Denver Broncos 2010 Season Preview

Football Betting Lines

08/29/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Identity is an important thing in the NFL.

Supporters of the Denver Broncos, some of the most loyal, passionate and vocal in the league, certainly know who they are as a fan base. But do they, or does anyone else for that matter, know what this team is?

The Broncos and their followers hope the identity that the Broncos carved out over the final 10 games of 2009, as a group of choke artists who completely squandered the equity of a 6-0 start by going 2-8 with an anchor the rest of the way, doesn't follow them into 2010.

The hope in Denver is that quarterback Kyle Orton, who had moments of brilliance but was also criticized for a seeming aversion to taking chances, can emerge as a real leader. The selection of Florida star Tim Tebow would seem to undermine Orton's ability to take those reins, though Orton was given a contract extension during the preseason meant to establish his importance within the team hierarchy.

Of course, fans won't care a lot about the locker room power structure when Orton looks lousy in a game, they'll just want the high-profile rookie to get his chance. Those same fans are going to want Denver's other first-round rookie, big wideout Demaryius Thomas, to justify the position in which he was selected. Early reviews of Thomas, who was bothered by a foot problem in the preseason, have suggested he's not as close to being a game-ready NFL receiver as the man the Cowboys selected moments after Thomas was taken, Oklahoma State's Dez Bryant.

Not exactly a good sign for a team that has to replace Brandon Marshall's three consecutive 100-catch, 1,000-yard seasons.

So maybe the Broncos will re-invent themselves as a running team, you say? Good idea, but Knowshon Moreno (hamstring), Correll Buckhalter (back) and preseason pickup LenDale White (ankle) were all mostly spectators during the warm-up period and might not be able to carry the offensive load right away.

Maybe the defense can keep Denver in some games, as it did during that surprising 6-0 start a year ago?

Well, the Broncos beefed up the defensive line in the offseason with an eye toward doing just that, but 2009 NFL sack leader Elvis Dumervil was lost, possibly for the season, with a torn pectoral muscle suffered in the first week of training camp.

The injuries on both sides of the ball only enhance the uncertainty surrounding who is going to step forward for the 2010 version of the Denver Broncos. Who are they? Even McDaniels isn't sure at this stage, though the 34- year-old head coach thinks the adjustments the team made in the offseason will offer a step toward the Broncos being identified simply as a good team.

Said McDaniels earlier this month, "We added depth in the defensive line, did the same thing in the secondary, we were aggressive in terms of receivers - brought in a couple guys in the draft, re-signed [wideout] Brandon Lloyd. Same thing on the offensive line, so there really wasn't a spot that we didn't try to address in terms of adding competition, because we just thought that would make our players better."

Below we take a capsule look at the 2010 edition of the Broncos, with a personnel evaluation and prognosis included therein:

2009 RECORD: 8-8 (2nd, AFC West)

LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: 2005, lost to Pittsburgh, 34-17 in AFC Championship

COACH (RECORD): Josh McDaniels (8-8 in one season with Broncos, 8-8 overall)

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Mike McCoy

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Don Martindale

OFFENSIVE STAR: Kyle Orton, QB (3802 passing yards, 21 TD, 12 INT)

DEFENSIVE STAR: Brian Dawkins, S (116 tackles, 2 INT)

OFFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 18th rushing, 13th passing, 20th scoring

DEFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 26th rushing, 3rd passing, t12th scoring

KEY ADDITIONS: QB Tim Tebow (1st Round, Florida), QB Brady Quinn (from Browns), RB LenDale White (from Titans), RB Justin Fargas (from Raiders), WR Demaryius Thomas (1st Round, Georgia Tech), WR Eric Decker (3rd Round, Minnesota), OL Zane Beadles (2nd Round, Utah), C J.D. Walton (3rd Round, Baylor), DE Jarvis Green (from Patriots), DT Justin Bannan (from Ravens), NT Jamal Williams (from Chargers), DE/OLB Jason Hunter (from Lions), CB Nathan Jones (from Dolphins)

KEY DEPARTURES: QB Chris Simms (to Titans), RB LaMont Jordan (released), FB Peyton Hillis (to Browns), WR Brandon Marshall (to Dolphins), TE Tony Scheffler (to Lions), T Brandon Gorin (not tendered), G Ben Hamilton (to Seahawks), C Casey Wiegmann (to Chiefs), OL Tyler Polumbus (to Lions), DE Vonnie Holliday (to Redskins), DE Kenny Peterson (released), LB Andra Davis (to Bills), CB Ty Law (not tendered), S Vernon Fox (not tendered), P Mitch Berger (not tendered)

QB: Orton certainly had his moments in 2009, looking much more like a leader than predecessor Jay Cutler and also showing a fairly consistent ability to avoid the big turnover. But Orton also provided surprisingly few big plays for a guy who finished with 3,800-plus yards, and the Broncos' decision to draft Tebow and deal for Brady Quinn (1339 passing yards, 8 TD, 7 INT with Cleveland) spoke volumes about their lack of confidence in the ex-Purdue star. Quinn, who is 3-9 as an NFL starter, has looked awful in the preseason and is not a threat to do anything but back up at best. But Tebow, once he can learn an NFL offense and work through his mechanical issues, looks like the future of the franchise at the position. Tebow can't run as much as he did in college (his nagging injuries in the preseason should herald as much), though his athleticism and football instincts should serve him well at the NFL level. Look for McDaniels to find a way to get him on the field as a rookie, if only to make opposing defensive coordinators take notice.

RB: McDaniels took a page out of the Bill Belichick handbook last year when he used a first-round pick on the promising Moreno (947 rushing yards, 28 receptions, 9 TD), then put him a platoon with the well-worn Correll Buckhalter (642 rushing yards, 1 TD, 31 receptions) and undermined the rookie completely. In a vacuum, McDaniels wasn't totally wrong, since Buckhalter was more effective (5.4 yards per carry compared to 3.8 for Moreno) and a lot tougher than Moreno. The idea was for the duo to split carries again this year, though both were hurt in the preseason and it's hard to predict what either will be able to contribute by Week 1. The same goes for the Denver native White (222 rushing yards, 2 TD with Titans), who played his way out of Tennessee and fell flat in a brief tenure with his college coach Pete Carroll in Seattle. The healthiest backs on the team during the preseason were ex-Colt Lance Ball, former Bills practice squadder Bruce Hall, and former Raider Justin Fargas (491 rushing yards, 3 TD, 17 receptions with Oakland). Whether or not any of the three stick will depend on the health above them on the depth chart. Spencer Larsen is back to man the fullback position.

WR/TE: Though he put up amazing numbers and had electrifying moments, Broncos fans will likely remember the tenure of Brandon Marshall in Denver as a missed opportunity, defined more by his off-the-field troubles and petulance toward the organization than by his efforts on the field. That said, Marshall's popularity should increase in Denver when fans watch a group of wideouts that seems to lack a No. 1. Eddie Royal (37 receptions), Jabar Gaffney (54 receptions, 2 TD), Brandon Lloyd (8 receptions) and Brandon Stokley (19 receptions, 4 TD) are all capable players, but it's hard to envision any approaching 100 catches. Thomas is promising but is so far behind at this point that not much can be expected of him in 2010. The other rookie, third- rounder Eric Decker, is more polished at this stage than Thomas and could contribute. When the team uses tight ends, look for Daniel Graham (28 receptions, 1 TD) to be the pass-catcher and Richard Quinn the main blocker. Marques Branson, a 2009 practice-squadder, could stick around as a third tight end and special teams player.

OL: Like most areas of this team, injuries are casting a pall over the development of the offensive line. Pro Bowl left tackle Ryan Clady tore his patellar tendon playing basketball in April, and his availability for Week 1 is in major doubt. Journeyman D'Anthony Batiste, who has four NFL starts on his resume' looks like he'll start if Clady isn't ready. At left guard, second-round rookie Zane Beadles (Utah) and virtual unknown Stanley Daniels were battling for a job during the preseason. Another rookie, J.D. Walton (Baylor) looks like he'll beat out veteran Russ Hochstein at center. The right side will have a more familiar look, with guard Chris Kuper and tackle Ryan Harris both back in place there. Seth Olsen, a 2009 fourth-rounder, is a candidate to provide depth.

DL: The Broncos' turnstile-like run defense, which almost single-handedly made stars of guys like Jamaal Charles down the stretch last season, prompted a necessary overhaul of the three-man front in the offseason. At the center of the group will now be nose tackle Jamal Williams, a once-elite presence with the Chargers who has not been the same player recently due to injuries and advancing age. The Broncos are banking on a renaissance from the 34-year-old Williams, and are also hoping that lunch-pail-type ends Jarvis Green (35 tackles, 1 sack with New England) and Justin Bannan (35 tackles with Baltimore) can feed off the probable attention paid to Williams. Ryan McBean (26 tackles) and Ronald Fields (38 tackles), a couple of starters in 2009, should also continue to be a part of the d-line rotation. LeKevin Smith (10 tackles, 1 sack).and Marcus Thomas (15 tackles), two reserve holdovers, look to be on the bubble based on the new blood at the position.

LB: The loss of Dumervil, who had been rewarded with a rich new contract based on a dominant 2009 days before suffering his injury, could be crippling for a team with no other proven pass rushers. The Week 1 starters will likely be 2009 first-rounder Robert Ayers (18 tackles), a solid player but not necessarily a scary one coming off the edge, and Jarvis Moss, another ex-first rounder who has looked to have one foot off the roster at multiple points in his career. Moss has one start and 3.5 sacks in three NFL seasons, and there should be little doubt that he's down to his last chance. Former Lions starter Jason Hunter (34 tackles, 5 sacks with Lions) and ex-Seahawk Baraka Atkins are other possibilities coming off the edge. Things look a bit rosier on the inside, where D.J. Williams (121 tackles, 3.5 sacks) has long been a tackling machine and running mate Mario Haggan (57 tackles) is versatile and underrated. Haggan's play in the preseason made former Dolphins, Cowboys and Jaguars starter Akin Ayodele expendable. Holdover Wesley Woodyard (37 tackles, 1 INT) and Eagles castoff Joe Mays (5 tackles with Philadelphia) are backups on the inside who will see most of their work on special teams.

DB: If there is an area of this team that should not give McDaniels and coordinator Don Martindale sleepless nights, it's the veteran secondary. Cornerbacks Champ Bailey (72 tackles, 3 INT) and Andre' Goodman (43 tackles, 5 INT) make nothing easy for opposing quarterbacks and receivers, and safeties Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill (59 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INT) are rock-solid as well. All four are over the age of 30 (Dawkins turns 37 in October), but that's probably not scary to McDaniels, who won Super Bowls with a significant number of veteran defenders in New England. There is decent depth here as well, with serviceable ex-Dolphin Nate Jones (39 tackles, 2 INT, 1 sack with Miami) and 2009 second-rounder Alphonso Smith (12 tackles) factoring into the equation at corner, and Darcel McBath (17 tackles, 2 INT) back to serve as a backup at safety.

SPECIAL TEAMS: The Broncos finally look comfortable with kicker Matt Prater (30-35 FG), who had the most consistent year of his NFL career last season in terms of both field goals and kickoffs. There will be a change at punter, however, as Britton Colquitt is slated to take over for veteran stop-gap Mitch Berger. Colquitt's brother Dustin punts for the Chiefs, and his father Craig was the Steelers' punter during the end of their glory years. Eddie Royal (11.2 punt return avg., 1 TD, 23.9 kickoff return avg., 1 TD) is among the league's most dangerous return men, and if his responsibilities at wideout get to be too much, the team could give a shot to fifth-round corner Perrish Cox (Oklahoma State) at some point. Long snapper Lonie Paxton begins his second year with the team.

PROGNOSIS: Many were questioning the moves made by Josh McDaniels at this time last year, then the Broncos promptly went 6-0 out of the box and the McDaniels detractors were silenced. By the end of the season, they were questioning his abilities again, and that buzz hasn't subsided with some of the debatable moves the team made during the offseason. Maybe McDaniels will shut us all up again, but if Denver is to compete in the AFC West, health is going to be a key. If Clady, Moreno and (to an extent) the rookie Thomas can't contribute early in the year, a slow start looks like a real possibility. The effect Dumervil's absence will have on the defense bears watching as well, as teams that can't generate a pass rush are usually road kill in today's NFL. Maybe things will begin to look up, but right now, it's hard to envision that run of postseason misses ending at four straight seasons.