The TSB Training Camp Previews starts it’s look at the AFC West by making a trip to the Rocky Mountains. The season had gone exactly how most people expected except one bad night at Metlife Stadium in early February changed everything. Now this season is about getting to Arizona in February and winning it all. Anything short of that and the year will be considered a failure.
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So lets take a look at the defending AFC Champion Denver Broncos
2013 Record: 12-4; AFC Champions (Lost 43-8 to Seattle in Super Bowl 48)
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Passing Leader: Peyton Manning 5477 YDS, 55 TD, 10 INT
Rushing Leader: Knowshon Moreno 1038 YDS, 10 TD
Receiving Leader: Demaryius Thomas 92 REC, 1430 YDS, 14 TD
Leading Tackler: Danny Trevathan 129 Tackles/88 Solo
Sacks Leader: Shaun Phillips 10 Sacks
Int Leader: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie/Danny Trevathan/Chris Harris 3 INT
FA losses: LB Wesley Woodyard, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, DE/LB Shaun Phillips, RB Knowshon Moreno, DE Jeremy Mincey, KR Trindon Holliday, WR Eric Decker, G Zane Beadles, DE Robert Ayers, S Mike Adams, CB Champ Bailey
FA signings: WR Emmanuel Sanders, CB Aqib Talib, S T. J. Ward, DE DeMarcus Ware, DT Marvin Austin, OG Will Montgomery
Draft Picks
1st Round: Bradley Roby, Cornerback, Ohio State
2nd Round: Cody Latimer, Wide Receiver, Indiana
3rd Round: Michael Schofield, Offensive Tackle, Michigan
5th Round: Lamin Barrow, Linebacker, Louisiana State
6th Round: Matt Paradis, Center, Boise State
7th Round: Corey Nelson, Linebacker, Oklahoma
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The dream season for the Denver Broncos ended with a nightmare performance in the Super Bowl as they were thoroughly dominated by the Seahawks. Peyton Manning had an amazing year, the wide receivers benefited greatly, the defense was solid, the special teams were special and yet losing the Super Bowl had some people forget all that.
Is that fair? Hell no. That is anything but fair but such is life when you are the team on the losing end of the Super Bowl.
The off-season saw a ton of change for the Broncos as players like Eric Decker, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Zane Beadles got big free agent deals to be key pieces for their new teams. Others like Champ Bailey and Knowshon Moreno were moved on for younger players to take their place while the defensive front seven lost a few key pieces as well.
Of course the return of Von Miller and Ryan Clady from season ending injuries and the signings of guys like Aquib Talib, Emmanuel Sanders, T.J. Ward and DeMarcus Ware should help to off set those losses.
The secondary of the Broncos saw the biggest turnover as along with Talib and Ward, Bradley Roby was added to the mix as their first round pick while Cody Latimer was drafted in the second round to add to the stable of wide receivers.
One of the more interesting parts of the re-tooling of the Broncos is the passing of the torch from Moreno to Montee Ball as the #1 running back. Ball was up and down last year after a great career in college at Wisconsin. Everyone on Earth knows that more often than not the Broncos will be throwing the football but if Ball can carry the ball, not fumble it like he did way too much last year, with success then that is another thing defenses will have to prepare for.
The defense as a whole is a bit younger and the front seven with Terrance “Pot Roast” Knighton, Miller, Marvin Austin, Ware and Danny Trevathon can help put pressure on the QB which in turn will not put as much pressure on the talented but revamped secondary.
The Broncos are win now team and anything short of making the Super Bowl and then winning it will be deemed a failure, no matter if that is fair or not. Success in the regular season doesn’t mean too much and the AFC West title is basically a formality. The window of opportunity for Peyton Manning to remain a top QB is closing but this year should not be one where it slams shut. The Broncos are the best team in the AFC and this season they should prove that once again.
Prediction: 13-3
