Broncos Preseason Game #3 Review

There is a lot to take in about the Broncos game against the Texans on Saturday night. The fact that they lost the game 18-17 is meaningless. The two big stories that come from this game is the fact that Peyton Manning got his rhythm going with new wideout Emmanuel Sanders, and Wes Welker suffered another concussion. That is all you really need to take from this game. Here are my quick thoughts on the game...

1) Manning looked good once again this preseason. His 67 yard touchdown pass to Sanders in the second quarter was a thing of beauty. He followed it up with a sweet 29 yard touchdown pass to Sanders again later in the quarter. The Broncos are going to need Sanders to step up in their passing game this year.

2) Wes Welker suffered his 3rd concussion in the last 10 months. It sounds like Welker is in good spirits and there is a chance that he will be able to play Week 1. There is a lot that has to happen before we get there, but you hope Welker is okay for the Indy game. If he can't go, then you just hope he doesn't have any setbacks and can play as quickly as possible. We know how important he is for this offense and for Manning, and hopefully he can comeback and play well and stay healthy.

3) I love that Manning drew a taunting penalty for yelling at Houston defender D.J. Swearinger after throwing a touchdown pass to Sanders the play after Swearinger knocked out Welker. It is good to see Manning get feisty like that, and maybe that is a harbinger of the way Manning acts and feels as the season progresses.

4) The Broncos finish off the preseason with a game at Dallas. Most of the big name starters won't be in action, but the game will be big for some guys on the fringe of the roster. I'll have a final breakdown of the Broncos 53 man roster selection once that becomes official.

Broncos Preseason Game 2 Review

The Broncos defeated the Niners 34-0 in Week 2 of the preseason on Sunday. The good news is that the Broncos are now 2-0 in the preseason and their first team offense scored 10 points on the Niners, but the bad news is that it is the preseason and that means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things. Here are my quick thoughts on the game...

1) Peyton Manning and the first team offense looked really good in their two drives on Sunday. Manning finished 12-14 for 102 yards and a 17-yard touchdown pass to Julius Thomas to finish the day. I know the 49ers were playing a very vanilla defense, but it is nice to see the first team move the ball and score points when they were out their out there.

2) If there was one guy on the first team defense that stood out it was LB Brandon Marshall. He is getting the chance to replace injured LB Danny Trevathan, and I thought Marshall really played well. If the Broncos can get something out of him the first five or six weeks when Trevathan is out, then that will be a good sign for the defense going forward.

3) The Broncos looked pretty sharp on offense and defense but remember that these teams play each other on October 19th, so their is no way that the 49ers are going to show Manning anything before they meet up on that date.

4) You have to give Brock Osweiler some credit for his performance. He played well (10-13 for 105 yards and 1 TD) and he generated a couple of scoring drives. He threw a great touchdown pass to Cody Latimer in the the 3rd quarter to give the Broncos a commanding 24-0 lead. We know that whatever Osweiler does in preseason won't matter until he finally becomes the starter, but it was good to see him come in and play well.

5) The Broncos have to happy that they won in convincing fashion, but the big picture is that the 49ers will be a really tough game for them in October, and this matchup really meant nothing in relation to the game that counts when they play in Denver.

Trevathan Out 6-8 Weeks

Arguably, one of the most important players on the Broncos defense-WLB Danny Trevathan-will miss anywhere from 6-8 weeks after suffering a fracture in the bone just below his knee on Tuesday during a training camp practice. Apparently, it looked really bad as it happened and it looked like he might be lost for the season, but ultimately it was only a fracture and that should shelve Trevathan until at least the Broncos bye week in Week 4 of the season. Look for Trevathan to return to action either in Week 5 at home vs. Arizona on October 5th or Week 6 at the Jets on October 12th.

Broncos Preseason Game 1 Review

The Broncos defeated the Seahawks in the preseason opener last night 21-16 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The game featured a 45 minute lighting delay and 25 combined penalties. There were so many penalties that I actually considered just turning the game off in the first quarter and boycotting it. It was that bad. Onto the game, where the Broncos exact some revenge from last year's Super Bowl defeat......

1) Peyton Manning looked really good and in sync with Demaryius Thomas. Manning finished 10-13 for 78 yards and led the team to a touchdown on their second drive of the game. Thomas finished with 5 catches for 52 yards on two series. It was a nice start to the preseason for this offense.

2) Brock Osweiler got the rest of game for the Broncos and it was up and down to say the least. It is really hard to know if Osweiler is the answer post-Manning, but he ended his evening with a 34 yard touchdown pass to Jordan Norwood to give Denver the lead for good in the 4th quarter. He did throw a bad interception and finished 6-12 for 85 yards. The bottom line is that the jury is still out on Brock.

3) Another young standout on offense was RB Juwan Thompson. The undrafted rookie really improved his chances of making the team with a solid night on the ground. 

3) A few defensive players stood out for the Broncos. Demarcus Ware made his presence known in his two series. T.J. Ward was an animal all over the field. He looked dominating at times. As I said a few months, he might be the best offseason addition to this team. 

4) DT Marvin Austin has become a story in training camp and it carried over to last night's game. He was all over place, penetrating at will, and added a sack to boot. Look for Austin to get more rotational reps with the first team defense. He could become a huge factor this year.

5) The game was ugly and sloppy at times, but that is what you expect out of the first preseason game. The Broncos scored a touchdown with their first team offense, showed some good things on defense, won the game, and came out healthy. I'll take that for a preseason opener. 

Pat Bowlen Steps Down in Role as Broncos Owner

The Broncos started training camp on a somber note as Pat Bowlen steps down from day-to-day responsibilities as the Owner of the Broncos due to his battle with Alzheimer's Disease. It has been speculated for a long time that Bowlen was suffering from this horrible condition, but yesterday the Broncos and Bowlen's family made it official. Bowlen will no longer be at the Broncos facility and he is stepping away from his ownership duties to fight the illness. Bowlen still owns the Broncos, and he intends to keep the team in his family. One of his five children will eventually take control as Owner of the franchise, but that is something that is down the road. Joe Ellis will replace Bowlen's Chairman duties on a day-to-day basis. Ellis has become the defacto Owner of the Broncos the past few years as Bowlen's condition has worsened. Ellis even made the trip to the Owner's Meetings a few months ago in Bowlen's place. It is definitely a sad day for the Broncos and their fans, and John Elway's emotional press conference was an example of that. Bowlen was one of the best owners in the entire NFL and in professional sports. I always told people that were fans of other teams that the reason why the Broncos have been so successful in my lifetime is that Bowlen is a great owner and it starts at the stop. Since 1984, the Broncos have the second highest winning percentage in the NFL. They have been to the playoffs 16 times, won 11 AFC West crowns, appeared in 6 Super Bowls, and won 2 Super Bowls. Bowlen always seemed to "get it" as an owner. He would do what he had to do to help the Broncos succeed. If that meant hiring the right coaches or getting the best players he did what it took to make the Broncos a competitive team every year. If it wasn't for Bowlen's leadership and vision, then who the hell knows what type of franchise the Broncos would be. Also, Bowlen did a great job of staying out of  the spotlight. He hired people, trusted them, and stood by their work and decisions. He was really the perfect type of owner in that regard. On a league scale, Bowlen was a visionary in terms of growing the NFL. He was instrumental in adopting free agency and he came up with the idea of the Franchise Tag to protect teams from losing start players. He was very important in growing the game on the television side and adding NFL football to the primetime structure that it dominates in today's landscape. He surely is a Hall of Famer by any standards.

 The Broncos won't change much now that he has stepped down. Joe Ellis has been running the business side for the past few years, and John Elway is running the football side. Ellis will have final say on big decisions that Elway presents to him-just like it has been for the past few years. The key question will be in the future when Bowlen passes his ownership down to one of his children. It will be interesting to see how that dynamic plays out, but that is a discussion for the future not now. The Broncos are still in good hands with the current situation they are in, and there is no reason to see that changing in the near future. The best way to honor Bowlen this season is to go out and win a Super Bowl for him and claim "This one's for Pat."

Denver Broncos 2014 Training Camp Preview

The Broncos will begin the run at Super Bowl XLIX in Glendale, Arizona this Wednesday as they open up training camp and the 2014 season begins. The Broncos enter training camp a much different team that entered last year's Super Bowl. Denver looks to defend their AFC Championship crown and add another Lombardi Trophy in the ashes of the Super Bowl debacle at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks. To say that training camp is meaningless is very inaccurate. This is where the team comes together, puts in the work, and establishes itself as it prepares for the real games to start in September. Here is a little primer as we get set to officially start the 2014 season.

Where We Left Off: The last time we saw the Broncos, they were walking off the field at Metlife Stadium under a sea of confetti as the Seahawks thoroughly destroyed them 43-8 in the Super Bowl. As hard as that game was to watch, the worst part was just how badly they played and how it marred such a wonderful 2013 season. The Broncos got their asses handed to them that day and suffered a record 5th Super Bowl defeat in franchise history, but you could tell from that game that they will use that as motivation all year-especially as they start training camp this week.

What Happened Since: For the third straight year, the Broncos made plenty of headlines in the offseason. They signed Aqib Talib, T.J. Ward, and DeMarcus Ware to shore up their defense. They also added Emmanuel Sanders to their receiving corps. They had CB Bradley Roby drop to them at #31 in the first round of the NFL Draft in May. On the other hand, the Broncos lost several key players from their 13-3 squad a year ago. Eric Decker, Knowshon Moreno, and Zane Beadles all left their record-setting offense via Free Agency. Denver also lost key players on defense like Wesley Woodyard, Shaun Phillips, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and of course Champ Bailey. That is a lot of turnover for a team that went to the Super Bowl. The feeling is that the players they signed and the combination of younger guys stepping up will replace those players that left, but only time will tell. Some of the new guys have a lot to prove to replace some of those key contributors from last year's team.

Position Battles at Camp: It seems like every year we start this section by talking about the MLB position. Denver never really seems to adequately address this spot. In camp, the battle will involve Nate Irving, Steven Johnson, and rookie Lamin Barrow all seemed to be battling for this spot. If one of them doesn't win it outright, then don't be surprised to see the Broncos find a veteran to sign to fill that spot late in the preseason. Another spot to look at is at LG. Denver is trying to move RT Orlando Franklin over to that spot to replace Beadles. If that doesn't work out, then look for the possibility of Manny Ramirez moving over there from center.

Surprise Roster Cuts: I don't know if this would be a major surprise, but I could see Andre Caldwell being a casualty. If rookie 2nd round pick Cody Latimer steps up in camp, then maybe Caldwell gets whacked. Also, don't be surprised if a veteran like Kevin Vickerson gets shown the door if some of the younger guys on the defensive line play well in camp and if Vickerson can't fully recover from his hip injury that ended his 2013 season.

Out of Nowhere Players: This name was brought up in OTAs and it is worth watching during camp: Isaiah Burse. He is an undrafted free agent WR out of Fresno State. Burse could make an impact in the return game, and don't be surprised if he dazzles once he gets on the field with the rest of those receivers.

Biggest Questions That Need To Be Answered: What is the mental makeup of this team? After doing everything that they were supposed to do in 2013 (13-3 record, #1 seed in AFC, AFC Champions) this team got embarrassed in the Super Bowl by the Seahawks. It is very hard to go back to square one and make it back to the Super Bowl after losing the year before. Does this team have it in them to get back? Can they get that game out of their minds and focus on the week-to-week grind of a NFL season? We all know that Peyton Manning will be focused and hungry to get to the Super Bowl and finish the job this time, but can everyone else on the roster follow his lead? That is the question that will plague the Broncos all year, and it won't be answered until next February in Arizona.

Broncos Summer Mailbag

There are certain periods of time during the NFL offseason that are slower than the others. This time of the year is one of the slowest times for the Broncos and the rest of the NFL. Free agency is done, the draft is in the rearview mirror, and teams have completed their OTAs and mini-camps. Now, the players will depart for the summer, and the next time they return it will be the end of July and training camp will begin. This seems like a good spot to look at some questions that remain for the Broncos as we head towards the summer and the eventual start of training camp.

Now that the dust has settled, which free agent acquisition looks like it will work out the best for the Broncos? The reports from OTAs are that Demarcus Ware and Aqib Talib look really good and primed to stand out for the Broncos this year. I agree with that, but from day one the move I liked the most was the Broncos getting T.J. Ward to fill a need at safety. There is some talk that Ward could even play down in the box as a nickel linebacker. I think he could be a real presence for this defense. Watch for Ward once the season starts.

Which draft pick seems the most likely to contribute this year? I think this is an easy one but it looks like Bradley Roby will get a lot of playing time come Week 1. Chris Harris is recovering from knee surgery, and Roby will probably beat out Kayvon Webster for the 3^rd CB spot and play in nickel situations early on. If Harris can’t be ready by Week 1, then look for Roby to possibly start opposite Talib.

Who could be this year’s Julius Thomas? At this time last year, all we heard about was the progress of Julius Thomas at TE. Many fans, myself included, didn’t buy into it right away because there is always talk of certain players standing out during OTAs, and then they don’t do anything once the season starts. Thomas was the star of last year’s OTAs, and then he continued that progress once the preseason started. We all know what happened from that point, and Thomas became a breakout star last year and one of the best tight ends in the league. This year’s candidate could be C.J. Anderson. The second year back will start the camp third on the depth chart, but don’t be surprised if he ends up beating out Ronnie Hillman for the #2 RB spot. Keep an eye on Anderson.

Could the Broncos offense actually be better this year? Of course it will be hard to top a year in which you set the record for points scored in a season, but this Broncos offense could be better than last year and that is very scary. It all hinges on two positions: Left Guard and Wide Receiver. From all accounts, Emmanuel Sanders looks like he is going to have a big year in Denver. Although he is a different kind of player than Eric Decker, he will probably be an upgrade from him. Sanders can be a game-breaking playmaker which is something that Decker isn’t. Sanders will benefit from other teams focusing on Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas, and Wes Welker. Also, if Orlando Franklin can successfully make the move to left guard, then the Broncos offensive line will be stronger than last year. Chris Clark can slide right into the RT spot, and the return of Ryan Clady gives the Broncos a chance to play their five best linemen at the same time. If those two positions are solidified, then the Broncos offense will be just as dangerous as 2013.

Where are the weak spots in the Broncos defense? On paper, the Broncos defense looks like it will be better, but when you dig deeper there are concerns on all three levels. You have to wonder how Von Miller will bounce back from his knee injury. If he isn’t healthy for Week 1, that will throw a wrench into the pass rushing plans for the Broncos. The MLB spot is still up for debate, but it looks like it is Nate Irving’s job to lose. Watch out for a late free agent signing during training camp like the Broncos did the last two years with Keith Brooking and Paris Lenon. In the secondary, it will depend on the health of Chris Harris. If he isn’t ready for Week 1, then the Broncos are going into the season with Talib at one corner, probably Roby at the #2 CB, and either Tony Carter or Kayvon Webster at the #3 corner. That’s not what you want to see heading into Week 1.

Which free agent loss will impact the Broncos the most? Losing Eric Decker won’t hurt the Broncos passing game. Like I stated before, adding Sanders over Decker probably makes the passing attack stronger. Losing Zane Beadles won’t be too bad because the Broncos have plenty of flexibility and options if Franklin doesn’t work out at that spot. Knowshon Moreno’s heart and spirit will be missed, but he can be adequately replaced by the younger Montee Ball. I think the Broncos can survive the loss of Wesley Woodyard considering he was basically playing a reduced role last year anyway. The Broncos lost Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to the Giants but they added a better player in Talib. The one guy that I think Denver will miss the most is Shaun Phillips. He was their best pass rusher last year outside of Von Miller. He played great against the run, and his leadership was evident throughout the entire season. Phillips signed with the Titans, and I think his loss will be the toughest for the Broncos to replace.

Do you think the Broncos will sign Demaryius Thomas to a long-term extension before training camp? John Elway is on record saying that he would like to negotiate with Thomas a long-term deal this summer because once training camp starts, then the negotiations will likely end. I think it is obviously a smart strategy, but I don't think Thomas is going to sign an extension this summer. I think he will get to free agency after the season, and Denver will either re-sign him to a huge new deal in that time period when the Broncos have the ability to before he hits the market or they will just franchise him. Either way, they know that they have to sign or keep Thomas, but I just don't think they will get a deal done before the season starts.

How are you handling the Broncos Super Bowl defeat this offseason? I definitely am handling it better than last year's loss to the Ravens in the Divisional round. Losing the Super Bowl in the fashion that the Broncos lost to the Seahawks was absolutely awful and brutal, but there is a sense of accomplishment about getting there. I would rather see the Broncos get to the Super Bowl and lose it than not get there at all. I am a firm believer in that even after what happened in February. It is tough at times to sit back and think that they were there in the Super Bowl and came away with nothing, but I've  been able to really reflect on how special the rest of their season was in 2013. Put it this way: I have watched the AFC Championship win over New England at least three times since March. Every time I watch the game, I smile and enjoy it just as much as I did when it happened, so the satisfaction of winning the AFC title is and will always be there. I think the Baltimore loss left me with a feeling of "What might have been," while the Super Bowl loss left me feeling "Well, we had a great year and we were close, but it just wasn't our game that day." In any event, the loss to the Seahawks has me even more motivated and pumped up for the upcoming season. 

Where do the Broncos stand overall heading into the summer? The Broncos made big moves in free agency, and they drafted some key needs in the draft. On paper, they look like a better team, but we know that means nothing. Make no mistake about it, they will be a different team in 2014 than they were in 2013. The key is that they still have Peyton Manning. They have surrounded Manning with plenty of talent, and they addressed needs on defense which makes them a good team overall. The bottom line is that Manning is there and if he is your quarterback, then you are a Super Bowl contender. The Broncos are heading to training camp as the favorite in the AFC, but the competition will be tougher this year. The Pats are better. It is only a matter of time before Andrew Luck leads the Colts to a Super Bowl. The AFC West is one of the toughest divisions, and teams like the Ravens and the Steelers are primed for a bounce back year. It is going to be tougher for them, but at the end of the day the Broncos are still the team to beat in the AFC.