM Mike Holmgren is an offensive guy as well. They have Colt McCoy and Peyton Hillis, and now they add Jones to form a nice trio of skill players on the offensive side of the ball.

7. Denver Broncos select Patrick Peterson CB, LSU.

-The Broncos traded back and still got one of their best players on the board. Denver will use some of their second round picks (3) to address their defensive line and front seven. The Broncos get a big time corner to bookend with All-Pro Champ Bailey.

8. Tennessee Titans select Nick Fairley DT, Auburn.

-The Titans wait on selecting a QB, and they add a potential blue-chipper in Fairley. He might finally be the perfect replacement for Albert Haynesworth.

9. Dallas Cowboys select Tyron Smith T, USC.

-The Cowboys are a still a talented team, so they need to just fill in some spots and they should be competitive in 2011. They need a tackle and they get the best one in the draft.

10. Washington Redskins TRADE with New England Patriots. Washington gets New England's 17th overall selection and New England's 3rd round selection (74th overall).

New England Patriots select Robert Quinn DE, North Carolina.

-Unable to get A.J Green or Julio Jones, Bill Belichick moves up and snags Quinn, who might have been a top-5 pick if he came out last year. The Pats desperately need a pass rusher and they get it with Quinn.

11. Houston Texans select Prince Amukamara CB, Nebraska.

-The Texans need a corner in the worst way, so they go for Amukamara and get him. He should be able to at least help the Texans' secondary is some way as a rookie.

12. Minnesota Vikings select Jake Locker QB, Washington.

-This might be the reach of the draft, but the Vikings can't go into next season with Joe Webb. With the lockout, they might not be able to get Donovan McNabb, so why take the chance. The Vikings need something to build on for the future- especially if they are trying to get a new stadium.

13. Detroit Lions select Aldon Smith DE, Missouri.

-Smith's stock has risen tremendously since the end of last season. He has the potential to be another dominant pass rusher. The Lions will add him with Kyle Vandenbosch and Ndamukong Suh on that suddenly nasty D-Line.

14. St. Louis Rams select Corey Liuget DT, Illinois.

-Liuget is a legit player on the defensive line. The Rams need help on the interior of the line, and Liuget fills that area of need.

15. Miami Dolphins TRADE with San Diego Chargers. Miami gets San Diego's first round pick (18th overall) and San Diego's 3rd round pick (89th overall).

San Diego Chargers select Ryan Kerrigan DE, Purdue.

-A.J. Smith needs some help in the pass rushing department to go alongside Shaun Phillips. They move up to get Kerrigan, a high-motor guy, who was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars select Cameron Jordan DE, California.

-The Jags probably wanted Kerrigan, but they will settle for Jordan, who projects to be a very solid pass rusher, and the Jaguars need help in their pass rush.

17. Washington Redskins select J.J Watt DE, Wisconsin.

-Mike Shanahan moved back too far and missed out on Jake Locker. He will try to get one later in the first round, but he gets a solid DE in Watt, who will be able to help out in the 3-4 scheme.

18. Miami Dolphins select Mark Ingram RB, Alabama.

-A lot of experts have the Fish getting Ingram at some point in this draft. They will lose Ricky Williams, so why not add the best running back in the draft.

19. New York Giants select Anthony Castonzo T, Boston College.

-The Giants need to retool their offensive line, and Castonzo fills that need. He also is versatile and can play guard as well.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Da'Quan Bowers DE, Clemson.

-The Bucs gets Bowers, who falls all the way to number 20 overall. Bowers' mentor was Gaines Adams, the former Bucs first round pick from a few years back. Bowers' knee uncertainty helped in his freefall from a top five pick, but if he is healthy he could really help out that young Buccaneer defense.

21. Kansas City Chiefs select Gabe Carimi T, Wisconsin.

-The Chiefs need help at WR and Tackle, but they will address their need for receiver later on in the 2nd round. They grab Carimi to fill their need at RT.

22. Indianapolis Colts TRADE with the New York Jets. Indianapolis receives the Jets 30th overall selection and the Jets 3rd round selection (94th overall).

New York Jets select Jimmy Smith CB, Colorado

-The Jets have many free agents to sign in the offseason, so they will discard their 3rd round draft pick to move up and get the best cornerback left in the draft. They probably will end up losing Antonio Cromartie, and last year they selected Kyle Wilson, who didn't distinguish himself at all. Smith, has many character concerns, but Rex Ryan won't mind adding him to that locker room. Smith complements Darrelle Revis nicely in the secondary for the Jets.

23. Philadelphia Eagles select Derek Sherrod T, Mississippi State.

-The Eagles miss out on a corner, so they go with Sherrod to help protect Michael Vick and improve that offensive line. The Eagles have two picks in each of the fourth and fifth round, so look for them to move up in the second or third round and make a move for a cornerback.

24. New Orleans Saints select Adrian Clayborn DE, Iowa.

-The Saints need help on the D-Line, so they add a pass rusher, who has a tremendous amount of potential. This could a steal here late in the first round.

25. Seattle Seahawks select Muhammad Wilkerson DL, Temple.

-The Seahawks need to fill a gap on the defensive line and Wilkerson's name has been mentioned at all different spots in the first round.

26. Baltimore Ravens TRADE with Chicago Bears. Baltimore gets Chicago's 1st round pick (29th overall) and their 4th round pick (127th overall).

Chicago Bears select Nate Solder T, Colorado.

-The Bears desperately need help on the offensive line, especially at tackle. They had to address that early on, and they move up to grab Solder. Solder should come in and start right away for the Bears.

27. Atlanta Falcons select Justin Houston DE/OLB, Georgia.

-The Falcons need to add some depth to their pass rush, and Houston could fit that bill and create quite a tandem with John Abraham. At 13-3, there aren't many holes in Atlanta's program, so they just build upon what they have going.

28. New England Patriots select Mike Pouncey C/G, Florida.

-The Pats will probably trade this pick, but if they stay then they grab Pouncey, who instantly helps and starts on their offensive line.

29. Baltimore Ravens TRADE with Washington Redskins. Baltimore gets Washington's 2nd round pick (41st overall).

Washington Redskins select Christian Ponder QB, Florida State.

-Mike Shanahan needs to get a QB in the first few rounds of this draft. Ponder played in a pro-style offense at FSU. Shanahan can have Ponder compete with Rex Grossman, and if there is anyone who can develop quarterbacks, Shanny is one guy that can do it.

30. Indianapolis Colts select Danny Watkins G, Baylor.

-This might be a reach for the Colts to get Watkins, but they need to address their O-Line in the first round.

31. Pittsburgh Steelers select Aaron Williams CB, Texas.

-You can never have enough help in the secondary in today's NFL. The Steelers front seven in superb, but the back end of their defense can be suspect on the corners. Williams is versatile and can possibly play safety too.

32. Green Bay Packers select Cameron Heyward DE, Ohio State.

-The Packers need to add some help on their defensive line, and Heyward could be that guy. He was considered a top-15 pick in the fall, but he drops to the end of the first round. He fills a void left by Johnny Jolly and possibly Cullen Jenkins.

Here are some of my other predictions for other rounds of the draft:

1) Miami Dolphins will end up selecting Andy Dalton QB, TCU in the second round. They will package their 3rd round picks to get into the second and get Dalton.

2) Ryan Mallett will end up going to the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round. Cincy will need to grab a QB, and they will get him in round 2.

3) Tennessee will address the QB situation in the 3rd round when they select Colin Kaepernick out of Nevada.

4) The Broncos should use their 3 second round picks on: Marvin Austin DT, North Carolina, Kyle Rudolph TE, Notre Dame, and Bruce Carter LB North Carolina.

2011 NFL NETWORK THURSDAY NIGHT SCHEDULE

Here is the NFL Network's slate of games for the 2011 season on Thursday Night Football.....

Week 10: 11/10- Oakland at San Diego- 8:20pm

Week 11: 11/17- NY Jets at Denver- 8:20pm

Week 12: 11/24- Baltimore at San Francisco- 8:20pm

Week 13: 12/1- Philadelphia at Seattle- 8:20pm

Week 14: 12/8- Cleveland at Pittsburgh- 8:20pm

Week 15: 12/15- Jacksonville at Atlanta- 8:20pm

Saturday 12/17- Dallas at Tampa Bay- 8:20pm

Week 16: 12/22- Houston at Indianapolis- 8:20pm

-NFL Network at least tries to spread the wealth around and this slate of games is no different.

-Raiders/Chargers is a nice way to start the games off, and the Raiders should be improved.

-I love the Jets at Denver game. It will be a tough game for the Jets and the short week could level the playing field for the Broncos.

-The Thanksgiving game doesn't do much for me, but it will be at least interesting to see the Harbaugh brothers battle each other.

-Philly at Seattle has all the makings of a stinker on December 1st.

-Browns/Steelers is a solid matchup, and I thought that was going to be the TNF Thanksgiving game. I missed it by a week.

-Jacksonville at Atlanta is pretty weak in my opinion on December 15th.

-Dallas always gets the Saturday Night game for NFL Network. They have the last three in a row (Baltimore, at New Orleans, at Arizona).

-Houston at Indy is a nice way to end the schedule because it will be interesting to see if Houston is in the mix for a playoff berth.

-Overall, a decent schedule of games, but not one game really stands out as a must watch game, except for the Broncos-Jets matchup on November 17th of course.

2011 NBC Sunday Night Football Schedule

Here is the Sunday Night Football on NBC schedule for 2011........

Week 1: Thursday Night Opener-9/8: New Orleans at Green Bay

Week 1: 9/11- Dallas at New York Jets- 8:20pm

Week 2: 9/18- Philadelphia at Atlanta- 8:20pm

Week 3: 9/25- Pittsburgh at Indianapolis- 8:20pm

Week 4: 10/2- New York Jets at Baltimore- 8:20pm

Week 5: 10/9- Green Bay at Atlanta- 8:20pm

Week 6: 10/16- Minnesota at Chicago- 8:20pm

Week 7: 10/23- Indianapolis at New Orleans- 8:20pm

Week 8: 10/30- Dallas at Philadelphia- 8:20pm

Week 9: 11/6- Baltimore at Pittsburgh- 8:20pm

Week 10: 11/13- New England at New York Jets- 8:20pm

Week 11: 11/20- Philadelphia at New York Giants- 8:20pm

Week 12: 11/27- Pittsburgh at Kansas City- 8:20pm

Week 13: 12/4- Indianapolis at New England- 8:20pm

Week 14: 12/11- New York Giants at Dallas- 8:20pm

Week 15: 12/18- Baltimore at San Diego- 8:20pm

Week 16: 12/25- Chicago at Green Bay- 8:20pm

Week 17: 1/1- FLEX SCHEDULE GAME- TO BE DETERMINED- 8:20pm

-I picked Chicago at Green Bay for the opener, but I am not surprised that New Orleans was picked to head to Lambeau Field. It is a rare opportunity to start the season with the last two Super Bowl Champions, so the NFL might a good choice with that one.

-I do like the Jets hosting Dallas to start the season, but I'm sorry but the NFL should have went with Jets/Giants on 9/11 on SNF to start the year.

-You knew NBC was going to fight to get Michael Vick's return to Atlanta. Plus, it is Week 2 so the game will be very good early on.

-NBC gets another gem in Week 3. Steelers at Indy is a marquee game in the entire NFL season, and it is going to be center stage early for NBC.

-I love the Week 4 game between the Jets and Ravens. Two AFC powerhouses squaring off on SNF.

-NBC continues its' strong lineup with a great Green Bay at Atlanta game in Week 5. A rematch of last year's NFC Divisional Playoff won by the Packers.

-Week 6 is a little weak for me because I don't think the Vikings are going to have much juice this year. Even if they get Donovan McNabb, they aren't going to command the attention they had the last two years with Brett Favre.

-Week 7 is a great matchup with Peyton Manning returning to his roots at New Orleans. The networks love Super Bowl rematches, and NBC gets a good one as these two teams meet for the first time since Super Bowl XLIV.

-Week 8 gives you the typical NFC East matchup between Dallas and Philly. No surprise there at all.

-Ravens and Steelers deserve to have a SNF matchup and you get one in Week 9.

-Week 10 brings us the Pats and the Jets from the Meadowlands. This is one of the hotter feuds in the NFL, and it definitely deserves its' own SNF game on NBC. This should be a ratings giant for NBC that week.

-The Eagles return to the scene of the crime as they head to New York to take on the Giants in Week 11. Two NFC East contenders meeting is a huge plus for NBC.

-Pittsburgh at KC in Week 12 looks pretty good now, but I am skeptical about the Chiefs this season. That could be a dud on November 27th.

-The rivalry renewed in the NFL and on NBC. SNF gets the Colts-Pats after CBS got it last year. You knew NBC was going to their hands on this game. Plus, it is in early December, so that should add to the importance of it.

-Giants at Cowboys is pretty much a SNF standard at this point. Remember the rule for NBC: When in doubt, just go with the NFC East.

-Baltimore at San Diego is not the sexiest matchup on the schedule, but it definitely has potential to be a huge game in the AFC in Week 15.

-Chicago at Green Bay was my pick for the Thursday Night Opener, but they decided to use it for Christmas Night which is not a bad choice at all. Bears-Packers on Christmas Night in Lambeau sounds like a pretty good matchup for me.

-Week 17 is such a crapshoot that there really is no point in trying to pick which game will be flexed in. Not too many predicted that St.Louis at Seattle would be the choice last year.

2011 Monday Night Football Schedule

Here is the 2011 Monday Night Football lineup on ESPN. I'll add some thoughts on it at the end.

Week 1: Monday 9/12: New England at Miami- 7:15pm

Oakland at Denver- 10:15pm

Week 2: 9/19: St. Louis at New York Giants- 8:30pm

Week 3: 9/26: Washington at Dallas- 8:30pm

Week 4: 10/3: Indianapolis at Tampa Bay- 8:30pm

Week 5: 10/10: Chicago at Detroit- 8:30pm

Week 6: 10/17: Miami at New York Jets- 8:30pm

Week 7: 10/24: Baltimore at Jacksonville- 8:30pm

Week 8: 10/31: San Diego at Kansas City- 8:30pm

Week 9: 11/7: Chicago at Philadelphia- 8:30pm

Week 10: 11/14: Minnesota at Green Bay- 8:30pm

Week 11: 11/21: Kansas City at New England- 8:30pm

Week 12: 11/28: New York Giants at New Orleans- 8:30pm

Week 13: 12/5: San Diego at Jacksonville- 8:30pm

Week 14: 12/12: St.Louis at Seattle- 8:30pm

Week 15: 12/19: Pittsburgh at San Francisco

Week 16: 12/26: Atlanta at New Orleans

Thoughts and opinions:

-Pretty good Monday Night Football lineup. I like the NE/Miami matchup to start the year and lead in to the Denver game.

-It is nice to see the NFL give the Rams some primetime exposure and sending them to the Meadowlands in Week 2.

-Indy at Tampa Bay in Week 4 brings back memories of the famous comeback game by Peyton Manning in 2003.

-Detroit gets a Monday Night game for the first time since 2001, and they get to host the Bears in Week 5.

-You can't wrong with Jets/Dolphins in Week 6.

-I'm not a fan of Baltimore at Jacksonville in Week 7. I don't need to see the Jags on MNF anymore.

-Nice to see Arrowhead get another home MNF game in Week 8 on Halloween vs. San Diego.

-Chicago at Philly in Week 9 on November 7th should be a good matchup.

-I have no interest in Minnesota this season. I was surprised that they got a MNF game at Green Bay in Week 10.

-Kansas City at New England looks good on paper, but by the time these two teams meet in Week 11, KC could be heading for a bad season.

-G-Men at New Orleans should be a good Monday Nighter in Week 12 on November 28th.

-San Diego at Jacksonville is an awful MNF game. Bad choice by ESPN and the NFL for Week 13.

-Can't say that I am pumped for St.Louis at Seattle in Week 14 either.

-If Jim Harbaugh can finally turn around the Niners, then their Week 15 game on December 19th at home against Pittsburgh could be fun.

-The final Monday Night Football matchup pits Atlanta at New Orleans in Week 16. It is the day after Christmas, so it should be a fun setting down in the Superdome. It should be a matchup of two teams fighting for the NFC South crown.

Broncos 2011 Schedule

Here is Denver's 2011 Schedule. I'll post my thoughts and opinions at the end.......

(All times EST)

Week 1: 9/12 vs. Oakland- 10:15pm-ESPN (Monday Night Football)

Week 2: 9/18 vs. Cincinnati- 4:15pm- CBS

Week 3: 9/25 at Tennessee- 1:00pm- CBS

Week 4: 10/2 at Green Bay- 4:15pm- CBS

Week 5: 10/9 vs. San Diego- 4:15pm- CBS

Week 6: 10/16 BYE WEEK

Week 7: 10/23 at Miami- 1:00pm- CBS

Week 8: 10/30 vs. Detroit- 4:05pm- FOX

Week 9: 11/6 at Oakland- 4:05pm- CBS

Week 10: 11/13 at Kansas City- 1:00pm- CBS

Week 11: 11/17 vs. New York Jets- 8:20pm- NFL Network (Thursday Night Football)

Week 12: 11/27 at San Diego- 4:15pm- CBS

Week 13: 12/4 at Minnesota- 4:05pm- CBS

Week 14: 12/11 vs. Chicago- 4:05pm- FOX

Week 15: 12/18 vs. New England- 4:15pm- CBS

Week 16: 12/24 at Buffalo- 1:00pm- CBS

Week 17: 1/1 vs. Kansas City- 4:15pm- CBS

Comments and Opinions:

-Finally, the Broncos open a season at home again! Denver hosts the Raiders on the second game of the MNF season opening doubleheader. I love the fact that Denver opens at home, especially on Monday Night against their rivals. As a fan this is great. Although it will start at 10:15 on the East Coast, I love the fact that I can get home from work and practice, unwind, put my son to bed, and get set up in the man cave for the Broncos' opener.

-Denver gets two primetime games this year. Not too bad for a team that went 4-12 last year. Denver hosts the Jets on NFL Network's Thursday Night Football. As a Broncos fan living in New York, I am really looking forward to this game. The fact that the Jets have to travel to Denver on a really short week, should give the Broncos the advantage.

-The Broncos have a chance to get something going early on. They open at home for their first two games against two winnable opponents (Oakland and Cincy), then they go on the road for two with the Titans being very winnable (at GB will be tough), and they then come home to play San Diego. There is a good chance Denver could be 3-1 heading into the Charger game, and that game is at home, so hopefully Denver could be looking at a 4-1 start.

-After Denver's bye week, the Broncos' schedule gets a little tricky. They have five out of their next seven games on the road. Those trips include Miami, Oakland and Kansas City back-to-back, and San Diego and Minnesota back-to-back. Out of those five road games, Minnesota and Miami are probably the easiest. They are going to have to prove they can win on the road in the AFC West, and they must steal a game or two from their division opponents. That is Denver's toughest stretch right there.

-Their two home games in that period include the Lions and the Jets. They have to win both of those games. The Jet game will be tough, but as I said before, they must take advantage of the short week and long travel for the Jets.

-Denver finishes up with three out of their last four at home. Their final four looks pretty tough (vs. Chicago, vs. NE, at Buffalo, vs. KC), but I don't think the Bears will be as good as they were last season. Plus, throw in the Cutler factor and the Broncos and their crowd should be very motivated for that one. New England and Tom Brady always struggle in Denver. The weather could be brutal in Buffalo on Christmas Eve, but there aren't high expectations for the Bills in 2011, and the Broncos always play well against KC in Denver.

-Here is how I look at it for Denver to make the playoffs: They must be at least 4-1 going into their bye week. They must take at least two out of their next five games (I would give them Detroit and the Jet game) to put them at 6-4. Then, the Broncos have to split their next two games (I will give them the win in Minnesota) to put them at 7-5 heading into the end of the season. Denver then can go 3-1 in their final four games (Wins against Chicago, at Buffalo and home vs. KC) to finish 10-6 and sneak in as a wild card.

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Schedule Release Predictions

The NFL announced that they will release their 2011 schedule on Tuesday. I have to admit I'm not that excited as I normally am about this year's schedule release. The lockout has really put a damper on one of my favorite offseason activities. I just can't get too pumped up about a slate of games that might not even be played. I commend the league for releasing the schedule like they normally do, but as long as the lockout continues, at this point it will be going for the foreseeable future, I'm going to be pessimistic about the 2011 NFL season. With that said, let's give it a shot at some 2011 schedule predictions.

Thursday Night Opener:

Chicago at Green Bay (NBC)

Sunday Night Opener:

Pittsburgh at Indianapolis (NBC)

Monday Night Football:

Game 1- Philadelphia at Atlanta (ESPN)

Game 2- San Francisco at Seattle (ESPN)

Thanksgiving Games

Minnesota at Detroit (FOX) 12:30pm

Miami at Dallas (CBS) 4:00 pm

Cleveland at Pittsburgh (NFL Network) 8:00pm

Christmas Night NBC

Tampa Bay at Green Bay

Primetime Appearances(MNF, SNF, TNF)

Green Bay, Dallas, Giants, Philly, Chicago, New England, NY Jets, Pittsburgh, Indy- 4

Baltimore, Atlanta, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, San Diego, Washington-3

Kansas City, Oakland, Detroit, Minnesota, Seattle, San Francisco, St. Louis, Houston-2

*BRONCOS SCHEDULE PREDICTIONS:

-Denver will open on the road again. This time I think they head to Tennessee for one of the early games on CBS on 9/11.

-I can't expect Denver to get any primetime games this year. If they get one it could be a Monday Night game at home vs. Chicago.

-If Bears at Denver doesn't go primetime, look for that to be the anchor game on a FOX doubleheader weekend.

-Denver could get as many as six early games this year. Only at GB and at KC could be start late on the East Coast.

-Denver got the dreaded "3 Straight Road Games" deal last year, so I wouldn't expect them to get it that road trip again this season.

We will find out the schedule tomorrow, and I will post all my thoughts on the schedule and the Broncos 2011 table as soon as it gets released.

Sorting Out the Broncos QB Conundrum

When we last saw the Denver Broncos in action, Tim Tebow's final hail mary pass had fallen incomplete in a valiant, last-minute comeback against San Diego in the 2010 season finale. The loss put the final touches on a dreadful 4-12 campaign that saw Josh McDaniels get fired in early December. There were some glimpses of hope at the end of the season, and the brightest gleam was no other than Tebow himself. He had done some really nice things in his three starts to end the season. Of course, he made some mistakes, but all of the errors were mistakes that most rookie QBs in the NFL make in their first three starts. Yes, he was unpolished in the pocket and his footwork needs work, but his mobility was there, and he could make all the throws that are needed at the NFL level. Tebow's shining moment came in his second start. He lead Denver to a comeback victory over Houston. Denver trailed 17-0 at the half and 23-10 going into the fourth quarter. Tebow mixed in some running and throwing to finish off the Texans and scored the game winning touchdown on a scramble to give Denver the 24-23 triumph. Everyone, including myself, in Broncos country was psyched about the future going forward with Tim Tebow. He was the new hope for a franchise that had really lost its' way. The Broncos started a new regime with John Elway as VP, Brian Xanders as GM, and John Fox as the new HC. Things looked like they were falling into place at Dove Valley. A lot of experts and observers felt that Denver would trade Kyle Orton for a 2nd, 3rd or 4th round draft pick in this year's draft. We would use that extra pick as well as the number two overall pick to stockpile talent for our depleted and terrible defensive unit. It was assumed that the Broncos would go forward with Tebow, and many fans were very excited and happy for that, but a funny thing happened along that path. Elway, Xanders, and Fox didn't exactly see it that way. They came out at the Super Bowl and stated that everyone can't assume that Orton is going to be traded. At the combine, all three of them claimed that Orton was the Broncos starting QB (I take that with a grain of salt), and Tebow has a lot of prove still as an NFL QB. Then, the Broncos started to workout and visit with pretty much every QB prospect that could be picked in the first three rounds of April's draft. That is when everyone started writing reports that the Broncos brain trust doesn't believe in Tebow. Radio shows started interviewing experts who "heard" that the Bronco front office doesn't love Tebow as an NFL QB. Elway and company were spotted at Blaine Gabbert's and Cam Newton's pro days. They scheduled private workouts with each. Also, they worked out Jake Locker, Christian Ponder, Colin Kapernick, and Andy Dalton. The speculation has started to build and there were rumors that Elway was in love with Newton's ability. There were reports that the Broncos will definitely address the QB position in the early second or third round with a guy like Kaepernick or Ponder. There were even thoughts that Denver will trade back up into the first round to nab someone like Locker. Elway and Xanders kept fueling the flames when they said that they don't know if Tebow is that franchise guy yet. They are keeping their options open and looking at all QBs in the draft because maybe one of those guys is a potential franchise guy. Elway even came out and said that it is not a smokescreen at all. So where does all of this leave the Broncos and their QB conundrum? My take is that it is not a smokescreen. When you are picking second overall, you have to look at everyone that is available and considered top 10-15 talent. That means that Denver should look closely at Gabbert and Newton. With two second round picks, perhaps Locker could be an option for them or they could use that as ammunition to move up and get him. Perhaps if Kaepernick falls to them in round three, they will jump on it. Whatever the case, at least Elway is coming into this new job as VP with an open mind and not taking the safe and cautious route. Here is my one problem with all this QB talk: There is not one QB in this draft that is a sure thing. In addition, none of these guys in the draft are really a better option at QB then what we currently have on the roster. None of these guys are Matt Stafford, Sam Bradford, or even Mark Sanchez. None of them are really pro ready either. Gabbert is a spread QB who has a lot of questions and never really dominated his own conference. For all the upside that Newton has, he is about the same type of player as Tebow. Plus, Newton's off the field concerns make people very nervous (See Young, Vince). Locker is raw and not polished at all and his stock has plummeted in the past year. Ryan Mallet has no moblilty and reminds everyone of Ryan Leaf. Kapernick is a project, and Ponder is injury prone. What is there to love about this class? It is not like Andrew Luck is in this draft. None of these guys jump out at me or anyone who should be evaluating QBs. Now, if you are Carolina, and you need something to desperately jumpstart your team, then taking Newton or Gabbert makes sense. If you are Arizona, and your QB options on Derek Anderson and John Skelton, then Newton or Gabbert makes sense. If you are the Titans, and your options are Kerry Collins or Rusty Smith, then taking a QB makes sense. It doesn't make sense if you are the Denver Broncos. Trust me. The Broncos haven't had a decent defense since the 2005 season. They can't stop the run the last four years, have no pass rush outside of Elvis Dumervil, and they are old and slow all over the place in that defense. They need defense and impact players on defense badly. They will get their chance at one in this year's draft. Von Miller, Patrick Peterson, and Marcel Dareus could all start in Denver next year and really improve their defense in a heartbeat. With two second round picks, Denver could easily pick at least one more defensive starter in the second round to go along with whomever they get at number two overall. The Broncos really don't need to draft a QB in this draft. Even if they go into the season with Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow battling it out, it is a better option drafting a young QB and seeing if he will develop. The way that John Fox wants to build his team is to get a good defense, a punishing running team and win games with scores like 17-10 or 20-13. That is fine with me, and sticking with Tebow is the perfect way to begin to implement that approach. I'm sorry you really can't evaluate Tebow on three games of action last year. Tebow had no help, especially with an awful defense, a team playing out the string, and no running game. Once again it makes sense to look at all the QBs in the draft, but it doesn't make sense to draft one of these guys to replace Orton, Tebow or both. It makes sense to go into next season with Orton and Tebow. It doesn't make sense to spend first round picks back to back years on a QB. I hope that things get sorted out and the Broncos do the right thing. Hopefully, the Panthers remove some doubt from the situation and draft either Newton or Gabbert number one. Then, let's hope that Elway and company make the right move and select either Dareus, Miller or Peterson and start their new regime off with a bang. Hopefully, rounds two and three produce another defensive player, and even a tight end or running back. Put it this way, if I see Cam Newton, Blaine Gabbert, Jake Locker, or even Colin Kaepernick on the television, picking up a call on his cell phone, and then donning a Broncos cap, things will be flying across my man cave, and the language will be foul. That can't happen this draft. Do the right thing Elway. Make the right call. Forget the QB conundrum you have drummed up. Give Tebow a shot because I really think you won't regret it.

2011 Draft Defensive Player Rankings cont...

FREE SAFETY 1-Rahim Moore- UCLA 2-Chris Culliver- South Carolina 3-Marcus Gilchrist- Clemson 4-Quinton Carter- Oklahoma 5-Jaiquawn Jarrett- Temple 6-Will Hill- Florida 7-Dejon Gomes-Nebraska 8-Jeremy Kellem-Middel Tennessee State 9-Mark LeGree-Appalachian State 10-Brian Lainhart- Kent State STRONG SAFETY 1-Deunta Williams- North Carolina 2-DeAndre McDaniel- Clemson 3-Robert Sands- West Virginia 4-Tyler Sash- Iowa 5-Chris Conte- California 6-Joe Lefeged- Rutgers 7-Shiloh Keo- Idaho 8-Nate Williams-Washington 9-David Sims- Iowa State 10-Ahmad Black- Florida

2011 Draft Defensive Player Rankings

Here is the National Football Post's 2011 NFL Draft Defensive Player Rankings: DEFENSIVE ENDS 1-Robert Quinn DE North Carolina 2- Aldon Smith DE Missouri 3-Cameron Jordan DE California 4-DaQuan Bowers DE Clemson 5-J.J. Watt DE Wisconsin 6-Adrian Clayborn DE Iowa 7-Cameron Heyward DE Ohio State 8-Jabaal Sheard DE Pittsburgh 9-Ryan Kerrigan DE Purdue 10- Justin Houston DE Georgia DEFENSIVE TACKLES 1-Nick Fairley DT Auburn 2-Marcell Dareus DT Alabama 3-Drake Nevis DT LSU 4-Stephen Paea DT Oregon St. 5-Corey Liuget DT Illinois 6-Marvin Austin DT North Carolina 7-Jurrell Casey DT USC 8-Phil Taylor DT Baylor 9-Kendrick Ellis DT Hampton 10-Muhammad Wilkerson DT Temple OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS 1-Von Miller OLB Texas A&M 2-Akeem Ayers OLB UCLA 3-Mason Foster OLB Washington 4-Martez Wilson OLB Illinois 5-Bruce Carter OLB North Carolina 6-K.J. Wright OLB Mississippi State 7-Quan Sturdivant OLB North Carolina 8-Brian Rolle OLB Ohio State 9- Dontay Moch OLB Nevada 10-Lawrence Wilson OLB Connecticut INSIDE LINEBACKERS 1-Kelvin Sheppard ILB LSU 2-Josh Bynes ILB Auburn 3-Colin McCarthy ILB Miami-Florida 4-Scott Lutrus ILB Connecticut 5-Nate Irving ILB NC State 6-Casey Matthews ILB Oregon 7-Chris White ILB Mississippi State 8-Greg Jones ILB Michigan State 9-Alex Wujciak ILB Maryland 10-Nick Bellore ILB Central Michigan CORNERBACKS 1-Patrick Peterson CB LSU 8.5 J 02 Brandon Harris CB 5-11 195 Miami-Florida 7.0 J 03 Prince Amukamara CB 6-1 205 Nebraska 7.0 04 Curtis Marsh CB 6-1 193 Utah State 6.8 D 05 Curtis Brown CB 6-0 184 Texas 6.8 B 06 Jimmy Smith CB 6-2 205 Colorado 6.6 C 07 Rashad Carmichael CB 5-11 186 Virginia Tech 6.5 B 08 Brandon Burton CB 6-0 185 Utah 6.4 J 09 Aaron Williams CB 6-1 195 Texas 6.4 D J 10 Johnny Patrick CB 6-0 190 Louisville 6.4 FREE SAFETY

Draft Positional Cheat Sheet

It has been awhile since I last posted due to the lockout in the NFL. I promised a positional breakdown of each position. One of the things I like about fantasy drafts is the cheat sheets that each person could use to help them identify the best players at each position. I figured this would have been a great platform to create a kind of reference cheat sheet to help figure out which players are ranked the best at each position. I think the best draft expert is Mike Mayock from NFL Network. Unfortunately, it is difficult to gather his positional breakdowns from him. The next expert to value is Mel Kiper. Kiper's big board is available on ESPN.com, but he doesn't seem to have a position by position breakdown or rankings. I'm not a Todd McShay fan, so I'll dismiss his rankings. That leaves us with Wes Bunting and the group at National Football Post. I really enjoy their rankings and analysis of prospects. Here are their offensive player rankings by position for the 2011 NFL Draft: QUARTERBACKS 1-Christian Ponder QB Florida State 2-Blaine Gabbert QB Missouri 3-Jake Locker QB Washington 4-Cameron Newton QB Auburn 5-Ryan Mallett QB Arkansas 6-Ricky Stanzi QB Iowa 7-Andy Dalton QB TCU 8-Colin Kaepernick QB Nevada 9-Greg McElroy QB Alabama 10-Tyrod Taylor QB Virginia Tech RUNNING BACKS 1-Mark Ingram RB Alabama 2-Mikel Leshoure RB Illinois 3-Ryan Williams RB Virginia Tech 4-Shane Vereen RB California 5-Jamie Harper RB Clemson 6-Kendall Hunter RB Oklahoma State 7-Jordan Todman RB Connecticut 8- Delone Carter RB Syracuse 9-DeMarco Murray RB Oklahoma 10-DaRel Scott RB Maryland 11-Graig Cooper RB Miami-Florida 12-Allen Bradford RB USC 13-Bilal Powell RB Louisville 14-Roy Helu Jr RB Nebraska 15-Mario Fannin RB Auburn WIDE RECEIVERS 1-A.J. Green WR Georgia 2-Julio Jones WR Alabama 3-Jon Baldwin WR Pittsburgh 4-Titus Young WR Boise State 5-Leonard Hankerson WR Miami-Florida 6-Jerrel Jernigan WR Troy State 7- Randall Cobb WR Kentucky 8-Niles Paul WR Nebraska 9-Torrey Smith WR Maryland 10-Tandon Doss WR Indiana 11-DeAndre Brown WR Southern Miss. 12-Terrance Toliver WR LSU 13-Greg Little WR North Carolina 14-Edmund Gates WR Abilene Christian 15-Austin Pettis WR Boise State TIGHT ENDS 1-Kyle Rudolph TE Notre Dame 2-Jordan Cameron TE USC 3-Luke Stocker TE Tennessee 4-Lance Kendricks TE Wisconsin 5-D.J. Williams TE Arkansas 6-Weslye Saunders TE South Carolina 7-Julius Thomas TE Portland State 8-Lee Smith TE Marshall 9-Stephen Skelton TE Fordham 10-Virgil Green TE Nevada CENTERS 1-Stefen Wisniewski C Penn State 2-Mike Pouncey C Florida 3-Tim Barnes C Missouri 4-Brandon Fusco C Slippery Rock (PA) 5-Zane Taylor C Utah 6-Alex Linnenkohl C Oregon St. 7-Ryan Pugh C Auburn 8-Kristofer ODowd C USC 9- Jake Kirkpatrick C TCU 10-Ryan McMahon C Florida State GUARDS 1-Danny Watkins OG Baylor 2-Jason Pinkston OG Pittsburgh 3-Will Rackley OG Lehigh 4-Clint Boling OG Georgia 5-Stephen Schilling OG Michigan 6-Rodney Hudson OG Florida State 7-DeMarcus Love OG Arkansas 8-Andrew Jackson OG Fresno State 9-John Moffitt OG Wisconsin 10-Andrew Phillips OG Stanford TACKLES 1-Tyron Smith OT USC 2-Gabe Carimi OT Wisconsin 3-Derek Sherrod OT Mississippi State 4-Benjamin Ijalana OT Villanova 5-Anthony Castonzo OT Boston College 6-Nate Solder T Colorado 7-Marcus Gilbert T Florida 8-James Carpenter T Alabama 9-Marcus Cannon T T-C-U 10-David Mims T Virginia Union FULLBACKS 1-Henry Hynoski Pittsburgh 2 Owen Marecic FB Stanford 3 Stanley Havili FB USC 4 Anthony Sherman FB Connecticut 5 Shaun Chapas FB Georgia