Week 5 Power Rankings

[LGM]

We have a top 2 defense, but our offense blows.

No way are we remotely close to a top 5 team right now, though we still find a way to win.

 

[randymon]

All they need is a running game. Right now Denver shouldn't get considered in top 8. Seattle did it last couple yrs with Lynch and good run blocking and stout D. Denver has the D but that's it.Unfortunately, unless there is a drug out there that can inject talent, that O line is going to be the teams Achilles heal from now on. I just don't think the talent is there regardless. Hope I'm wrong but I guess we're going to find out in coming wks.

 

[Draft Crazy]

Jaguars just need an elite O and D and they could be in the top 5 too.

 

[randymon]

Smile. You might have to win some gsm too though. Wonder if Jags would do straight O line swaps with Denver. Prob not.Their run game is doing fine.

 

[cdumler7]

I'm thinking the Broncos Bye Week this year will come at the right time. Right before we go into the heart of our schedule giving us time to maybe take a hard look at ourselves and see if some on that offense can dig deep and step up. This isn't just Manning that is causing this offense to fail. DT has dropped more passes than usual. Our OT's haven't been all that great. CJ has missed some huge holes to run through and can't seem to run through arm tackles right now. Right now I would say Sanders, Vasquez, and Mathis are the only guys I feel like have really done well so far this year on offense consistently. Beyond them everybody has had a terrible game or season.

 

[Mingo]

5-0 with three games on the road - a Sunday - Thursday set of games - you people are fruit cakes - if you don't think the Broncos are top 5. They keep won and lost records and hold them as the most important statistic for a reason. Everyone - please step back through the looking glass and take a big, humongous sniff of reality.

 

[primetime714]

5-0 with three games on the road - a Sunday - Thursday set of games - you people are fruit cakes - if you don't think the Broncos are top 5. They keep won and lost records and hold them as the most important statistic for a reason. Everyone - please step back through the looking glass and take a big, humongous sniff of reality.

You can't win that many games the way the Broncos have been. The record is nice, but a non existent running game and passing game that turns the ball over will negate the defensive play at some point. Plus the Broncos haven't exactly faced a serious competitor or an above average QB. And have not won a game in convincing fashion.

Definitely not top 5 in my book, but I'd revisit that with some improvements on offense. My hope is we take this game against the Browns, go into the BYE and get things going with an extra week to work on the offensive side. Still room for optimism, but I don't have a ton of confidence in what I've seen so far.

 

[58crash]

Crash- I am agreeing with you. How can you trust that they aren't cheating? They are repeat offenders. It's kinda like the compulsive lying cheating classmate we all had in our classroom growing up.

This it is there comfort zone ..

 

[Mingo]

You can't win that many games the way the Broncos have been. The record is nice, but a non existent running game and passing game that turns the ball over will negate the defensive play at some point. Plus the Broncos haven't exactly faced a serious competitor or an above average QB. And have not won a game in convincing fashion.

Definitely not top 5 in my book, but I'd revisit that with some improvements on offense. My hope is we take this game against the Browns, go into the BYE and get things going with an extra week to work on the offensive side. Still room for optimism, but I don't have a ton of confidence in what I've seen so far.

Of course you can - on the face of it - your first sentence is incorrect.

 

[SpringStein]

We have a top 2 defense, but our offense blows.

No way are we remotely close to a top 5 team right now, though we still find a way to win.

So, who are your top 5 above the Broncos?

 

[cdumler7]

You can't win that many games the way the Broncos have been. The record is nice, but a non existent running game and passing game that turns the ball over will negate the defensive play at some point. Plus the Broncos haven't exactly faced a serious competitor or an above average QB. And have not won a game in convincing fashion.

Definitely not top 5 in my book, but I'd revisit that with some improvements on offense. My hope is we take this game against the Browns, go into the BYE and get things going with an extra week to work on the offensive side. Still room for optimism, but I don't have a ton of confidence in what I've seen so far.

Haven't faced above average QB's? Carr has had a decent season so far. Smith has been a top-10 QB in QB rating before. Same with Flacco. Stafford is having a terrible year but he also was a top-10 QB at one point. I wouldn't say we have played the best by any means this year but I wouldn't say we have played bottom of the barrel guys every week either.

 

[randymon]

Of course you can - on the face of it - your first sentence is incorrect.

Pretty sure primetime meant in Nov and Dec. If Denver doesnt develop some resemblance of a run game, they will be in trouble. So far teams like Denver are still trying to put all the pieces together early on and you can earn wins with a very good D. The good teams will be getting the kinks out soon enough and if Denver wants to keep winning games and keep up, they better get that offense going because although that D if they stay healthy will keep them in games for sure, they can lose those easily if that offense doesn't start producing at a respectable clip.

 

[primetime714]

Of course you can - on the face of it - your first sentence is incorrect.

Fair, but you know what I meant.

 

[primetime714]

Haven't faced above average QB's? Carr has had a decent season so far. Smith has been a top-10 QB in QB rating before. Same with Flacco. Stafford is having a terrible year but he also was a top-10 QB at one point. I wouldn't say we have played the best by any means this year but I wouldn't say we have played bottom of the barrel guys every week either.

Maybe one or two of them were a tick above average (i.e. back end of the top 15), but my point still remains that they haven't faced a real threat. Especially if you look at how these QBs are playing this year. Yea, Stafford has been well above average in the past, but has been terrible this year. Flacco is always ok in the regular season, nothing special. Alex Smith? No thanks. Right now if you're ranking QBs I've got: Rodgers, Brady, Luck, Ryan, Roethlisberger, Wilson, Rivers, Palmer, Brees, Dalton, Romo, Newton, and Eli as guys I'd confidently rate above any QB the Broncos have faced. That's 13 for sure. I'd argue for Tyrod Taylor too, but that might be hasty.

They're not bottom of the barrel, but they're mid-tier guys who can flash top 10 ability.

 

[Draft Crazy]

I don't consider Alex Smith or Flacco above average (maybe Flacco when it comes playoff time) but I'm not concerned that our D will let down against elite QB's. Sure it's going to be tougher and teams will score more on us which is why our offense becomes a concern, but that aint the place blame on the D. Then again in the NFL nowadays there aren't many "above average QB's" like there use to be.

 

[CEH]

Our offense will have to get back to 24-26 ppg and we should be able to beat any of these top teams. We wont with an offense under 24 ppg.
Cant assume the D will continue to score points.

 

[Draft Crazy]

Our offense will have to get back to 24-26 ppg and we should be able to beat any of these top teams. We wont with an offense under 24 ppg.
Cant assume the D will continue to score points.

Gotta score at least 24 points a game to contend with the higher powered offenses... We can win the others with great D... Just need to see improvement out of the O to win the bigger games as the season goes on. Hopefully it picks up here soon.

 

[randymon]

I think Brown's are close to bottom in run defense so if we are going to see improvement it better happen here.

 

[Mingo]

Pretty sure primetime meant in Nov and Dec. If Denver doesnt develop some resemblance of a run game, they will be in trouble. So far teams like Denver are still trying to put all the pieces together early on and you can earn wins with a very good D. The good teams will be getting the kinks out soon enough and if Denver wants to keep winning games and keep up, they better get that offense going because although that D if they stay healthy will keep them in games for sure, they can lose those easily if that offense doesn't start producing at a respectable clip.

Drunk typing.

[if a joke isn't understood - I always claim drunk typing]

My apologies for confusing flippant with clever.

 

[Mingo]

Fair, but you know what I meant.

Yes - I know what you mean and respect it.

What are we measuring here? The top fives teams from the season to date - who look like Super Bowl contenders? Or, the top teams if the Super Bowl was played today?

My top five teams represent which teams are most likely to win the Super Bowl at the end of the season based on what I've seen so far - with that you take into consideration - team depth - present injuries - new coaches - new schemes.

These Broncos are obviously only going to get stronger as the season progresses - they are better conditioned - they are showing they want it more than in recent years. They are finding who there playmakers are going to be - and what plays work best with which personnel. These Broncos won 5 games into this season and have shown a knack for making big plays at the right moments in a game. Don't let anyone tell you that comes by accident - that comes by team chemistry. Team chemistry is what is important in a Super Bowl winning season.