Expectations for the Broncos this season?

[Webmaster]

What are your expectations for the Broncos this season?

[elliot878]

Thanks for kicking things off @Webmaster, apologies for my lack of posting around here everyone.

My July rose colored glasses outlook on the season is that we're a playoff contender.  Why?

1. The defense should get us to that level year in and year out until it ages or is broken up even more.

Defensive sure things:

• The no fly zone remains in tact.
• The pass rush will be elite as long as Von is around.

Defensive question marks:

• Is there enough up front to remain an elite D?  Or will we continue to struggle against the run?
  • Peko is an aging nose tackle.
  • Kerr is penciled in as the starter at end with little experience.
  • Who will step up in rotation? Gotsis? DeMarcus Walker?

2. While we can rely on the d, the offense is full of question marks.

Offensive sure things:

• We're going to run a lot, whether that's for better or for worse I'm not yet sure, that depends on the strides made by the OL.
• We've got receivers that can produce.  Demaryius is the only receiver with 5 straight 1,000 yard seasons in the NFL.  Manny continues to amaze.

Offensive question marks:

• What will we get out of the QB position.  Enough that the defense doesn't have to continue to carry us?
• Who will be the QB?  Hopefully both make strides, but who will it be that takes control of this job?

 

My bold predictions:

• Jamaal Charles leads the team in total yards at the RB position.
• Trevor Siemian wins the job, and keeps it (he may not start week 1 but he wins it back and doesn't look back).
• DeMarcus Walker is our best rookie, and that doesn't mean Bolles is bad, Walker will just be outstanding.

 

 

[AnAngryAmerican]

I think our defense by itself is worth eight wins. Our offense should be somewhat improved from last year and we went 9-7 last year. Yeah, we have a tough schedule and we really have no idea what we're going to get out of the QBs, whichever one wins the job. I think the offense will be far more dynamic than it was last year, the Kubiak/Dennison scheme is antiquated and they were unable to update it to the modern game. As I said several times last season, we were running  a 1990s offense in 2016. I think McCoy, Musgrave and Davidson will be able to put their heads together and come up with an offense that takes advantage of our players skillsets and puts them in a position to succeed. We've added some dynamic weapons, or at least tried to, but I think the two Hendersons, McKenzie and Charles give us a lot more options in the passing game. But truth be told, I don't think the offense really grows into what it can be until 2018, after the coaches have a year under their belts with the players and the rookies on offense have a full season of NFL experience. 

Put a gun to my head and I think we will go either 9-7 or 10-6, whether or not that's good enough to make the postseason is hard to predict at this point. But I think the team will be competitive throughout the year barring an unforeseen rash of injuries to key players. 

[Cutler06]

Hear several of the local broadcaster predicting between 11-13 wins, I just don't see it. Defense will keep it real, but I see a horrific schedule, the toughest division in the NFL, a rookie HC, an inexperienced QB... all I can see is somewhere between 9-7 and 11-5 at the most optimistic. I go 9-7

[Scoundrel]

Could this be the draft class that really turns things around?

 

[BroncoBruin]

I think this team's floor if they stay relatively healthy is 7-9, based on individual talent and strengths alone. Ceiling is tough to pin down with the unknowns at QB, O-line and offensive system but you can't reasonably expect the majority of your "question marks" to pay off. My guess would be another 9-7 season, but neither 8-8 or 10-6 would particularly surprise me at all.

They're a trendy pick, but I really do think the Chargers take the division this year and on the flip side the Raiders look like a good bet for regression. Everyone in the division I assume finishes with between 7 and 11 wins.

[champ11]

11 hours ago, BroncoBruin said:

I think this team's floor if they stay relatively healthy is 7-9, based on individual talent and strengths alone. Ceiling is tough to pin down with the unknowns at QB, O-line and offensive system but you can't reasonably expect the majority of your "question marks" to pay off. My guess would be another 9-7 season, but neither 8-8 or 10-6 would particularly surprise me at all.

They're a trendy pick, but I really do think the Chargers take the division this year and on the flip side the Raiders look like a good bet for regression. Everyone in the division I assume finishes with between 7 and 11 wins.

 

I totally agree with your Broncos predictions. Came in here to type the same thing. 

 

Why is everyone so high on the Chargers? Bosa and that corner turning things around?

[BroncoBruin]

3 hours ago, champ11 said:

 

I totally agree with your Broncos predictions. Came in here to type the same thing. 

 

Why is everyone so high on the Chargers? Bosa and that corner turning things around?

They have a pretty easy schedule and were historically unlucky in close games the past two years. That will turn around.

[AnAngryAmerican]

32 minutes ago, BroncoBruin said:

They have a pretty easy schedule and were historically unlucky in close games the past two years. That will turn around.

Meh, there's not a ton of talent on that team. Rivers is a decent QB but has always been overrated by the national media. Their OL is nothing to write home about, neither is their defense outside of a few players. They have a rookie head coach with a relatively thin resume and a 27,000 seat soccer stadium that will provide nothing in the way of home field advantage. 

[BroncoBruin]

1 hour ago, AnAngryAmerican said:

Meh, there's not a ton of talent on that team. Rivers is a decent QB but has always been overrated by the national media. Their OL is nothing to write home about, neither is their defense outside of a few players. They have a rookie head coach with a relatively thin resume and a 27,000 seat soccer stadium that will provide nothing in the way of home field advantage. 

I disagree, I think there's a ton of talent on that team. Offensive line is nothing to write home about, but still improved from 2016 and a great pocket passer can make a mediocre line look fine. Their defense has more than a few players. Two solid young linebackers who will improve, two legit edge rushers, two very good corners. No "big name" interior defensive line guys but they are active around the line of scrimmage. Bad coaches have made the playoffs in their first year before several times, it doesn't tell you anything about their odds of long term success. They've never had a home field advantage anyway. Why would it be a problem for them that opposing fans have less seats they can fill?

More importantly than anything, they're almost certainly going to have their close game bad luck turn around. Three years of that historically bad luck in a row is extremely unlikely. Altogether, I think they have a more talented and balanced roster than Oakland, who I believe was 8-1 in one-score games last year. We'll see how it all shakes out, but both the Chiefs and Raiders look primed for regression to some degree. This thing is wide open to me.

[AnAngryAmerican]

1 hour ago, BroncoBruin said:

I disagree, I think there's a ton of talent on that team. Offensive line is nothing to write home about, but still improved from 2016 and a great pocket passer can make a mediocre line look fine. Their defense has more than a few players. Two solid young linebackers who will improve, two legit edge rushers, two very good corners. No "big name" interior defensive line guys but they are active around the line of scrimmage. Bad coaches have made the playoffs in their first year before several times, it doesn't tell you anything about their odds of long term success. They've never had a home field advantage anyway. Why would it be a problem for them that opposing fans have less seats they can fill?

More importantly than anything, they're almost certainly going to have their close game bad luck turn around. Three years of that historically bad luck in a row is extremely unlikely. Altogether, I think they have a more talented and balanced roster than Oakland, who I believe was 8-1 in one-score games last year. We'll see how it all shakes out, but both the Chiefs and Raiders look primed for regression to some degree. This thing is wide open to me.

That's good points on both the close game bad luck, those things usually even out over time, and about never having a real homefiled advantage. I just don't see it with San Diego this year. Part of that could be the bet I made with my Chargers fan buddy yesterday about which of our teams will finish higher in the AFCW, haha. 

[champ11]

15 minutes ago, AnAngryAmerican said:

That's good points on both the close game bad luck, those things usually even out over time, and about never having a real homefiled advantage. I just don't see it with San Diego this year. Part of that could be the bet I made with my Chargers fan buddy yesterday about which of our teams will finish higher in the AFCW, haha. 

My general feeling is stay away from betting on the AFC West lol 

[BroncoBruin]

3 hours ago, champ11 said:

My general feeling is stay away from betting on the AFC West lol 

I don't think any team will look like the clear best team in the division all year. I think it's really going to be a 2-3 team dog fight in the end and whoever is not in the race in December will have serious spoiler potential.

[elliot878]

4 hours ago, champ11 said:

My general feeling is stay away from betting on the AFC West lol 

Agree.  This division can go a lot of ways.  I wouldn't sleep on the Chargers.  The soccer stadium isn't going to matter... same amount of people at their games, building will just be filled to capacity lol.

[AnAngryAmerican]

Something that will be interesting to see (and one I will be watching closely) will be the reaction of various segments of the local media to this year's results, especially as regarding Vance in particular, the rest of the coaching staff in general and Garrett Bolles. 

If the team totally craps the bed (which I do not think will happen), who/what outlets will call it as they see it and which ones will make excuses/apologies. The last time we had a rookie head coach, the beat writers and reporters were very (overly, IMO) kind as they were worried about their access/sources being limited (such is the Trump White House Patriot Way) while others, especially those with more gravitas and long-standing and those with nothing to lose, were not at all afraid to call out what was very clearly a disastrous situation at Dove Valley. 

Ever since Vance was hired I have already noticed a small divide in the local media between those who think he's the greatest thing since sliced bread and those who are taking a wait-and-see approach. It will be fascinating to see to how the journalists, "journalists," commentators and fan base at large react should the wheels come off this year.