2011 Denver Broncos Predictions
After back-to-back 8-8 seasons, the Broncos bottomed out in 2010. They finished 4-12 overall and went 1-5 in division play. Now, they’re starting over.
John Fox has been brought in to repair the damage that was done by giving Josh McDaniels too much power. Denver is hoping to make a quick turnaround, but rebuilding projects usually take time.
It’s been five seasons since the Broncos last won the West and marched into the playoffs.
Offense: Denver ranked 13th in the NFL in total offense in 2010 with 348.9 yards per game. It ranked 19th in scoring with 21.5 points per game.
The Broncos did almost all of their damage through the air. Led by quarterback Kyle Orton, they finished seventh in the league with 252.4 passing yards per game. Orton threw for 3,653 yards with 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
There was plenty of speculation this offseason that Orton might be moved and Tim Tebow would take over under center, but fortunately the Broncos kept Orton around. Tebow might be the fan favorite, but he’s clearly not ready to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
Orton had great chemistry with wide receiver Brandon Lloyd last season. Lloyd emerged as one of the game’s best deep threats. He hauled in 77 passes for 1,448 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The running game needs to be utilized more this season. The Broncos ranked 26th in the NFL with only 96.5 rushing yards per game last year. Knowshon Moreno led the way, rushing for 779 yards and five scores on 4.3 yards per carry. He also had 37 receptions for 372 yards and three more touchdowns. He could be a fantasy sleeper.
The offensive line gave up too many sacks last season (40), but this group has potential. Look for the unit to perform better in 2011 as Ryan Clady bounces back from a subpar year.
Defense: Denver was the worst defensive team in the NFL a season ago. It ranked dead last in both total and scoring defense with 390.8 yards and 29.4 points allowed per game. It also finished last in the league in sacks with only 23.
While the pass rush is a concern, the first thing Denver needs to fix is its porous run defense. The Broncos finished 31st in the league with 154.6 rushing yards allowed per game last year.
Unfortunately, it looks like the Broncos could struggle against the run again with Brodrick Bunkley and Kevin Vickerson set to get the majority of the snaps. Neither player is likely to factor into the team’s long-term plans.
The pass rush should be improved with Elvis Dumervil returning to the starting lineup after missing all of last season with a pectoral injury. He had 17.0 sacks in the 2009 season.
The team is also hoping Robert Ayers will have more success rushing the passer in a 4-3.
The linebacking unit got a major upgrade with the addition of Von Miller, who is expected to start on the strong side.
10-time Pro Bowler Champ Bailey is the leader of the secondary. He has a few more good years left in him but Denver needs to look for upgrades at the other defensive backfield positions.
Prediction: 4th Place AFC West – Denver should be a better football team than it was last season, but it still has a ways to go, especially on the defensive side of the football, before it is ready to contend in the West. NFL odds makers have listed the Broncos at +1000 to win the division.
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