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iknowftbll
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Preseason is over and last minute roster changes are taking place all over the league as players cut from one team are signed to fill holes by others. Very quickly this week the stories will shift from these roster moves to the goods stuff: pre-game analysis of actual regular season games! Allow me to get it started.
The Panthers will come into this one eager for revenge. I actually find that a bit silly because you can't exactly get revenge for a Super Bowl loss in a regular season game, but I digress. Both teams have some changes to key personnel but the changes are far more drastic for the Broncos. Gone is Peyton Manning. Before you go dismissing that as a big loss and cite his poor performances in 2015, consider Manning is the only QB in 2015 to have lead his team on a scoring drive in the opening possession against the Panthers. The Panthers were used to getting stops and the McManus FG that opened scoring in the Super Bowl were the first points scored on them to open a game. Right off the bat, Manning and the Broncos were in their heads, despite a great performance by that defense.
But speaking of defense...
I get the feeling the Broncos defense has quietly taken note of all the reports of them "taking a step back" and not being as good as last year. Granted, they set the bar pretty high, but tell that to the players themselves. I think where we may trade some stats this year is yards for scores. Maybe the Broncos allow a few more yards than last year, but I think this year's defense clamps down even tighter on scoring. I think they are going to come out in week one and after a long off season of hearing everyone dismiss their historic performance as fluky they are going to unleash on the Carolina offense.
Offensively this game is going to be won or lost on the arm of Trevor Siemian. Unless Kubiak knows something we don't, our run game doesn't look good enough to carry the team against a front like the Panthers. The team didn't run well in the preseason, though they did better when Siemian was passing well. That sounds a little backwards from the Kubiak style we know and love, but if it works it works. I look for the team to get TE Green involved up the seem and Anderson in the flat early in the passing game before taking bigger shots at the likes of Sanders and DT. One thing I am hoping for is a monster game from DT, because that will set the league on notice early, which will pay dividends in future weeks as teams will have to game plan for him. If the passing game can get going early, it may soften up the front late and allow the Broncos to grind the game away, but don't count on them being able to do that too early. It's going to be hard to run on the Panthers and if the game is close in the 4th, they are going to clamp down.
My prediction:
The defense takes this one over while the offense does its part. I don't even want to say "just enough" because I believe the offense will look serviceable in this game. I think the passing game is going to look better than the run game this week. Siemian will have his moments, passing for ~275 or so yards, 2 TDs, and likely an INT as well. Anderson leads rushing, with Booker close behind. Together they combine for about 80 or so yards, no TDs.
Final score: Broncos 24, Panthers 17. Defense seals it with a 4th down stop late in the game.
Let's hear yours.
The Panthers will come into this one eager for revenge. I actually find that a bit silly because you can't exactly get revenge for a Super Bowl loss in a regular season game, but I digress. Both teams have some changes to key personnel but the changes are far more drastic for the Broncos. Gone is Peyton Manning. Before you go dismissing that as a big loss and cite his poor performances in 2015, consider Manning is the only QB in 2015 to have lead his team on a scoring drive in the opening possession against the Panthers. The Panthers were used to getting stops and the McManus FG that opened scoring in the Super Bowl were the first points scored on them to open a game. Right off the bat, Manning and the Broncos were in their heads, despite a great performance by that defense.
But speaking of defense...
I get the feeling the Broncos defense has quietly taken note of all the reports of them "taking a step back" and not being as good as last year. Granted, they set the bar pretty high, but tell that to the players themselves. I think where we may trade some stats this year is yards for scores. Maybe the Broncos allow a few more yards than last year, but I think this year's defense clamps down even tighter on scoring. I think they are going to come out in week one and after a long off season of hearing everyone dismiss their historic performance as fluky they are going to unleash on the Carolina offense.
Offensively this game is going to be won or lost on the arm of Trevor Siemian. Unless Kubiak knows something we don't, our run game doesn't look good enough to carry the team against a front like the Panthers. The team didn't run well in the preseason, though they did better when Siemian was passing well. That sounds a little backwards from the Kubiak style we know and love, but if it works it works. I look for the team to get TE Green involved up the seem and Anderson in the flat early in the passing game before taking bigger shots at the likes of Sanders and DT. One thing I am hoping for is a monster game from DT, because that will set the league on notice early, which will pay dividends in future weeks as teams will have to game plan for him. If the passing game can get going early, it may soften up the front late and allow the Broncos to grind the game away, but don't count on them being able to do that too early. It's going to be hard to run on the Panthers and if the game is close in the 4th, they are going to clamp down.
My prediction:
The defense takes this one over while the offense does its part. I don't even want to say "just enough" because I believe the offense will look serviceable in this game. I think the passing game is going to look better than the run game this week. Siemian will have his moments, passing for ~275 or so yards, 2 TDs, and likely an INT as well. Anderson leads rushing, with Booker close behind. Together they combine for about 80 or so yards, no TDs.
Final score: Broncos 24, Panthers 17. Defense seals it with a 4th down stop late in the game.
Let's hear yours.
Just a vision I formulated in my wishful demented head. 
