2013 NFL Preview: Denver Broncos

Added on Aug 06, 2013 by Scott in

NFL

This time last year everyone who cares an iota about NFL football was wondering if Peyton Manning would be the same quarterback after multiple surgeries to repair an injured neck. Would he lose any arm strength? Could he make it through the entire season? Did Denver make the right decision in signing him to a mega deal? 4659 yards and 37 touchdowns later, and no one is driving a nail in Manning’s career coffin. In fact, Denver is a Super Bowl favorite for 2013.

Denver Broncos – Adding Wes Welker to an offense that finished second in scoring just seems unfair. Manning has had some dangerous receiving corps before, but this one may be the deadliest. Needless to say, there are few concerns on offense. Defense is another story, though. Elvis Dumervil is gone because of a fax machine snafu, Von Miller is facing a four-game suspension, and Champ Bailey is 35. Can free agents Shaun Phillips and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie pick up the slack?

Player in the spotlight: Montee Ball – The Wisconsin record holder is expected to thrive as the main ball carrier in a pass heavy attack. Edgerrin James and Joseph Addai were at their best with Manning under center, so unless Ball gets hurt or proves to be a step slow, he should get plenty of opportunities to win AFC Offensive Rookie. Knowshon Moreno is still lingering, but health issues continue to hamper his development.

Trouble spot: Offensive line – J.D. Walton is sidelined until at least October. Dan Koppen is done for the year after tearing an ACL. Ryan Clady and Chris Kuper are still recovering from offseason surgeries. Orlando Franklin just dinged his hip. It’s been a cruel summer for the entire O-Line, which could spell doom for Manning if their luck doesn’t change soon. Peyton’s quick release and field savvy prevents him from taking a lot of hits, but patchwork lines are rarely a recipe for success.

Fearless forecast – Denver is clearly the class of the AFC West and possibly the conference. Few defenses have the personnel to stop the Manning Machine. 12 wins won’t be a problem, but this team will be judged by what they do in January and beyond.