Welcome back for another edition of Virtual Broncos.  This time the ball carriers of the league stand front and center.  Sportsgamer recently released the running back ratings for the 2009 edition of Madden.  Guess what?  The Denver Broncos recently released Travis Henry!

While Henry is currently on the list under the Bronco name, that will all change come release day.  This list does not leave Bronco fans depressed, however, as the back-ups do make an appearance.  Madden fans can get their first look at Selvin Young as the starter before…well, before he’s even the starter.

Selvin Young has recently made a lot of fuss about being ‘the guy’ in Denver.  He must’ve known something Denver fans didn’t, as his team cut ties with Travis Henry two days after a confident Young spoke to the Post’s Jim Armstrong.

“I feel totally different,” Young said. “I feel like more of a, if I can use the word, beast. I feel I can do a lot more than last year. Now I know I can do it. It’s not, ‘Wow, I really did it.’ I knew I could do it before. Now I expect to do it.”

The undrafted running back out of Texas presently competes in a division of “beasts.”  While he may seem confident, and coach Shanahan may feel confident, Young still has something to prove.  After amassing 729 rushing yards in his first season, Young faces added competition each day: competition from a rookie rated two overall points ahead of him in madden.

That’s right, Run DMC has entered the picture and now adds to a division already including LaDainian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson.  Ouch.  Broncos owners in online leagues have already gotten familiar with the latter two, but now wince at the latest addition to the running machine.  Can Selvin, a player whose contract signing went virtually unnoticed by the rest of the world, stack up against the latest and established threats of the AFC West?

He’ll have to make an impression during the season to increase his ratings and prestige in the national spotlight, because right now, Selvin’s living life down below.

via www.sportsgamer.com

Woah.  That’s a lot of running backs!  However, the ones that matter are the ones the Broncos are going to play the most, and the ones madden owners are going to face the most in franchise mode.

To tell you the truth, neither Travis Henry enticed me: the one in real life OR the one in the virtual world.  One had too many troubles with injuries and the other wasn’t fast enough to break a touchdown run after splitting the seams and entering the open field.  Henry’s 87 overall rating, now simply a figment of our imagination in a Bronco uniform, would have ranked third of AFC West running backs.  Darn.  It looked like he was getting some speed this year.

Now to the opponents.  First of all, I have no problem with LT’s high marks.  The guy’s electric.  His lowest rating is an eighty-seven!   Some backs can barely say that for their highest mark!  Try picturing a player with 99 speed and a 92 truck rating.  Oh wait, that’s LT.   In a world of constantly improving rushers, LaDainian Tomlinson is a nightmare.  Just as I must attempt the feat each year in Madden, the Broncos must stop LT in order to win this season, or at least contain the San Diego speedster.

Another back who is almost unfair is Larry Johnson, with his combination of size and speed.  Unless you’re Champ Bailey, once this guy trucks a defender in the open field, you’re not catching up to him.  However, injuries are catching up to the pounding back from Penn State.  Nevertheless, the 97 rated truck move and the 90 plus speed that sometimes follows is only eclipsed by LT in the West.  If he’s able to beat out injuries again, I see LJ as my Steve McNair of running backs.

Non-Raider fans won’t be happy with the high props given to D-Mac.  One other person who won’t be all too happy with the ratings either, if he plays Madden, is Justin Fargas.  Those rookies seem to be getting the benefit of the doubt everywhere they go.  Such is life in overrated, top draft pick running back land.  Don’t get me wrong, Run DMC may terrorize opposing defenses next season, but to provide him with that much weaponry from the get go?  Scary thoughts involving facing the virtual Raiders’ rush attack have crept into my head.

It seems that McFadden has problems with his vision and with catching the football.  Now go run that one by the Broncos’ defensive staff before they get a better look at Oakland’s latest addition.  From his 99 rated acceleration onward, the kid’s golden.  Peterson may have deserved the high marks he got last season, but Darren McFadden received even higher specific ratings from the madden team.  Here’s a comparison between Peterson’s ORIGINAL ratings pre-2007 season and Run DMC’s marks.  You’ll notice Peterson and McFadden share the same rating overall, but the further breakdown of the ratings is listed with the ones in bold superior:

* – Madden 2008 Original Rookie Rating (obtained from sportsgamer)

Well folks, we’ve reached the bottom of the barrel.  That’s right, Selvin Young ranks last among the featured backs in the West (and no I did not count Kolby Smith and Darren Sproles silly).  

How does Selvin Young stack up?  Surely, he’s better than a rookie.  While some may have a problem with his rating, others feel he’s right where he belongs: last.  Young was never considered an every-down back in the NFL, and McFadden is a highly touted rookie.  Those in the “show me” camp in terms of Selvin Young starting are glad Young has to prove himself.  However, Young has tacked on a few pounds and wants to compete with and measure up against the rest of the backs in his division.  Then again, it’s only the off-season.

The defensive minded among us will point out the number of talented running backs in the 2008 version of the AFC West division and the need for defensive help against the run.  However, the Broncos want to have the same rushing success those teams will have against opponents.  Selvin Young could very well be that first step.

It looks like Young’s weaknesses lie in the vision, stiff arm, and catching areas.  Agree?  Disagree?  Whatever the case, it looks like the man’s got some work to do this off-season.  Whoever starts at tailback next season, Selvin included, should make it their personal mission to beat out opposing backs in the West after a few roster updates.

One thing’s  for sure, with an average rated speed of 94.4, the AFC West is going to be one lightning bolt of a division.

More Notes:

After Tomlinson, Steven Jackson and Brian Westbrook have number two ranked, 97 ratings.  Then comes Adrian Peterson at 95, followed by Fred Taylor and Larry Johnson with 94 ratings.  I’m glad Westbrook continues to get some well-deserved respect.  The AFC West also boasts two backs in the top five.

Our old friend Tatum Bell, who I vividly remember speeding down the field with in years past, apparently hasn’t been able to keep his fumblitis much of a secret.  Bell’s carrying stands at seventy-five.

While Cedric Benson was off boating and speeding, the Bears picked up a rookie competitor in the draft.  Say hello to Matt Forte and his 80 overall rating Cedric.

I will leave you with the rookies and “all-timers”:

via www.sportsgamer.com

via www.sportsgamer.com

Welcome to Virtual Broncos, where we’ll be taking an early look at the virtual counterparts of your real life Denver Broncos!  That’s right, I’m talking about the Madden 2009 edition of the Broncos.

I know it’s “only a video game,” but some of the ratings I’ve seen and experiences I’ve had in-game can sometimes be somewhat accurate.  This particular series will help stir up some debate and maybe answer some questions.  I’ll try to use the virtual gaming world to help tie up threads in the real football world.  While it’s not perfect, it can be a creative and fun starting block for discussion.

This week, we’ll start with the quarterbacks.  Sportsgamer recently released the ratings for the starting QBs around the league.  Sure it’s still early, and sure roster updates will come by the end of camp, but some of the Denver Bronco ratings I’ve seen have me a little perplexed.  Hopefully we see a lot of roster updates released with Bronco names on them.  For example, how about that Jay Cutler?  How does he stack up with the rest of the virtual league?

Well, here at MHR we’ve been posting a lot on depth and surmising who to best fit in which starting spots.  Madden also has its take on the matter by way of player ratings.  I’ll get more in depth with future posts, but it’s time to start at the quarterback position.  At this point it’s pretty clear who’s number one in Denver, but the captain of the ship in one city could simply be a deckhand in comparison to the entire league.

What am I getting at you ask?  Well, maybe Jay Cutler hasn’t earned a high virtual rating just yet or received much in the way of national spotlight for that matter.  Bronco fans seem to think he’ll be solid this coming season.  Is that bias creeping into the picture?  Quite possibly, but even Bronco fans are enough of realists to know this kid has something going for him.

While the current ratings are always subject to change before the season, as the 2009 edition of Madden is still “in progress,” let’s take an early look at the men behind center in 2009: your Madden 09 starting quarterbacks.

via www.sportsgamer.com

Let the debate begin.  These numbers and statistics are still early and will certainly be subject to change in the future, especially in the realm of today’s “next-gen” sporting games.  However, something doesn’t seem right about where Jay Cutler stands amidst the myriad of pixelated quarterbacks – or is it just me?

First, let’s examine Cutler and his AFC West counterparts.

I’m glad to see Cutler’s cannon arm get recognition again and I’m also glad to see his speed get high marks as the fastest in the West.  Surprisingly, Cutler can get down the field when he wants to, and Bronco fans have seen that scrambling ability a few times already in Jay’s short career.

Whether Philip Rivers should be rated lower than Cutler is something that fans have discussed enough already.  I shall hold off on anymore remarks of that nature until the season gets underway.  It’s been discussed enough, Rivers has reached and played in the playoffs – something Cutler hasn’t done yet  - and I’m personally fine with Philip at number one in the West as of right now.

Cutler’s thrown twenty-nine TDs in two seasons, as well as nineteen accompanying interceptions.  He’s also pretty much nailed an 88 QB rating both seasons.

While Jay has remained somewhat constant, Philip has backtracked a bit.  He threw fifteen interceptions last season, to nine the season before.  Jay threw one less interception and completed a higher percentage of passes in 2007.  While I won’t argue the better overall quarterback, I will say that Cutler’s 70 rating in the “awareness” category bothers me a bit, while Rivers has a rating of eighty-seven.  Cutler has also completed a higher percentage of passes in his career than Rivers, yet Philip boasts a ninety-five to Cutler’s eighty-six.  Okay, give Rivers the edge, but at least give Cutler a tiny bump in that category!

It seems like Madden has rated Russell in the mold of a Daunte Culpepper type.  He’ll be one who has the ability to further shape his rating as the season progresses.  Also, if you were wondering when I was going to mention Damon Huard, I wasn’t.  I’m happy with him not being tops in any of the listed categories.

Now, let’s get to the good stuff.

Cutler is sixteenth out of the thirty-two starters listed.

The top five quarterbacks:

I don’t have much of a gripe about the top five, save one particular quarterback.  I’m pretty sure you readers can figure out which one.  Why is Tony Romo rated 94 overall?  Has he earned it yet?  We’ll have to see this season.

After those six, who I believe should unfortunately be ahead of Cutler at this point, you’ve got nine more quarterbacks rated above the Denver signal caller.  Now is that because of past performance or appearance in the playoffs?  Who knows?  Here’s the rest of the list in order:

Now there are a few quarterbacks in that list that I’d rate Cutler a little higher than.  As I said, I realistically don’t see Jay as one of the top six quarterbacks in the league right now.  I also feel that Hasselbeck and an improving Garrard are currently better and deserve their ratings.  That leaves number nine.  

Unfortunately, I may have to put Eli Manning up in this realm, because he has now won a Super Bowl.  No, I am not a huge fan of Eli, nor do I think he’s that great at this point.  The guy did complete 56 percent of his passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns in the SUPER BOWL, despite only one interception.  I’d say that warrants a higher rating than last season.  

Finally, I will also award Donovan McNabb with a higher rating than Jay Cutler.  McNabb’s been riddled by injuries, but when he’s healthy he has the ability to do a lot of things on the football field.  Take that into consideration, and then add on his big games.  McNabb has played really well coming off of injuries, especially in those meaningless games.  He capped off the last two games of the 2007 season with QB ratings over ninety-four.  Plus, the final game of the season was against the Buffalo Bills, a team fighting for a playoff spot at the time: not totally meaningless.  The Madden game’s certainly no stranger to high ratings for Donovan.

That’s the top ten quarterbacks for you…at least my top ten.  Where does one go from there?  The debate between Rivers and Cutler comes back into play, as Rivers is currently four points better overall than Jay.  Was Derek Anderson’s season a fluke?  Was Vince Young’s team lucked into the playoffs?  Is Jeff Garcia on his way downhill, despite saving teams like the Eagles and Buccaneers recently?

Those are all questions you must ask yourself when rating these quarterbacks.  Cutler has those questions and doubts as well.  I think anything goes after the top ten at this point.  Sixteen may be the right place for Jay Cutler at this point in time.  However, I could also see a bump of a spot or two as a valid move.  I’d say no lower than 13th-14th at this point in time – certainly up there with Young and Anderson.  One thing’s for sure: Jay’s certainly moving up the ranks each year.

It’s also interesting to point out how the three quarterbacks from the 2006 draft stack up: literally one after the other.  Vince Young was the first quarterback taken in the draft, followed by Leinart and then Cutler the following pick.  Now the three are 85,86,87 in madden ratings, with Jay Cutler second among the three.  Young’s speed helps him in the madden rating department, but we may soon see Cutler take his place atop the QBs of 2006.

Again, maybe Jay Cutler hasn’t quite proven himself to the world yet and maybe this continues the trend of the national media overlooking the Broncos.  Or maybe some ratings boosts are on the way.  Whatever the reason, Cutler is sixteenth, right in the middle of the pack in the NFL madden ratings.  Fair or foul?

Before I cut this particular post loose, here’s something else I found interesting.  Sportsgamer also released a full look at the current rookie QB ratings.  Looks like the seventy-two million dollar man has a nice rating.

via www.sportsgamer.com

(This is just a note, but look at the speed of Dennis Dixon compared to some of the other pros and rookies who probably shouldn’t be that much faster.  The recent injury can’t destroy Dixon’s athleticism that much…can it?)

I’ll leave you with the list of Madden’s “All-Time Greats” that was released on the site, just for kicks and giggles.

via www.sportsgamer.com

Jon and Styg have done great jobs with their fan posts projecting the roster: jobs I could only dream about myself.  However, in this post I aim to jump-start the discussion and debate concerning the Broncos “toeing the line” this off-season.  I’ll highlight a few important positions in terms of competition and the players battling each other to make the roster.  Arguments for starting positions can come another day.  I plan to examine the general consensus thus far and look at those players who might soon enter the realm of the ex-Bronco.  Where are the battles at this early?

First we’ll start with the offense.  The Broncos made some great acquisitions at wide receiver in the reloading season, and it’s only fair to expect that all of the said acquisitions earn a spot on the roster.  That spells the end for a player like Glenn Martinez.  Martinez did take back a kick for a touchdown against the Titans, but the twenty-six year old player fumbled the rock three times in 2007, losing one.  Martinez didn’t have to shoulder much of a load last season despite the Walker injury and hauled in fourteen passes for 175 yards.  Both Martinez and the man he’s battling (Samie Parker) seem capable of handling punt return duties.  HOWEVER, a new rookie by the name of Eddie Royal may render their efforts not needed.  If Martinez doesn’t beat out Parker – which seems to be the agreement here at MHR – is he worth a look for the practice squad?

via aol.com

Unfortunately it looks like our friend Mike Bell might not be in Denver come this fall.  The recent addition of Michael Pittman could spell the end for this back.  Bell averaged 4.3 yards per carry and rushed for 677 total yards his rookie season before the move to fullback the following year.  Bell has been a victim of “too many cooks in a kitchen” at running back. 

Also, some folks at the report have left Andre Hall off of their fifty-three-man roster.  Hall did a decent job on kick returns and also averaged nearly five yards a carry on forty-four attempts.  In his only game as a starter last season, Hall rushed for 98 yards and a touchdown.  He also hauled in two passes for a sixty-nine yard total.  Pittman’s presence doesn’t necessarily change the back situation in Denver.  The guy has played fullback before and can play the position for Denver next season.  Pittman should do well, but I’ll bet a few guys in camp became a little apprehensive when they first read the news of his arrival.

The Broncos can’t keep more than six backs…right?  With Pittman in town, nine backs now compete for a few spots on the roster.  This is where Bronco fans will see one of the more heated competitions of the off-season.  Styg mentioned the possibility of “stashing” a back on IR, which would be a pretty crafty possibility and could be smart, depending on what the Broncos are willing to risk.  Unproven rookies make this mix of backs and competition even more intriguing.  Peyton Hillis seems a sure shot to make the roster as more of a “true fullback” than past Broncos and Cecil Sapp realistically looks to get the start based on past experience.  However, don’t count Pittman out: wherever he plays.  I think the only guy safe right now is Selvin Young, who looks to be doing what it takes to get better, add muscle, and respond to his critics.  True, Travis Henry will be probably be the starter, that is, unless he continues to ride his injuries downhill (then look for a seat on the IR).  Lots of guys will compete for a small number of spots at the running back position.

via aol.com, Seattle Times, and uhcougars.cstv.com

Those two spots seem to be the big ones on offense.  The quarterback position is set and Mustard doesn’t seem to factor into to the tight end picture next season.  On the offensive line, the issue seems to be more about sorting the players in a depth chart rather than deciding who makes the roster or not.  Who makes the roster on the O-line isn’t much of an issue, because Broncos fans seem to already know who will be there come the end of the summer.  Fans still don’t know who’s going to start, but there’s a general feeling that a certain ten guys will make the cut.  The practice squad provides a further outlet for any extra linemen.

Let’s move over to the defensive side of the ball now.  The defensive tackle spot doesn’t seem to project too much of a battle.  The problem with this season’s prospective DTs is the amount of improvement they’ll be charged with making.  Not everyone is confident that Robertson can hold up in the long run.  Most people consider Carlton Powell a member of the Denver Broncos already, and the last of four players who may factor into the rotation at the tackle position.  Outside of those four (Robertson, McKinley, Thomas, and Powell) there isn’t one guy who fans will say really gives this group a run for its money.

How many ends the Broncos decide to keep depends on what the team does in other areas this off-season.  An issue that may come down to the last month or so is the battle at defensive end.  As recent draft picks and blossoming young stars, Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder don’t seem to be going anywhere any time soon.  Elvis Dumervil should also make the roster without a doubt.  Where the one subtle disagreement – if you can call it that – seems to lie is the Engelberger/Ekuban debate.  Both remaining members of the Browncos line have played pretty well of late.  Ekuban in particular had a great seven-sack season for the Broncos in 2006.  He’d be a near shoo-in if not for a torn ACL suffered during a pre-season game last year. 

Ebenezer is recovering nicely and Engelberger didn’t necessarily have a bad season last year.  As styg said, “no one ever thinks he will be around, and he is always around.”  In terms of the position battles on this roster, I don’t see this one ranking all that highly.  This “DE Battle” may not even be an issue at all, but I figured I’d bring it up after seeing the difference of opinion on the boards.  I guess the number of D-Ends kept comes down to the number of available spots after the first few cuts.

The Broncos do have a lot of players at linebacker though, but it looks like the Broncos will eventually stick with six or seven guys.  A lot of fans felt that Wesley Woodyard out of Kentucky would be one of the UFAs most likely to make the roster, but remember, they’re fans.  It’s still early and as of now, no one knows how the guy performs in practice.  Until we know, we can only speculate and hope Woodyard impresses enough people to at least earn him a spot on the practice squad.  Special teams will be a real driving point for UFAs if they are to make the roster in the first place.  Winborn and Webster played well enough last season and can make a big impact on the special teams unit.  Denver fans are excited at the prospects of these guys helping to improve a mediocre special teams unit.  Styg’s thoughts on the linebacking corps were great and I’ll just leave it at that.

After quickly flipping the cornerback page without much of an issue, we’ve finally reached a point of debate on the defense: the safety spot.  Marlon McCree and Marquand Manuel came in to help provide depth at safety.  Josh Barrett came along via the draft.  Denver could take all five, but then again, the Broncos could also neglect a player.  In the interests of length and word count, I’ll dial this battle down to Manuel and Barrett, neglecting to mention much of the extra curriculars.  Again, styg did a nice job of that in his follow-up post.  If Denver is to only keep four, Barrett and Manuel risk getting the boot.  Barrett also may be too risky to put on the practice squad, if other teams spot his upside.

via aol.com and nfl.com

A lot has been said of the kicking and punting competition, as well as a bit about the long snapper.  I’ll just direct you to Arturo’s and my recent posts concerning the ST unit, let you form an early opinion, and be on my merry way.  There are certainly unknowns in these facets of special teams and even a possible battle at long snapper:

Long Snapper

via aol.com

Kicker

via denver.scout.com and aol.com and fansonly.com

Punter

via aol.com, and blog.oregonlive.com

Camp will work out a lot of these battles, some of which I think are much bigger than others.  To recap, I think the biggest slugfests will come at running back, safety, and wide receiver (not including the special teams spots available), with the biggest involving the backs.  I won’t go ahead and decide who makes it and who doesn’t as of now, as that’s the coach’s job.  Besides, a lot rides on how many of each position the Broncos wish to keep.

“At some point I would like to see the battle of Pennsylvania at Penn State.”

PA governor Ed Rendell had proposed making the game an annual affair with proceeds going to charity, but Bettman doesn’t necessarily see it that way.  While the game could be a good thing for the NHL, having an annual competition would be tough to pull off.  Bettman doesn’t want to ruin the spectacle of the outdoor game and cites other factors that would hinder efforts to make this outdoor clash a given thing.

“I also have no doubt that if you played every year in Happy Valley the weather would not cooperate every year. These games are difficult to put on. They’re risky. They’re expensive. And they’re dependent on things that are not within our control.”

We all remember the excitement and unique feel of the Pittsburgh-Buffalo game last season that ended in a shootout win for the Pens.  Of course, the snow helped set the scene.  

Looks like we may see a similar scene in Happy Valley sometime in the future.

How do these signings of unproven rookie players stack up against the current vets today?

Quarterbacks

* – Rookie Contracts

Offensive Linemen

* – Rookie Contracts

In case you were wondering, former second overall pick and apparent “bust” Robert Gallery signed a seven year deal worth $60 million, plus $18.5 million in guarantees when he first became an NFL player.  A mistake?  I would think so.  

Also, for your information, LaDainian Tomlinson finalized an eight year, $60 million contract with $21 million in guarantees back in 2004.  Last year, Adrian Peterson signed a six-year, $40 million contract including $17 million in guaranteed money.  LT deservedly makes much more than AD, and the fact that Peterson was chosen seventh in the ’07 draft probably made a difference there as well.  No one would’ve complained at the end of this season if Peterson had been given a bit more.  Some rookies show they’re worth the money, but a lot of high picks do not.

Why not add incentives for rookies instead of paying them all the cash up front?  The Vikings played that card well with Peterson.  Peterson’s contract incentives included $250,000 for receiving NFL MVP or ROY (in the case of last season) honors, a $1 million annual increase for 20 rushing TDs, and the ability to add $2.5 million to his 2010 salary by eclipsing 1,000 yards rushing in two of his first three years in the league.  Here’s an idea: instead of paying the big bucks to players and watching them bust before your eyes, whey not give them a reason to play better and earn their salaries?

Veterans, especially those of the pro bowl caliber, do not like to be overshadowed by rookies.  ”The scary thought is,” said NFL Network analyst Rod Woodson, “[players] make more money playing better in college than [they] do in the National Football League.”  Current Players Association president Kevin Mawae called the lofty rookie contracts of Ryan and Long “disheartening” in a Wednesday interview on ESPN Radio.  Mawae, a six-time pro bowler and fourteen year vet in his own right, also shared his thoughts with  NFL Network’s Rich Eisen:

“The initial thought is wow…”

Mawae sees both sides of the issue, but has a right to complain and expressed his concerns on the matter.

“As a player I say more power to [Ryan]…you want to see more guys around the league make as much as they possibly can…the other side of it is what’s [Ryan] done to show that he’s earned it or deserves it?”

Does a rookie deserve such a large sum of money when proven vets who have busted their butts to become successful in the league are left with less?  Regardless of whether or not a rookie is supposed to save a team from mediocrity, why not force that rookie to prove his worth before paying him franchise savior type money?  Mawae has made the pro bowl a few times and doesn’t see the fairness in paying big time salaries to rookies with no professional track record.  It takes some of the money out of the hands of deserving, hard-working vets.

“Here I am happy to sign a veteran minimum salary contract when I’ve proven myself and played and things like that…if you’re a proven veteran I think you deserve more money and you should get paid that way; if you’re a rookie, prove yourself…”

Why not force rookies to prove themselves?  This rookie cap could become an issue in the future and is certainly an issue right now.  Just as the draft is often hit or miss (e.g. the Ryan Leaf bust), paying untold sums of money to unknown quantities after the draft is no sure thing.

The past two years have yielded four Charger victories and four Bronco failures in the clash.  It’s the first time since 1968 that the Bolts have stolen four consecutive wins from Denver.  Philip Rivers took over the reigns in San Diego in 2006 while Jay Cutler was getting his first licks as a rookie.  In his first contest as a starter against the Broncos, Rivers threw for 222 yards and two TDs, despite surrendering two interceptions.  The interceptions didn’t matter, because Rivers out-dueled Jake Plummer in a 35-27 win.  That was as close as the Broncos would get from then on out.

In the next meeting that year, the Broncos had a new leader: Jay Cutler.  Cutler and Rivers both threw for two touchdowns to their tight ends and did not find the arms of a defensive player in the game, yet the Chargers still won by twenty-eight.  Fast forward to 2007. The Chargers once again won both games, and the Bolts won both by a combined score of 64-6.  The Broncos never even scored a touchdown.

The Broncos’ last victory over the Chargers came on December 31, 2005.  The 23-7 win saw three touchdowns from Tatum Bell and lots of defensive heart from the Broncos, particularly John Lynch. Philip Rivers also saw the first significant on-field action of his career in the game and Lynch promptly welcomed the second year quarterback to the rivalry with a sack and resulting forced fumble. 

Rivers would soon get the last laugh and eventually the last trash talk in against the Broncos, but how much of the recent success falls on Rivers’ shoulders?  He has been the quarterback for all four of the recent wins and may have something to do with the recent Charger dominance, but the stats point elsewhere.  AFC West fans know the real reason for San Diego’s success all too well. 

From his rookie season in 2001 to the San Diego win in 2004, LaDainian Tomlinson averaged 87 yards per carry and .625 touchdowns per game against the Broncos.  During those eight contests Tomlinson only scored five touchdowns spread across two games (including a 220 yard, 3 TD performance that the Broncos won 30-27).  The Broncos outscored the Chargers by sixty-seven (203-136) in their meetings during that time period, whereas the Chargers have outscored the Broncos by seventy-five (171-96) from 2005-2007.  Tomlinson also averaged 1.667 touchdowns per game against the Broncos the last three seasons. When Tomlinson plays well, the Chargers usually keep things close and have won the majority of the time, including four wins in seven games LT has reached the endzone.

Defense keeps teams in ball games.  Denver’s rush defense in particular provides the spark that can propel the Broncos past the Chargers.  The Broncos ranked fifth against the run on average from 2001-2004, but have ranked fifteenth in the league on average during the past three seasons.  Denver dropped out of the league’s top ten rush defenses in 2006, falling to twelfth in the NFL.  It was the first time the Broncos had fallen out of the top ten since 1999, and the ranking would get much worse the following year. 

If the Broncos want to beat the Chargers, they have to pull themselves out of thirtieth ranked territory against the run.  Denver hopes Marcus Thomas can provide youthful energy alongside newly added DeWayne Roberston.  It’s not a new concept to see a different cast of characters on this Brono line.  However, this time these characters have some work to do.  The play of the Charger O-Line dropped off a bit last season, giving Tomlinson a few lackluster games here and there.  However, LT always gets up for the Broncos and it’s time for Denver to get up for him.

ALSO:

I compiled and edited the following video with clips of Philip Rivers.  The video is meant as a type of “promo” to help get Denver fans motivated to beat the Bolts in 2008.  Think of the message as: Denver hasn’t been able to beat this guy? 

Much was made of Rivers’ comments last season, particularly those on being a role model.  Philip contrasted the statement with lots of trash talking and complaining on the field.  Now I’m not saying Cutler is definitely the better QB (as Rivers has gone further than JC has thus far and has played well against the Broncos).  I’d definitely like to say Jay is better, but either way, us football fans should get excited for another chapter in the rivalry between these two young quarterbacks.  If the Broncos are to beat the Bolts they’re going to have to stop Rivers, but they’re certainly going to have to stop LT as well.

I take no credit what-so-ever for the contents (videos, photo, and audio) of this particular video.  I’ve listed my sources in the credits page following the clip.  Let’s get excited for some football.  If Denver can take at least one from San Diego, I’d be happy, as it’d certainly be a start.

Wrong.  A successful 2006 draft brought in Javon Walker via the trade and Denver decided to take a chance on the injury-ridden star in order to provide some help for Rod Smith.  Plummer and Javon immediately connected, and the former Packer finished with 1,084 yards receiving and eight touchdowns.  Not only did the draft bring veteran help, but it also began to usher in a new era of youth for the Broncos.  Talk about a draft current Broncos fans still go crazy about.  Shanahan and the Broncos made a bold move trading up four spots to acquire Jay Cutler, the quarterback of the future.  Little did the Denver Broncos know, that future would come very soon.

The Broncos hit on pretty much every pick that year, getting the back-up tight end they needed in Tony Scheffler.  Brandon Marshall, Elvis Dumervil, and Domenik Hixon came next in the fourth round and Chris Kuper followed in the fifth: quite a productive draft despite the lack of a third rounder.  By the way, Dumervil recorded 8.5 sacks his first season, Scheffler caught four touchdowns, and Marshall caught two of his own for 309 yards.  You get the picture.  Although the Broncos missed out on the playoffs in 2006 with a 9-7 record, they had to feel good about themselves.  Of course, that 2006 season saw a quarterback change that many fans questioned.  How could you oust a guy that had led the team to an AFC Championship the year before for this young gun?  It turns out Plummer didn’t like the move much either and soon left the Broncos, stubborn and frustrated, and soon retired thereafter.  That 2006 season certainly got the wheels in motion.

QUARTERBACK:

The twenty-three year old Vandy gunslinger brought a 7-4 team to a 9-7 record that season.  The man he replaced, Jake “The Snake” Plummer had led the team to a 13-3 record the year before.  In all fairness, Cutler has yet to truly develop, but I still might take Plummer going into the 06 season more than I’ll take Cutler right now.  Remember, Jay was the back up that year, a back up that could absolutely embarrass current benchwarmer Patrick Ramsey in a pick-up game. 

Jake had just come off a Pro Bowl season and now had a bunch of new toys and weapons at his disposal.  Sure he looked good going in, but coming out of the season was quite a problem for Plummer.  Cutler stepped in and did his best, and the Broncos world turned in 2006.  It was the start of what was and is to come in Denver.

Cutler has flirted with an 88 QB rating over the past two seasons, but hasn’t gotten his team over the hump and into the playoffs.  True, he hasn’t seen as much experience, but JC as the back up to a Pro Bowl quarterback, at least for that one year, intrigues me much more than this season.

Advantage: 2006 Denver Broncos

Jay Cutler was the future and proved a pretty darn good back up.  Plummer had just finished a triumphant season, and no one foresaw what was to come with the guy.  You can’t argue Pro Bowl numbers.  On a season-by-season basis, 06 wins the battle.

WIDE RECEIVERS:

Ah yes, 2006, back when Rod Smith still started and had made his third Pro Bowl the year before.  Unfortunately, Smith wouldn’t be making any Pro Bowls after 2005.  It would also be the last time the Missouri Southern product would ever start.  Newly added Javon Walker – “pre the whining” – quickly caught on and made a huge impression that season.  After the draft, fans were rightfully optimistic about Walker moving ahead.

Currently, Marshall (assuming he’s back and healthy, which shouldn’t be a problem) and Jackson match up fairly evenly with that pre-2006 tandem of receivers.  However, the one and two spots aren’t where this advantage is decided.  Which season did the Denver quarterback have more weapons to work with?  Well, Marshall is a constant from both years, who showed some promise as a rookie, but certainly wasn’t expected to start right away.  David Kircus’ role in 2006 was clearly defined.  Do the Broncos currently have a guy who fits that same role right now?  Well, Brandon Stokely is the slot receiver and clearly has more talent and experience than Kircus, so keep looking for that match.  Ah yes, the fourth and fifth receiving positions! 

The Broncos have a lot of depth at wide receiver, so much so, that that depth is going to have to compete to even receive a role.  Competition never hurts.  When a team has players like Keary Colbert and Samie Parker battling for those bottom spots, it’ll beat a young Marshall and David Kircus any day.  Besides, this edition of the team has a much better slot receiver. 

Chalk one up to the current acquisitions from the Denver front office, because much like Walker’s addition, Darrell Jackson should provide a new type of impact for the Broncos as a wide receiver.  The Walker move was good, but Denver’s made a lot more moves than that to sure up quality depth at receiver.  Also, don’t forget Eddie Royal, another rookie, like Marshall that season, who plans to play an even bigger impact in what the Broncos want to do this coming season.  Plus, if the receiver comparison doesn’t sell it for you, take a look at the tight ends.

The current crop of tight ends pushes this one over the top, if the receivers didn’t already.  Tony Scheffler began developing that relationship with Cutler in 2006, but he was still a rookie before the season.  Daniel Graham trumps the addition of Stephen Alexander before that season.  Graham’s a veteran blocker and the coaches love his experience.  It certainly helps out the running game.  Graham also had better receiving statistics last year than Alexander did in 2005.  Scheffler’s the constant, and he continues to improve, but Graham locks this battle up for the current squad.

Advantage: 2008 Denver Broncos

RUNNING BACK:

No Mike Anderson, but lots of Bells in 2006.  Unfortunately, TATUM Bell never got back to the 921 yard, eight-touchdown form he showed while backing Mike Anderson the previous season.  Bell’s fumbilitis certainly seemed apparent after five ball drops in 2006.  The tandem, hot back rotation did yield an 1,000-yard rusher, but the back who rushed for 627 yards got the brunt of the touchdowns.  Mike Bell didn’t look too bad in a season of extensive work.  Kyle Johnson also looked good at fullback, catching a TD pass that season.

Now, the Broncos have more running backs than they know what to do with.  Most of the 1,000 yard seasons of the past may very well have been a product of that great Denver line.  In the 7-9 2007 season, a flip-flop of the previous year’s record, no back went 1,000 plus.  Did the run game look better coming into 2006 than it does now?

The Broncos were ninth in the league in rushing last season, but eighth after the 2006 campaign.  Even better was the Broncos’ place at second in the league after 2005, a statistic that Mike Anderson had a little bit to do with.  A one spot drop in rushing seems much better than a six spot drop during 2006.  Tatum Bell had performed well in 2005, but there was still some mystery as to whether the young back could take over the following season.  Currently, the Broncos have more backs than they know what to do with, but also have a veteran on board. 

Selvin Young and Andre Hall have seen experience, but Travis Henry gives Denver what they didn’t have in 2006.  New guys Ryan Torain and Peyton Hillis should come in and help this running game as soon as possible.  The lack of a clear-cut starter along with depth issues could present a problem for some, but the competition involved this off-season should ensure the best man gets the job: for the time being.

Advantage: 2008 Denver Broncos

OFFENSIVE LINE:

So how about that offensive line?  This line had single handedly helped lead the Broncos to their position at second in the league in the rushing department.  By the way, Denver was fourth in rushing after 2004, second after 2003, and even fifth after the 2002 season.  The list goes on and on.  The 2006 year featured a 1,240 yard, six TD season from the likes of Reuben Droughns, a guy currently behind a clutter of backs on the Giants depth chart.  At least he has a Super Bowl ring.

The Broncos still have some links to the lines of years past left on the roster, but the decision here is a no-brainer.  The Broncos have youth and promise in that youth, but that young talent simply doesn’t match-up with the “sure thing” year in and year out.  Ben Hamilton, Tom Nalen, Matt Lepsis, and Dan Neil (eventually Cooper Carlisle)…can ANYONE argue against that line?  Eric Pears was even a pleasant surprise during that 2006 season, coming in for Lepsis and starting ten games.  Sure the future is really bright, but heading in 06, the future was then.  That line’s past spoke for itself.  However, think about it, Lepsis’ injury in 2006, like at the quarterback position, brought tidings of a completely new era for the first time.

Advantage: 2006 Denver Broncos

DEFENSIVE LINE:

The Defensive Ends were sack machines in 2006, with Dumervil (8.5), Ekuban (7), Lang (6), and Engleberger (1) getting in on the action.  However, what about the end spot heading into the season?  That’s what the comparison here is all about.

Well, the coaches loved what they saw in Dumervil, but a lot of the fans didn’t know what the smallish defensive end would bring to the game for Denver.  Denver still had Trevor Pryce and Courtney Brown during that 13-3 playoff season.  However, Pryce left after 2005 and Brown, a key contributor in the Denver playoff push the previous year, tore his ACL in the preseason. Things did not look all that great, but with a promising rookie and lots of DE depth, they didn’t look all that bad either.

The Broncos still have Ekuban and Engleberger (although Ebenezer is coming of an injury), and Elvis Dumervil has become more of a known quantity and developed into the beast known as “Doom.”  Denver once again has depth at the end position, but this time it’s young depth, in the form of Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder of the 2007 draft.  The Broncos amassed eight more sacks than their 2005 total last season, and the pass rush off the ends helped.

The real story in this D-Line comparison, however, is the middle of the line.  Denver fans know all about the Broncos’ ineptitude at stopping the run, as the Broncos ranked 30th in the league in rush defense last season, allowing 142.6 yards per game!  Interestingly enough, the Broncos actually ranked second in the league in rush defense after 2005.  Second in the league!  Denver allowed 85.2 yards per game, and Gerard Warren and Michael Myers (particularly Warren) played a big part in that.  It also helped their confidence to have some capable linebackers playing behind them. Denver fans had to feel good about the success there, even better than they currently feel after getting a solid 3-4 nose tackle named DeWayne Robertson.

In a division like the AFC West, stopping the run proves VERY important.  It certainly helped the Broncos get past formidable AFC West foes on their way to the AFC Championship Game.  As it turns out, in that 2006 season, the Broncos were just twelfth in the league in rush defense, still not too shabby.  So, the expectations that the rush defense would be there held up pretty well.  Think about it.  Wouldn’t you feel much better about a rush defense that performed well when called upon than a shaky situation involving a young DT, a new addition, and a player who isn’t considered an every down tackle by many?  True, the pass rush might not have been there in 2005.  You could certainly argue the point either way from the DE perspective, but stopping the run played a big part in helping the Broncos do what they did.

Advantage: 2006 Denver Broncos

LINEBACKERS:

Gold, Williams, and Wilson: one of the quickest trios of linebackers in the league at the time.  The young D.J. Williams showed a lot of bounce and speed off the outside, much like he’s expected to do this coming season.  This was also an Ian Gold not too far from his prime, as opposed to an aging somewhat fragile Gold that Denver fans dealt with recently.  Finally, Al Wilson, a recipient of a Pro Bowl invitation in 2005, locked down the MLB spot with veteran leadership.  Wilson has five Pro Bowl invitations and one All-Pro position to his credit, and looked good coming off of a playoff season – so good, in fact, that he made the Pro Bowl again in 2006.

The leadership was there post 2005, unlike the current situation where a new player will play middle linebacker, and defensive leadership is somewhat hard to come by.  Boss Bailey and Niko Koutouvides should no doubt make a contribution to the Broncos defense.  This off-season brought Denver a new cast of characters at linebacker.  However, when announcers are singling out your team as a team with one of the best linebackers in all of football, you’re going to listen.  Denver misses Al Wilson, and the absolute speed of the linebackers in the past gets the call here.  The leadership factor and experience in a Bronco uniform seals the deal.

Advantage: 2006 Denver Broncos

CORNERBACK:

Champ Bailey has made the Pro Bowl every year as a Denver Bronco, and every year as an NFL player, save his rookie season.  However, Bailey’s Pro Bowl trip last year came more off of name recognition than due to the play on the field.  True, teams don’t throw at Champ as often, but he did get burned a few times in 2007 and only logged three interceptions.  Now, compare that to an eight interception 2005 season, in which two went back for TDs, capped off by an interception off of Tom Brady in the playoffs.

The Broncos loaded up on CBs in the 2005 draft, and those CBs looked good.  Domonique Foxworth intercepted two passes and recovered two fumbles in his rookie campaign.  Karl Paymah didn’t have to see the field his first season because of Fox and Cox providing enough depth.  Currently, the Broncos have two solid CBs, much like the team did before 2006, except one was only a second year player at the time.  The knock on Dre Bly involves his problems tackling now and then.  However, Darrent Williams (God bless him and his family) could tackle and could also serve needs in the return game.

So what did happen in 2006? 

Well, the Broncos passing defense was poor in 2005, but slowly improved to 21st ranked the next season.  Hold on a second, didn’t the Broncos do much better against the pass a year ago?  While I do like a younger Bailey, Denver did rank seventh in the NFL against the pass last season.  Right now, the Broncos are coming off a much better season statistically against the pass.  The stats usually don’t lie.  Could the defensive passing successes be a tribute to how bad Denver’s run defense was last season?  Possibly. 

However, the cornerbacks on the roster now are pretty much the same as they were in 2006 (with the unfortunate loss of Williams as the only difference), and it’s hard to pass up more experienced guys for that same group with all the flash and youth a few years ago.  The promise was there after 2005, but Denver fans have found out a little bit more in terms of their secondary, particularly at the cornerback position.  Domonique Foxworth was signed and he’ll be ready to handle the heat at the third cornerback position, should he play either there or in dime situations.

Advantage: 2008 Denver Broncos

SAFETIES:

John Lynch is the constant at the safety position and the fact that he’s aged a few years doesn’t matter. He has also made the Pro Bowl every year he has been a Bronco.  Lynch still has the instincts of a top safety, even if the youth isn’t there anymore, and instincts and vision can do a lot for you as a safety. Plus, the nine time Pro Bowler has motivation this off-season to prove people wrong.

This segment of the debate then, dials in on the strong safety position.  Nick Ferguson had five interceptions and recovered a fumble in a respectable 2005 season in which he started all sixteen games.  Now, I don’t feel one extreme or the other towards Ferguson and believe he was dependable enough, as Broncos fans knew what they were getting with him in most cases.  Also, stats aren’t going to play that big a part here, because Marlon McCree has seen mainly back-up time in San Diego.  Broncos’ fans don’t know who will start next season, but bringing McCree into town in the first place indicated that the Broncos had some needs.  Did Denver fill those needs?  I’m not so sure just yet.  I’d have to say I probably would’ve felt more comfortable going into 2006, when the safety position wasn’t as much of an issue or question mark as it is now.

Advantage: 2006 Denver Broncos

So, based on my selections and breakdown above, the final advantages shake out as follows:

OFFENSIVE ADVANTAGE: EVEN

Don’t worry; I’m not about to call anything even here.  While I like the known success behind center in Jake Plummer, Jay Cutler has seen some experience, and even if he hasn’t been as good recently, he’s got a bunch more weapons to help him out.  True, the offensive line was better in 2005-2006, but I have the feeling all these receivers will add a little more emphasis to the passing game in Denver.  The Broncos were eleventh in the league in total offense last year, but were fifth after 2005. 

However, as the new pieces to the puzzle were added after the 05 championship run, you could sense that something was going to happen.  Cutler and Plummer together weren’t really going to work out…were they?  Should we really put our faith in these two young Bells at running back?  Javon played really well last season, but who have we got out there to help at wide receiver?  Those are all questions the Denver fan had to ask himself or herself following that successful season, questions that don’t apply much now.  Is it optimism or loyalty that makes me want to award the offensive advantage to this current roster going into the season?

AFTER FURTHER REVIEW: 2008 Denver Broncos

* Note: The Broncos did drop to 21st in the NFL in total offense during the 2006 season, but the debate here is who to give the advantage to PRE 2006 and PRE 2008.

DEFENSIVE ADVANTAGE: 2006 Denver Broncos

The pre-2006 Broncos get the call here three to one.  Fans had to be feeling a lot better about the defense then than they are now.  Even though there have been some really key additions this off-season, returning starters are always good to have, and successful returning starters at that.  I’m not saying that the current crop of defensive players won’t be better, but the Broncos after that playoff run actually had a pretty strong defense.  Denver was fifteenth in total D that season, as opposed to 19th in the league just a year ago.

* Note: I thought it’d be interesting to note and focus on the complete reversal of the Denver defense from then to now.  The Broncos went from second-ranked to thirtieth-ranked in rush defense, but also went from twenty ninth to seventh in passing defense.

THE FINAL CALL: 2006 Denver Broncos

If you add up all the individual advantages, you’ll see that I have the 2006 Broncos taking the cake, and that’s pretty much how I see it.  Any “genius” could have said that.  Denver was coming off of a huge playoff run, had made some great additions though the draft, and made just enough in free agency.  The current Broncos roster does have an advantage over that squad in certain areas, and even has some of the members of the pre-2006 team.  However, the leadership that team brought and its experience is hard to argue.  There are too many questions surrounding this current team.  Besides, Needless to say, optimism was pretty high then.

That 2006 season was only two years ago, but even so, things looked a tiny bit different than they do now.  Okay, well the actual amount of difference is certainly apparent.  Denver was coming off success one season, but starting the “rebuilding” process heading into the other.  The Broncos successfully capped off a mini-era post Elway and pre Cutler with a playoff run and successful performance in a competitive division.

Take yourself back in time and don’t focus on what Denver actually did in 2006, but what your impressions were after that 13-3 year in 2005, before the 06 season.  It’s funny how the first impressions of this team that finished 7-9 in a poor AFC West conference stack up against a team that finished on top of a powerful conference a few years ago (the Chiefs didn’t even make the playoffs at 10-6 and the Chargers went 9-7 that year). Just as the team slid downhill a bit after an AFC Championship run, maybe it’ll rise up after a disappointing 7-9 finish.  After breaking both teams down, one realizes that the current roster is not all that far off from the one a few years ago, despite the new names.  Then again, maybe I’m just optimistic.

After many calls for the opportunity to play friends in an organized setting online, the Madden team has finally added a league capability into its video game monster. IGN recently covered this new frontier for the next gen Madden franchise. 

Gametrailers recently unveiled a “Super Bowl re-match” trailer showing the new bells and whistles of the latest edition of Madden.

from www.gametrailers.com posted with vodpod

Three Quick Hits

• You’ve got to love the new graphics. Madden continues to get more realistic every year and something about the players, the field, and the ambiance seems unprecendented graphically. Then again, you can do that in the next-generation world of sports gaming.
• Madden brought the replay back in a nice, easy-to-view window after the play. Again, most gamers don’t necessarily want to see what they did wrong, but now they can. The presentation of the single player play selection screen seems quite the upgrade.  The devs definitely revamped and beefed up the presentation as a whole from start of a game to finish.
• What’s going on with the scoreboard? Did the Madden designers pick up some art tips from the pros or want to start a new style in sports video games? I personally am going to have to play for a long time to get used to that…the scores would really be more of a fit at the bottom of the screen. Quarterbacks throw the ball up in the air and the play happens down the field, up-screen. The inability to see, or the need to adjust in order to see could become somewhat annoying.

Punt Returner:

“I definitely feel like I can come in and be that guy to come in and make plays 
on special teams, have teams scared to kick the ball to us. I definitely look 
forward to doing that and having that impact.”
                  - Eddie Royal

Kick Returner:

Where’s your explanation for the punt return position? You didn’t justify your opinion at all, or name a particular starter! No, I did not forget to write up a justification for next season’s starting punt returner. How silly you are for thinking that. I believe you can infer from the video who will start and why.

Eddie Royal excelled in the kicking game at Virginia Tech, and remember, at Va Tech they play Beamer Ball. You have to be a talented returner in order to captain the return man ship on a team that feeds off of special teams momentum. Denver let Domenik Hixon go, a bit of a mistake to say the least. Denver hasn’t finished in the top ten in kickoff or punt returns since 2003. The Broncos don’t want to keep bouncing around the league finding returners to plug-in. It’s time for a kicking revolution! “You say you want a revolution?” Well, we all “know it’s gonna be…all right.” I’ll stop clogging this part of the breakdown with punt return talk and say that Royal also has a chance to take over a kickoff return position, barring he doesn’t win over the slot receiver job by the start of the season. The Broncos targeted him, then drafted him to solve a particular problem at a particular special teams position.

Who else will return kicks? Andre Hall and Selvin Young are the recent holdovers from last season. You have to ask yourself: who’s more electrifying? I honestly don’t know. Then you look at what the Broncos did this off-season. Samie Parker and even UFA Anthony Alridge (if he makes the team) could factor into a kick return battle. Don’t forget Mike Bell either! Why does Denver make this so hard on us as fans to figure out?

Parker’s “I ran track in college at Oregon” speed is tempting…

Let’s break down the stats of the guys we know.

Good old Mike Bell averaged 19.4 yards on five kick returns in 2006, but he was out of a job the following season. Unfortunately, something tells me the speed coming in and the changing times will make it hard for Bell to get a spot here.

Andre Hall returned 19 kicks for an average of 25 yards last season, but could never break the big one. Only four of his returns went for less than twenty yards, so we’ll call Hall’s performance average and still respectable.

Selvin Young, on the other hand, only returned three kicks for an 18.7 yard average. Either teams like to kick to Hall, or Andre was the big man on campus as a kick returner last year. Considering Hall’s average performance as a top dog, I’d say he gets the edge here.

You never know how certain players will perform during the off-season. Speed is an unknown quantity in new players. Samie Parker never got a chance to return in KC, and most people hypothesize that he’d be decent. The buzz amongst the fans about Alridge has forced me to rethink my stance. Alridge is definitely explosive and could be a high value UFA addition with his speed and versatility. One of the players mentioned above in the competition for second fiddle will not make the roster. Denver can only carry so many players, and this second position will prove a chance to make the roster.

Again, I have to give the spot to the known entity, how ever much of an “entity” it may be. At this point, I’d like to have at least one returner with some experience. As off-season practices move along, however, some of the new guys could rock my world. The WR and RB depth chart is currently very crowded. Denver will probably only be able to keep four running backs at the most, and that’ll also leave some “fullbacks” out in the cold.

Final Returner Analysis:

Jay Cutler had a really fantastic time starting out with absolutely wonderful field position on his drives last year…

Well, we can all dream.

The punt returner is going to be one of the ones most accountable for starting field position. Of course, the returner needs a good core group of blockers, but the more instincts the guy has, the more he’ll help his buddies on offense. Last season, Denver started drives with an average line of scrimmage of 28.1, among the bottom dwellers in the league to say the least (ranked 29th to be exact). Find a successful return man and you can instantly help turn that around. Eddie Royal certainly has the right attitude, and youthful energy may be what this team needs.

Furthermore, I hope I didn’t bore you with my long-winded analysis of the kick return position. I feel Royal gets a chance there, but almost anyone could get an opportunity at the other spot. This position could be much more important than at first glance, because it could determine whether Mike Bell, Andre Hall, and/or others have a team next season. Hall had the brunt of the experience last season, so I say why not give him a chance. The unknown quantity here is off-season improvement and impressions, and that’s why projecting the kick returners this early is certainly hard. With the addition of rookies Hillis and Torain at already crowded positions, as well as free agents like Parker, some players better not get too comfortable in Denver just yet. Henry, Torain, Hall, Young, Bell, Hillis, and Sapp can’t all have a spot…right? Want to make the team? Blow the coaches away in special teams.

More Royal – Click “College Video 1″ under “Highlight Videos”

(Want some more light reading for a rainy day? Check out this article on the importance of field position)

The Kickers:

That dependable force at the end of football games has disappeared in Denver. Jason Elam’s eyes have seen many game winners slink through the uprights, but he will not view anymore in the comforts of a Denver uniform. The Broncos have talked to Mike Vanderjadgt and John Carney and gauged possible costs. For now, it’s the undrafted free agent show, starring…

Matt Prater is the guy in Denver. That’s easy enough to say, because he was the only guy after Elam left. However, in two games played for Atlanta, Prater made one of four attempts, including a miss from 20-29 yards. His only make came from the 40-49 yard range. What I have seen of Prater hasn’t been pretty. Matt choked at UCF in the Hawaii Bowl against Nevada when he missed an extra point. I’m nervous about the kicker position, and I don’t know if I necessarily want someone like this, even if this miss was a while ago in college.

The guy doesn’t strike me as all that confident…

Garrett Hartley had 60 kickoffs find the end zone and converted on 32-of-35 total field goals in his junior and senior years combined. It looks like Harley could possibly kick field goals and kick-off. He seems to be able to kick-off well and is extremely laid back in terms of personality. Even in high school, Hartley posted 86% touchbacks. I know the kickers don’t have a real history of doing the kick-offs in Denver, but you never know. I posted the following video before in my breakdown of the UFAs, but this interview may help you contrast the personalities of Prater and Hartley in college interviews, if there’s any contrasting to be done. Hartley seems confident and believes in himself.

I’m going to actually go out on a limb here and say Hartley can win the battle, even though all signs point to Prater. I’m not extremely crazy about either of these two guys right now, but I may be in the minority when I project this. It’s obviously all about who has the better summer. Of course, everything changes if the Broncos decide to sign a veteran free agent. I’d personally look into it if signing a vet didn’t involve going with a clashing personality like Vanderjadgt’s.

Of course, it’s understandable that whoever starts out at kicker next season might not be as dependable as Elam was: that’s a given. However, Denver just needs a guy who can make field goals. It’s not much more than that.

Punter:

Man, I never thought anyone could write so much about special teams! How about the punter position? A punter’s job doesn’t change much from college to the pros. There’s no difference in hash marks to worry about, and there’s no size difference in players you have to stress over at the position. In fact, you typically get better snaps in the NFL as a punter.

While I begrudgingly brought myself to make a decision at the kicker spot, I’m unable to do so here.

When I went to look at Danny Baugher, I found the following report . Baugher has seen waive after waive on NFL practice squads, courtesy of Cincinnati and New England. As a member of the Rhein Fire in 2007 (oh boy, NFL Europe!) Baugher downed sixteen of forty-eight punts inside the twenty, and averaged 43.2 yards per punt.

Sam Paulescu punted five times in 2007 for an average of 44.2 per punt and a long of fifty-one. Paulescu has seen “the waive” once himself, courtesy of the Dallas Cowboys. Thus far, he’s the only one with NFL experience as a punter.

New addition Brett Kern averaged 42.3 yards per punt in a four-year career at Toledo. Some reports have implied Kern’s possible inability to kick-off in the pros. However, Kern apparently is cool under pressure and does well dropping punts inside the twenty. Last season Kern punted a long of 66 and was second in the country in average yards per punt (46.5). Denver has brought in a lot of versatile players of late, and Kern’s no different. The guy was 5-6 passing over four years, so he knows how to run a fake punt. Brett is improving and apparently has what’s called “upside,” only breaking out as a true pro prospect recently. He’ll give it his all in an attempt not to join the ranks of his competitors as a player that has been waived by an NFL franchise.

I personally don’t see Baugher winning the job, but each of the three candidates has as good a chance as anyone. Paulescu could have a head start, because he’s played before, but I can’t find anyone to hand a clear-cut advantage to at the moment. Judging punters based on statistics and news is difficult, so I will leave this spot up to the competition. May the best man win!

Special teams are where most of the guys on the cusp are going to make the team. Some players finish their careers known particularly as an excellent special teamers, never progressing to the starting line-up for too long: take former Eagle Ike Reese for example. The ST unit is important, and could be the difference between a spot on an NFL team and a spot on the couch waiting for a call.

The special teamers are going to be more important than ever for the Broncos this season. Unknown quantities permeate the depth chart, but the special teams unit is a quantity that’s not discussed as much as the other unknowns on the roster. It’ll be a real battle this off-season.

I also thought I’d have a little fun with the videos, because special teams are just that special.