Game 2 at Denver, Sunday 9/20

Fresh off of their win in Cincinnati, the Broncos host another team from the Buckeye State—the Cleveland Browns.

The Browns had a meltdown last season, similar to Denver's in which they lost their last six games. Blame it on the offense, blame it on the defense...."Blame it on tha Henny." 

Everyone on the Browns team had their hand in the cookie jar, when it came to their end-of-the-year explosion.

The Browns have a new coach in Eric Mangini. Mangini came from the Jets and brought a lot of the Jets' players with him. Mangini signed eight players from the Jets squad. Will the NFL change their name to the Cleveland Brets this year, a la the Denver Browncos of 2006?  

The Browns' offense ended the year ranked at 31st overall in the total offensive yards and passing yards. The Browns still don't have a starting quarterback, though they have two good choices in Quinn and Anderson. With a look at their draft and free agent acquisitions, the Browns may be moving towards more of a spread offense, which wouldn't be a surprise since Mangini is a Belichick-desciple. 

The Browns drafted two wide receivers in the second round and signed three more in free agency (Mike Furrey, Syndric Steptoe, and David Patten). They also added Robert Royal, a receiving tight end and decent blocker. All of these guys put together, form a "team" of receivers, rather than having one superstar. 

Each of these players is capable of getting 400 to 500 yards, in the 2,3,4,5 wide receiver position. Furrey had one 100-yard season in Detroit and Patten was a huge target for Tom Brady during the Super Bowl years. Alongside Braylon Edwards, this receiving corps should be enough to bring their passing offense back into the top 20. 

With the addition on new draftee Alex Mack, the Browns are looking for more aggressiveness in the front— they may play Mack at guard or center. Also, an interesting free agent signing was George Foster. Foster never fit in the Broncos' system and looks to have lost his starting job in Detroit as well. 

I have always thought that Foster, at 6'5, 338 pounds, would play an excellent guard in the NFL. This may be where they are looking to place Foster. I don't believe he can win a starting job at either of the tackle spots. Foster also will be competing with new free agent signee John St. Clair, who can play guard or tackle.

Jamal Lewis will be back, totting the rock again. He was able to get 1,000 rushing yards last season, but the line needs to do a better job of pushing forward, as he only scored four touchdowns. 

The loss of Kellen Winslow should effect the Browns somewhat, but their relationship was so rocky, I think it may make them a better team in the long run. I think this will give other players a chance to step up and contribute, rather than sitting back and letting "tha soulja" take over.

The defense got beat up at inopportune moments last year, which led to their losses and low rankings. The defense ranked 26th overall in yards allowed with their rush defense leading the way ranking 28th in the NFL.

The additions of linebackers Eric Barton and David Bowens, should shore up the left side of the line and help stop the run. The addition of defensive end Kenyon Coleman, will give the Browns a stout run-stopper to man the left corner. Hopefully, the Browns star nose tackle, Shaun Rogers, will come back and play again for the Browns. 

If they don't save this situation quickly, they may end up giving him up to another team part way through the summer. Defensive Tackle C.J Mosley has been brought in as insurance, in case this happens.

Overall, I think the Browns have improved enough to have a better season than 4-12.  With their new coach Mangini at the helm, I see him turning the club around much like he did for the Jets.  However, there are still a lot of questions for this team on both sides of the ball. 

Who will be the starting Quarterback? What will happen with Shaun Rogers? 

Even though the Broncos had a better record, both teams have so many similarities that it makes them somewhat of an even match up. The Broncos get the edge for playing at home. Eventually the Broncos running game will wear down the Browns defense and the Broncos will prevail.

Broncos 17, Browns 9

Game 2 at Denver, Sunday 9/20

Fresh off of their win in Cincinnati, the Broncos host another team from the Buckeye State—the Cleveland Browns.

The Browns had a meltdown last season, similar to Denver's in which they lost their last six games. Blame it on the offense, blame it on the defense...."Blame it on tha Henny." 

Everyone on the Browns team had their hand in the cookie jar, when it came to their end-of-the-year explosion.

The Browns have a new coach in Eric Mangini. Mangini came from the Jets and brought a lot of the Jets' players with him. Mangini signed eight players from the Jets squad. Will the NFL change their name to the Cleveland Brets this year, a la the Denver Browncos of 2006?  

The Browns' offense ended the year ranked at 31st overall in the total offensive yards and passing yards. The Browns still don't have a starting quarterback, though they have two good choices in Quinn and Anderson. With a look at their draft and free agent acquisitions, the Browns may be moving towards more of a spread offense, which wouldn't be a surprise since Mangini is a Belichick-desciple. 

The Browns drafted two wide receivers in the second round and signed three more in free agency (Mike Furrey, Syndric Steptoe, and David Patten). They also added Robert Royal, a receiving tight end and decent blocker. All of these guys put together, form a "team" of receivers, rather than having one superstar. 

Each of these players is capable of getting 400 to 500 yards, in the 2,3,4,5 wide receiver position. Furrey had one 100-yard season in Detroit and Patten was a huge target for Tom Brady during the Super Bowl years. Alongside Braylon Edwards, this receiving corps should be enough to bring their passing offense back into the top 20. 

With the addition on new draftee Alex Mack, the Browns are looking for more aggressiveness in the front— they may play Mack at guard or center. Also, an interesting free agent signing was George Foster. Foster never fit in the Broncos' system and looks to have lost his starting job in Detroit as well. 

I have always thought that Foster, at 6'5, 338 pounds, would play an excellent guard in the NFL. This may be where they are looking to place Foster. I don't believe he can win a starting job at either of the tackle spots. Foster also will be competing with new free agent signee John St. Clair, who can play guard or tackle.

Jamal Lewis will be back, totting the rock again. He was able to get 1,000 rushing yards last season, but the line needs to do a better job of pushing forward, as he only scored four touchdowns. 

The loss of Kellen Winslow should effect the Browns somewhat, but their relationship was so rocky, I think it may make them a better team in the long run. I think this will give other players a chance to step up and contribute, rather than sitting back and letting "tha soulja" take over.

The defense got beat up at inopportune moments last year, which led to their losses and low rankings. The defense ranked 26th overall in yards allowed with their rush defense leading the way ranking 28th in the NFL.

The additions of linebackers Eric Barton and David Bowens, should shore up the left side of the line and help stop the run. The addition of defensive end Kenyon Coleman, will give the Browns a stout run-stopper to man the left corner. Hopefully, the Browns star nose tackle, Shaun Rogers, will come back and play again for the Browns. 

If they don't save this situation quickly, they may end up giving him up to another team part way through the summer. Defensive Tackle C.J Mosley has been brought in as insurance, in case this happens.

Overall, I think the Browns have improved enough to have a better season than 4-12.  With their new coach Mangini at the helm, I see him turning the club around much like he did for the Jets.  However, there are still a lot of questions for this team on both sides of the ball. 

Who will be the starting Quarterback? What will happen with Shaun Rogers? 

Even though the Broncos had a better record, both teams have so many similarities that it makes them somewhat of an even match up. The Broncos get the edge for playing at home. Eventually the Broncos running game will wear down the Browns defense and the Broncos will prevail.

Broncos 17, Browns 9

Despite playing in one of the least competitive conferences (on paper) this year, the Broncos have some heavy hitters to contend with. 

In this article series, I will summarize the strengths, weaknesses, and key additions of each team on the Broncos schedule and how they will match up with Denver.  I do not need to rehash their AFC West rivals, which I have already covered in the following articles:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/175108-broncos-primed-for-a-playoff-run-a-look-at-the-afc-west-division

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/176840-denver-broncos-primed-for-a-playoff-run-a-look-at-the-afc-west-part-2

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/177991-denver-broncos-primed-for-a-playoff-run-a-look-at-the-afc-west-part-3

Game 1, Sunday 9/13, at Cincinnati

The Bengals' strengths last year came from their defense.  Although not a complete power house, they were able to end the season ranked 12th overall in the NFL for yards allowed. 

Look for draft picks Rey Maualuga and Michael Johnson to give the defense another boost up the ranks. Key free agent additions Roy Williams and Tank Johnson will add a veteran presence and will make this defense a formidable squad.

Maualuga is an energetic player that tackles like a steam roller.  He will definitely bring some intensity to the Bengals' defense.

Michael Johnson is a physical freak.  I'm very interested in how he will turn out playing in the NFL.  He should bring some speed off the edge and break the focus of quarterbacks for years to come.

The offense was dismal.  It was one of the worst offenses in the NFL last year, ranking no higher than 29th in all major offensive categories.  Carson Palmer did get injured four games into the season, but in my opinion it was the play of the offensive line that lead to their poor showing. 

The offensive line let through 51 sacks last season.  For a comparison, the Denver Broncos only allowed 12. 

This is most likely why the Bengals drafted Andre Smith, the massive tackle from Alabama, with the sixth overall pick in this year's draft.  Hopefully, this guy can accomplish what Levi Jones was not able to do: stop the pass rushers.

The Bengals added Laveranues Coles, the veteran wide receiver from the Jets.  He should give them an awesome 1B receiver to go along with Ochocinco at 1A.  As long as Palmer comes back healthy, the Bengals shouldn't be ranked as low as they were last year.

Cedric Benson should return healthy and now he has a good complementary running back in the speedy sixth-round choice Bernard Scott.  With added depth in the offensive line, these backs should be able to get 1500 yards combined.

The Bengals lost one of their star players, in wide receiver TJ Houshmandzadeh.  He was a big play-maker, but I think the signing of Coles should make up for most of his absence.

I see the Bengals as better than last year, and they should win at least six or seven games this year.

Unfortunately for the residents of Cincinnati, this will not show in their opening season game against the Broncos. 

With their offense ranked as low as they were last year, this complements Denver's low ranking defense of last year. 

Both team's squads have a long way to go, according to the rankings.  If both squads only manage to get marginally better, then they are equally matched on this front.

The Broncos' offense was highly ranked, but, with the loss of Jay Cutler, they definitely have some questions going into the season.  The Broncos still have their superb offensive line. With the addition of Knowshon Moreno, they should have no problem running over opposing defenses for the next decade. 

The Bengals defense is better this year than last year, but it won't be enough to stop the Orange and Blue's rushing and spread passing attacks.

Broncos 21, Bengals 13

The official Team statistics can be found at the following link:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/cin/stats;_ylt=AlvquESXk57Rd..8BtMRbD.B2bYF

(The next article should cover the Sunday, 9/20 game versus Cleavland at home)

A good song adds to the excitement of the game and really gets your blood going.  I have put together a list of my top 10 stadium songs that keep me rockin' at Investco.

1.  "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvoeeq-BH4w

This is my all time favorite song.  Not only do you get to hear this song after each touchdown, you can also hear it in the parking lot at every tailgate.

2. "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N Roses

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtXN_EHPwSg

No game is complete without this song.  They play this before the other team enters onto the field.  Welcome to our house, losers!

3. "Let's Go" by Trick Daddy Ft. Lil' Jon and Twista    

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrzGm4rd4pM

Good stuff.  Makes you wanna put on a jersey and take some hits—before hitting the snack bar again.

4. "I Put On (For My City)" by Young Jezzy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bHUE41uZlM

This is the player anthem.  Perfect song when you're playing for city versus city bragging rights.

5. "Iron Man" by Black Sabbath

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udEDlOZJmCc

Every player on that field is a gladiator.  This song tells their story.

6. "Sandstorm" by Darude

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSYxT9GM0fQ

This song is full of energy.  This will make any crowd member stand up on the third down.

7. "Thunder Kiss 65" by White Zombie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VELvq-faGk

Just a wicked tune.  Zombie created a fan in me the minute I heard this on the radio.  This song will always be a top 10 favorite for me at the football field.

8. "I'm a Playa" by N9ne

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmlaDOCyS8I&feature=related

This was a great rendition of Falco's Amadeus.  The first time I heard it was at a preseason game against the Lions.  Now I hear it every time I go see the Broncos in action.

9. "Let's get Crazy" by PitBull Ft. Lil' Jon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7Lyka8Znes

This song embodies the raw emotion you feel at Investco when the Broncos score a touchdown.  Everybody is on their feet!

10. "Tom Sawyer" by Rush

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7DFsBcVMDA

This song is for blue collar fans and hard nosed players alike.  We are all there for one common goal—winning!

This is my top 10 list of stadium songs and I look forward to rockin' out to them this season.  Share some of your favorite stadium songs with me!

The major difference between the two defensive schemes is the number of down lineman used.  In the 4-3 defense, there are four lineman. In the 3-4 defense, there are three down lineman. You are basically just exchanging a down lineman for a linebacker.

Here's the rub; in a lot of cases, and in Denver's case, the down lineman is exchanged for a "hybrid" linebacker, guys like Robert Ayers, Elvis Dumervil, or Jarvis Moss. 

These players are essentially 4-3 rush ends, but since they will be adding pass defending duties to their run stop and pass rushing duties, they do the job of both linebackers and defensive ends in a 3-4 defense. 

In the 3-4, the down lineman are in charge of plugging the A, B, and C gaps, while the linebackers read the offense and attack the remaining gaps. 

In a 4-3 defense, the down lineman are asked to rush the passer as well as stop the run, instead of worrying about gap assignments as much.

Mike Nolan, the Broncos' current defensive coordinator, is said to like to play an "attacking" type of 3-4. 

"It's not really the usual 3-4," Ronnie Fields explained on the Denver Broncos' official Web site. "It's an attack 3-4, it's like an offensive mindset. Some people play the 3-4 different, they're more like sit back and wait. But as far as us, we attack. It's kind of mixed-up with a 4-3. There are a lot of good things in there for linemen instead of just sitting there and catching the blocker and being passive and waiting."

So tell me this, if you are basically putting out the same personnel, four defensive lineman and three linebackers, and all of the guys are attacking the quarterback, isn't this really the same as a 4-3 scheme? 

I mean the down lineman are bigger, but if if the team runs out of an over/under defensive set, the hybrid linebackers, who used to be defensive ends, are now defensive ends again.

What the 3-4 will do is give the defense more options on the field.  With Dumervil and Moss at the 3-4 outside linebacker spots, the Broncos could even run a 5-2 scheme and either drop the OLBs into a zone or send them straight at the quarterback. 

Likewise, the Broncos could drop everyone into a zone and stop the short pass, or rush the two inside linebackers; there are a ton of packages that they can put together.

With all of this upside and the new looks the 3-4 defense will give the Broncos defense, is this going to change their success? 

If the players can't perform in the 4-3, what makes them more suited for the 3-4? 

Mike Nolan and the Broncos' defense have a lot of work to do this off season to make themselves a competitive squad. 

I for one believe that they will be able to succeed.  However, at this point there are so many questions that I wouldn't be surprised if they were only marginally better than last season. 

Let's hope this isn't the case.

Recently, I was giving the chance to sit down and chat with one of my favorite professional football players, Peyton Hillis. Here is what he had to say.

Ryan Ayars: Hello Peyton. Thank you for giving me some time to learn more about you.

Peyton Hillis: It's my pleasure Ryan. Anything for a die hard Bronco fan like yourself.

RA: You're a lot bigger then I thought you were. I would hate to have to try tackle you on the field.

PH: Me too! That's why I do all the running and hitting. (chuckle chuckle)

RA: What was it like blocking for such a potent running game with the Arkansas Razorbacks?

PH: Well Ryan, I was born and raised in Arkansas. Just being given the opportunity to play for the Razorbacks was a dream come true. Guys like Darren McFadden and Felix Jones make your job as a blocker a lot easier. I can contribute a lot of my success to the Arkansas system and the players I had around me.

RA: What are some of the differences in the level of competition in the NFL versus college football?

PH: Well the hits definitely. In college, you get hit hard two out of every five times. In the NFL, you get hit HARD every time you touch the ball. The players are a lot more competitive as well. I mean you're playing against the best of the best every Sunday.

RA: How did losing your head coach and starting quarterback effect you?

PH: Well, anytime you lose important team guys like that, it's going to be a little weird.  Coach Mike was the guy who drafted me and saw enough in my play to start me, during my rookie year. Jay was just a good guy to play with. He had a real competitive streak.

RA: Did you expect to be the starting running back last year?

PH: No. I mean I played tailback in college, but I didn't expect to start in the NFL as a tailback. It was fun though.

RA: Did you expect to have as much success as you did in 2008?

PH: No not really, but anytime you get to carry the ball behind an offensive line like we have, your going to be successful. I owe everything to those big guys.

RA: What if you didn't get injured last year? Does Denver go to the playoffs?

PH: I'm not much of a "what if" guy. Let's just hope we get there this year.

RA: What are your Strengths?

PH: I guess I'm pretty versatile. I can play a lot of positions. I'm competitive.

RA: What are you weaknesses?

PH: You tell me. 

RA: (chuckle chuckle)  I think we can move on.

PH: Good idea.  (chuckle chuckle)

RA: Do you think you'll be in the mix for the starting running back position?

PH: Anything is possible. Moreno is a pretty good back though. I'll probably see most of my time at fullback, maybe some tight end.

RA: What do you think of your new Head Coach Josh McDaniels?

PH: Great guy. He really knows what he's doing and believes in his system. I've never been around a coach as young as him. He can really relate to the players.

RA: What do you think of the new Broncos offense?

PH: We're going to be good. Better than last year. Kyle is really picking up the game plan well. In the time that I've spent with him so far, I can see he's a real leader. This year will be fun for sure.

RA: Do you see yourself as being a huge part of this year's offensive plan?

PH: Yes I do. I think everyone one will get the chance to play a huge part this year. That's what's so cool about the new system. There's a lot of running and passing. I have pretty good hands coming out of the back field, so I can be in on a lot of screen plays. I'm just really excited to get the season started.

RA: Well thank you again for your time Peyton and I wish you and your team great success this year.

PH: No problem,  I appreciate it.

San Diego Chargers

The Chargers ended last year at 8-8, making a comeback at the end of the season to oust the Denver Broncos from the top of the AFC West.

In most cases, Broncos fans can thank or blame the Chargers for all of the Broncos' changes this year. The bottom line is if the Broncos went 11-6 last year, instead of 8-8, Mike Shanahan and Jay Cutler would still be in Denver.

The Chargers underachieved last year, plain and simple. With key injuries to starters Shawne Merriman and LaDainian Tomlinson, the Chargers were missing their leaders and seemed flat at times. It pains me to say this, but the Chargers should be much better this season. But key offseason losses could possibly derail them again.

The Chargers return with their explosive offense, led by Tomlinson. LT still has a lot of juice left and last year's "poor performance" shouldn't have any negative effects on his running this year. If anything, LT will come into 2009 with a chip on his shoulder.

It's interesting how the league gave him a bad wrap, when he rushed for 1,110 yards and caught 52 passes for 426 yards. I guess if a star player doesn't get 1,800 yards a year, then he's on the downside of his career. 

The Chargers have a tough offense to handle with freaky-sized receivers like Vincent Jackson and Malcolm Floyd. Antonio Gates' production was down last year, but anytime an organization can get 700-plus receiving yards from your tight end, they should be happy.

Phillip Rivers is a great quarterback and should be just as good as he was last year or better.

The loss of veteran guard Mike Goff may effect their running game, as he is a strong run blocker. Someone will need to step up on the offensive line to take his place.

Defensive coordinator Ron Rivera comes back for a second season. Rivera, a former linebacker in the '80s for the Chicago Bears, saw success with his aggressive style of defense in a three-year stint as the Bears' defensive coordinator. With Shawne Merriman back in the lineup, the Chargers' pass rush should be rejuvenated. 

The Chargers also used this year's first-round choice on a sack specialist in defensive end Larry English, who should add a mean streak to the defensive line. It's possible that Rivera will switch from the 3-4 to a 4-3 defensive scheme, which he used in Chicago.

In a 4-3, English would be a pass rushing specialist used on passing downs while in a 3-4, English would be used as an outside linebacker. Compare his skills to those of Elvis Dumervil, who has led the Denver Broncos in sacks the last three years.

The loss of Igor Olshansky is a big one and may hurt the Chargers' run stuffing abilities.  The Chargers added a raw talent in the draft with Vaughn Martin. A physical freak, he can spell Jamal Williams at nose tackle in a 3-4 defense. I'm very interested to see how Martin develops in the NFL.

The Chargers have a decent schedule this year. Assuming they are a better team than they showed last year, they should have a much better record.

They do have some tough away games this year in New York (Giants), Pittsburgh and Tennessee. They also have to play Baltimore, Dallas and Philadelphia this year. I could see the Chargers going 9-7 or 10-6 this year.

The Chargers are definitely going to be a challenge in the AFC West. The Broncos are going to have to be flawless if they want to sweep the Chargers this year. I see them splitting the series, with both teams losing on the road.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs went 2-14 last season and did not have a lot of highlights to discuss.  In the off season they hired a new coach, Todd Haley, and a new GM, Scott Pioli.  On defense, they will attempt to run a 3-4 scheme, which may suit their personnel better than the 4-3. 

On offense they had an average rushing attack. The once dominant Larry Johnson, is becoming an injury risk and has missed the majority of the last two seasons. 

Rookie speed back Jamaal Charles, showed some promise, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, but he's better as a No. 2 back. Johnson will need to stay healthy, if the Chiefs want to be any better then last year.

Matt Cassel is their newly acquired quarterback from New England. He showed a lot of talent, in his first year as a starter. I still believe he is a question mark though. 

Was it the coaching that made him good? Was it the system?

Cassel is an upgrade over previous quarterbacks, Tyler Thigpen and Brodie Croyle, and their offense should be more efficient this season. 

However, with the upgrade in quarterback came the huge downgrade in receiving, in the loss of Tony Gonzalez. Gonzalez led the Chiefs in receiving last season with 1058 yards and 10 touchdowns. 

The Chiefs traded him to the Atlanta Falcons for a second round draft pick in 2010.  Without Gonzalez, Dwayne Bowe is their only receiving threat. The Chiefs can only hope that someone steps up their game in training camp.

The Chiefs acquired two lineman this off season in Eric Ghiaciuc and Mike Goff.  Hopefully, they will be able to add strength to an offensive line that has been lacking, since the loss of Will Shields, Brian Waters, and Casey Wiegmann.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Chiefs didn't fair well either. Their overall NFL defensive rank was never lower than 28th in all four areas. They needed to make some huge changes from last year to improve upon this. 

In the trade for Matt Cassel, Kansas City acquired veteran linebacker Mike Vrabel.  They also acquired another veteran linebacker in Zach Thomas. Coupled with the promising right outside linebacker, this should be a much improved linebacker corps. 

In making the switch to 3-4 defense, pass rushing specialist Tamba Hali will have a chance to make the transition from defensive end to left outside linebacker. If he is successfully in this transition, he should be pretty dangerous off the edge.

The Chiefs addressed their defensive line in the draft, taking LSU defensive end Tyson Jackson and Purdue defensive end Alex Magee. 

Jackson was considered the best five technique defensive end in the draft and Magee was considered a very good fit in the 3-4 end spot as well. The Chiefs will have a big nose tackle in Tank Tyler.  With their new addition, their defensive line should be better than last year. 

One big problem that the Chiefs face is what to do with 2008 first round draft pick Glenn Dorsey. He is not a good fit for the 3-4 defense, as his strengths focused more on attacking the passer rather than quarterback holding blocks. 

The Chiefs may be able to get another starter for Dorsey, if they trade him soon.  Anquan Boldin anyone??

The Chiefs have a young backfield and they should be better this year, if the line is stopping the run and the linebackers are able to create more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. 

All four players in the Chiefs backfield combine for only six years of experience, but show a lot of promise. 

I see this Chiefs team as being better than last year, but not by a whole lot. The Chiefs have to play Pittsburgh, NY Giants, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Dallas this season, with some tough away games in Baltimore and Philadelphia. 

I can see the Chiefs winning 5-6 games this year and being last in the AFC West for the second straight year.

The Broncos should not have any problems sweeping the Chiefs this season.

With all of the surprising changes and moves that highlighted this year’s offseason reports, the Broncos’ training camps look to be quite exciting. 

There are a bunch of new names on Denver’s roster this year.  For some new players, training camp symbolizes the start of a new career. For others. it’s just another long day under the Colorado sun.

The purpose of this article is to analyze the current and possible starters for each position for the 2009 campaign.  Part one of this two part series, will focus on the offensive side of the team.

Quarterback

The leader of the pack.  The brains behind the brawn.  The “Big Cheese” as they would say in Green Bay.  The quarterback is the most important position in football.  No other player touches the ball as much as the quarterback and who ever has the ball, has the power. 

For the Denver Broncos, there are three new faces at quarterback; Kyle Orton, Chris Simms, and rookie Tom Brandstater. 

As of now Kyle Orton is the front runner to be this year’s starter.  Orton is a good game manager and positive locker room personality.  As long as he stays level headed and follows the coach’s plan, he should do just fine as the starter this year. 

Chris Simms is definitely a dark horse in this competition.  He has an NFL pedigree and played very well in his first years at Tampa Bay.  However, Simms suffered a season-ending injury in game three of the 2006 season, in the form of a ruptured spleen.  Simms hasn’t been the same since.  Could a change in scenery restart his career?

Tom Brandstater was a sixth round pick in this year’s draft.  He has a lot of upside and will look to compete for the second string spot in this year’s Bronco offense.  However, it’s more likely that he will become the third string quarterback and walk the sidelines with a clipboard this year. 

If he doesn’t show any potential, the Broncos will send him to the practice squad and give him another chance to show up next year.

Offensive Line

Offensive line has always been a source of constant production for the Broncos.  Their zone blocking scheme has become the scourge of the NFL, with many challengers and champions.  Regardless the perception is of this scheme, it works.  McDaniels looks to capitalize off of the success of the zone blocking scheme and infuse it into his own spread offense scheme. 

There won’t be any changes to the starting five of the offensive line for Denver this year.  The changes in the depth chart will likely be in the second and third string spots, which lay out the offensive line of the future.  Ben Hamilton and Casey Wiegmann are getting up there in years.  This leaves two future starting spots open in the next coming years. 

Most likely Wiegmann will retire next year, which would move Ben Hamilton to center and leave the left guard spot open for young players like: Corey Lichtensteiger, Seth Olsen, and Pat Murray.  Blake Schlueter will slide into the second string center spot and be groomed to start within a couple of years.

Tight End

The Broncos have three returning players in Daniel Graham, Tony Scheffler, and Jeb Putzier, and one rookie in Richard Quinn. 

Daniel Graham looks to start again on the strong side.   I see Richard Quinn as being a better fit at weak side tight end in two tight end sets for running downs.  Tony Scheffler would be the better choice at weak side tight end, or lining up in the slot, in passing downs. 

At this point I see this being a 2A/2B situation for Richard Quinn and Tony Scheffler.  Both provide a service for what the offense needs in certain game situations.  Unfortunately, I think that Jeb Putzier will be relegated strictly to special teams, or cut before the season starts.

Running Back/Fullback

The Broncos start this year’s mini camp with seven tailbacks on their roster.  They are as follows:  J.J. Arrington, Correll Buckhalter, Peyton Hillis, LaMont Jordan, Knowshon Moreno, Ryan Torain, and Darius Walker. 

The starting running back has to be Knowshon Moreno;  hands down.  If he isn’t the starter, Bronco Nation will HAVE to question McDaniel’s choice to pick Moreno at No. 12 in this year’s draft.  That being said, I think he’s good enough to win the starting spot easily and he should solidify the Broncos’ running attack. 

Correll Buckhalter should be the second string running back without any problems.  Lamont Jordan and Ryan Torain will battle to be used as the third string running back and in short yardage situations. 

J.J. Arrington and Darius Walker will challenge each other for the “speed back” position in this offense and be returners on special teams. 

Peyton Hillis is the obvious starter at fullback and should be considered the premier line pounder and short yardage back in the Broncos’ running attack. 

Depending on how McDaniels’ offense is setup, all of these players could make the squad, because they offer distinct abilities for certain game type situations. 

However, I also see the following players on the bubble if McDaniels feels he doesn’t need as many specialists in the back field:  Lamont Jordan, Ryan Torain, J.J. Arrington, and Darius Walker.  In my opinion, Ryan Torain has a mountain of upside and should make the squad this year and possibly challenge Correll Buckhalter for the second string spot next year.

Wide Receiver

The Broncos have a solid receiver squad returning this year in Brandon Marshal, Eddie Royal, and Brandon Stokley.  Hopefully, the league’s silence on Brandon Marshall’s possible suspension means he will be safe for this year.  If not, then Jabar Gaffney and Chad Jackson will have the chance to start along side Eddie Royal for a couple of games. 

Brandon Stokley is still a premier slot receiver in the NFL, but has been hampered with injuries as of late.  The slot receiver position is Stokley’s to lose at this point, but look for newly acquired rookie Kenny McKinley to put a lot of pressure on the veteran for the starting slot position.

With so many new faces at camp this year, the offensive competition looks to heat up at the tailback position.  McDaniels has enough talented personnel to put out the best team he can this year.  The Broncos offense should be exciting to watch this year.

Here are my current predictions for the 2009 Denver Broncos starting offense:

Quarter Back       Kyle Orton
Left Tackle           Ryan Clady
Left Guard            Ben Hamilton
Center                  Casey Wiegmann
Right Guard          Chris Kuper
Right Tackle          Ryan Harris
Tight End 1            Daniel Graham
Tight End 2            Richard Quinn
Running Back         Knowshon Moreno
Full Back               Peyton Hillis
Wide Receiver 1    Brandon Marshall
Wide Receiver 2    Eddie Royal
Slot Reciever         Brandon Stokley