The Broncos of 2017: Game by Game Predictions

[nflbronco]

16-0 mark it down

 

[iknowftbll]

So @iknowftbll are you rethinking the Cowboys game at all of that being a loss? They have had what now like 3-4 players on defense suspended.

That's always the rush you run when you make predictions like this in May or June. It certainly seems to help our cause. Typically what I do is pick the schedule early but when the season starts pick the game by game stuff independently of my early schedule prediction. Emerging information makes it smarter to do it that way.

Here's to an injury free July and August. That can still bight us. Hope it doesn't!

 

[cdumler7]

That's always the rush you run when you make predictions like this in May or June. It certainly seems to help our cause. Typically what I do is pick the schedule early but when the season starts pick the game by game stuff independently of my early schedule prediction. Emerging information makes it smarter to do it that way.

Here's to an injury free July and August. That can still bight us. Hope it doesn't!

This is definitely the time to hold your breath when you are reading reports from practice of what has happened. Vance Walker going down with injury was such a bigger blow to the team than I ever thought it could be.

 

[iknowftbll]

This is definitely the time to hold your breath when you are reading reports from practice of what has happened. Vance Walker going down with injury was such a bigger blow to the team than I ever thought it could be.

It was huge.

Last season was so close in so many ways. The defense couldn't stop the run (though I maintain it wasn't completely broken as evidenced by their mid-tier ranking of 18th in yards per carry) and the team was still just a cock-hair away from the playoffs. In fact, on Christmas Eve had the Bills been able to beat the Dolphins at home in OT the Dolphins 10-6 would have been 9-7 and the Broncos would have been in the playoffs. That's how close they were, even in what we'd consider a disappointing season. Or take a look at that 13-10 loss @ Titans. One TD away from 10-6 and the playoffs. Or how about the 16-3 loss to the Pats? The best defensive performance the Brady-led Pats encountered all season and our offense can only muster 3 points? And how about that OT home game with the Chiefs? All plays are reviewed inside of 2 minutes, but the TD to bring it to 24-22 was originally ruled a stop, and while I recognize I viewed that play through orange and blue glasses, I didn't see any compelling reason to overturn that call. And indeed another crew may have let it stand: Broncos win it 24-16. It was that kind of season.

You gotta wonder if a guy like Vance Walker could have made enough of a difference there. Part of the reason teams ran so much on the Broncos was they didn't have to pass because the Broncos offense was so bad, but more importantly: THEY COULD. When you look at last season it's easy to say we'd have made the playoffs with a better offense and that may be true. But maybe that one piece on defense we were missing could have also made the difference, even with our awful offense.

Regardless, I suspect had this team somehow made 10-6 and the #6 seed the Steelers would have beat them in Pittsburg anyway. I'd have still loved to see that though if for no other reason than experience for a QB like Siemian and of course, the defying of expectations.

9-7 was still a solid performance and I expect at least another 9-7 year this time around. But as I've said repeatedly, improvement against the run and even marginal improvement from "bad" to "adequate" on the O-line will make this team a threat to go deep in the playoffs again.

 

[iknowftbll]

Any thoughts on the projected record now that we more or less have our top players set? Those on the bubble are depth so our 1s and 2s should be more or less evident by now. Do you think my prediction for an 11-5 finish is overly optimistic? I'm reasonably confident in it. I am on the fence with the other teams though. I just can't bring myself to dismiss entirely the Chiefs. If the Raiders defense does actually make incremental improvement over last year's unit they should be better than my predicted 9-7. But that's a big "if." As for the Chargers, I honestly see the floor at 4-12 but the ceiling at 12-4. That team can go either way, but I'm not inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt until they show they deserve it.

 

[nflbronco]

13-3 if we stay healthy. losses NE KC Oak

 

[Draft Crazy]

8-8

 

[iknowftbll]

13-3 if we stay healthy. losses NE KC Oak

Wouldn't that be quite the coup? I've seen from the analysts only modest confidence in this team. People won't write them off completely because of their defense and I've seen a prediction or two for a 10-6 finish but most have them at 8-8 or worse. I've seen picks placing them last in the division. 13-3 would be a riot!

 

[Draft Crazy]

The way Kyle Sloter played those 3rd and 4th stringers againt Arizona last night, 13-3 isn't out of reach.

 

[58crash]

I have not a clue this year could be 0-16 or 16-0 . This Coach has me not sure of much .

 

[58crash]

I will say this Our blocking and Scheme seems fixed .

If so that should equate to a few more wins than last year .

 

[Mingo]

The way Kyle Sloter played those 3rd and 4th stringers againt Arizona last night, 13-3 isn't out of reach.

The last time you talked like this - is was about Brandon McManus.

 

[cdumler7]

I would say of the Broncos I do think there is a chance this defense is improved over last year. The run defense looks improved. I do worry a bit about the pass rush until Shaq gets healthy and Ray comes off IR.

On offense I do like the look of the OL minus the LG spot. Hopefully Barbre can get that spot and improve as he gets more used to the system. QB play looks like it will be average at best though so can't predict the team to be better than 10-6 right now with more likely the 7-9 being what I see happen.

As for the division I see the Chiefs winning it. Good defense with an offense that can do enough. I don't trust the Raiders defense to be improved. They look so far this preseason exactly like they did last year if not worse. They ignored the worst part of the team all offseason. Makes 0 sense.

 

[Draft Crazy]

The last time you talked like this - is was about Brandon McManus.

Mingo. You really have to give me credit here besides looking at the small picture. I knew you would bring this up again.

What did I say about McManus?

When he was first here I said he was not NFL ready, and he would make sense to go on the PS due to a very good leg as he continues to grow.

What happened? He sucked here at first. He went on the PS and he came back the next year with a butt load of improvement.

Now, I never said he would be GREAT like he has been the past two years, but I did say when we traded for him that he wasn't NFL ready to come in and make big kicks for us while everyone else wanted to blame it on the holder and the snapper and not hold McManus accountable and said several times he would be a perfect practice squad kicker because of his strong leg to learn.

I was spot on with McManus.

I am saying the same thing about Sloter. He isn't worth a roster spot but he is worth a practice squad spot.

You're always quick to point out ways in which I may be wrong, but never when I am right... and in this case you aren't even telling the entire story with our McManus discussions.

I never claimed he would be good. I will give you that, but our entire discussion was based on when we traded for him that he wasn't good enough to be our kicker at that particular time. and I was right. He failed terrible his first year here, He was brutally awful, but I also said he would be perfect for the practice squad due to his big leg and work with him to get better.

and what happened?

He was cut mid season for Connor Barth, put on the PS, brought back late in the year to be a kickoff specialist with Bart remaining our FG kicker and then the next year improved a ton thanks to hard work in the off-season and won our kicking job....

 

[Mingo]

Mingo. You really have to give me credit here besides looking at the small picture. I knew you would bring this up again.

What did I say about McManus?

When he was first here I said he was not NFL ready, and he would make sense to go on the PS due to a very good leg as he continues to grow.

What happened? He sucked here at first. He went on the PS and he came back the next year with a butt load of improvement.

Now, I never said he would be GREAT like he has been the past two years, but I did say when we traded for him that he wasn't NFL ready to come in and make big kicks for us while everyone else wanted to blame it on the holder and the snapper and not hold McManus accountable and said several times he would be a perfect practice squad kicker because of his strong leg to learn.

I was spot on with McManus.

I am saying the same thing about Sloter. He isn't worth a roster spot but he is worth a practice squad spot.

You're always quick to point out ways in which I may be wrong, but never when I am right... and in this case you aren't even telling the entire story with our McManus discussions.

I never claimed he would be good. I will give you that, but our entire discussion was based on when we traded for him that he wasn't good enough to be our kicker at that particular time. and I was right. He failed terrible his first year here, He was brutally awful, but I also said he would be perfect for the practice squad due to his big leg and work with him to get better.

and what happened?

He was cut mid season for Connor Barth, put on the PS, brought back late in the year to be a kickoff specialist with Bart remaining our FG kicker and then the next year improved a ton thanks to hard work in the off-season and won our kicking job....

LOL - Chill DC - not everything I post is serious. We do know how to get each other's goat.

 

[Draft Crazy]

LOL - Chill DC - not everything I post is serious. We do know how to get each other's goat.

Chill!?!?!?!?!

There is no chillin in football!

That's what the Texas defense was doing yesterday!

 

[Mingo]

Chill!?!?!?!?!

There is no chillin in football!

That's what the Texas defense was doing yesterday!

To my utter delight. I would have never hired Herman - based not on who he beat last year, but on who UofH lost to last year.

 

[Draft Crazy]

I'm not sure what to think of that hire...

The defense is brutal though.