Tight end Nate Jackson was released along with Marquand Manuel, John Engelberger and Jamie Winborn. These are guys that had significant playing time last season. Josh McDaniels and new general manager Brian Xanders mean serious business, and I’m sure more surprising roster moves will be made over the next few months. The only jerseys I would be buying this time of year are Cutler, Marshall, and Bailey jerseys. Turns out the job loss in Bronco land may resemble that of the city of Detroit. 

As for what moves the Broncos should make in the off season, many of you have chimed in. Roger says,

“First they have to get solid players for a 3-4 defense.  I believe Doom and Moss can play OLB and Marcus thomas, tim croweder (gain 10-25lbs) and Kenny Peterson can play DE in the 3-4 alignment.  Pick up Dwan Edward and Gabe Watson for the NT, their not superstars but could fill in for the transition year.  I would also sign Chaning crowder for one of the MLB spots and have DJ williams for the other ILB.  I would move Champ Bailey to FS and play him in the mold of Ed Reed.  I know this seems crazy but teams just play one side when he is at CB, this way they couldn’t identify where he would be, plus he is great tackler and last line of defense and Josh Barret could be the big hitting FS.  Then I would sign the CB just cut from detroit, he looked good before going to detroit which can make anyone look bad.  I believe these moves would allow us to put a respectable 3-4 defense on the field and would allow us to draft the best defense of player available in the draft in every round to obtain further improvements.”

Jimmy says,

 ”Love the idea of moving Champ to Safety.  I definitely think he would change the passing game against the Broncos, and he would make the saving tackle at least 75% of those long TD runs that we have given up the last few years.  I wish we could have drafted Taylor Mays (hopefully we won’t be bad enough to draft him next year), but I hope we get his teammate in the first round.  Did you see Fred Taylor got cut today (2/16)?  He would be a sweeeet fit in the Broncos running attack.  A lot in the same style as “I AM” Clinton Portis, but he has a few years on Clinton.”

What do you think about what Roger and Jimmy have to say? Do you agree that the Broncos would be better off in the 3-4?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) come into to town to play the Broncos (3-1) on Sunday. The two teams have not met since 2004, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not familiar with each other. Former Broncos QB Brian Griese is starting for the Bucs, and Michael Pittman, Nate Webster, and Jamie Winborn all played for the Bucs at one point. Even QB coach Jeremy Bates coached for the Bucs from 2004-2004. Tampa finally gets to play their very first game in Denver since Invesco Field was constructed, and they carry a 3-game winning streak into the Mile High City. The Broncos have an all time 4-2 edge against the Bucs, but the last four games in which the two teams met where decided by seven points or less. Expect a close game in which the Broncos’ offense will get back on track against a tough Buccaneers’ defense. My Prediction: Broncos 28 Buccaneers 24.  

Offense

Broncos - The Broncos are second in the league in total offense and passing yards, and Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal continue to be the most productive receiving duo in the league. However, in order to beat the Bucs, the Broncos need to have a balanced offensive game. The Bucs are known for stopping the run, so if the Broncos can get their passing game going early on like they did against the Raiders, Chargers, and Saints, then the Bucs will be forced to move their defenders outside of the box. This will create room for the running game, which ranks 14th in the league right now, to take off. Inserting Michael Pittman into the formula more often would benefit the Broncos greatly. He’s a powerful runner, and you know he’s excited to play against his former team. He will be fired up to show Tampa why they should’ve not released him. Utilizing Tony Scheffler and Daniel Graham by throwing short drop off passes should work well against this Tampa Bay defense, but that’s if the Broncos’ receivers get involved early on. Holding onto the ball will be the most important factor in getting the Broncos to 4-1. I’m sure Mike Shanahan has drilled that into their heads this week because of the 4 turnover fiasco that took place in Kansas City.   

Buccaneers- Jay Cutler looks like a gold statue compared to Brian Griese right now. Griese went from Denver to Chicago, and finally landed in Tampa to be the backup QB for Jeff Garcia. Garcia was benched after a poor performance in week 1, so Griese stepped up to the plate and has completed 71-128 passes for 716 yards, 4 TDs, and 6 INTs in three games. He’s a head case and the Broncos can make him throw the ball away fairly easily if they get pressure on him. He threw 3 INTs against the Packers in week 3, and his passer rating is 30th in the NFL. Griese will be seeing a very different Broncos team than he remembers. Because Rod Smith (retired) and Tom Nalen (IR) are not playing, there is nobody left on the roster from when he was a Bronco. The Bucs rank 13th in total offense and passing, and 9th in rushing. Antonio Bryant leads the team in receiving yards, but has yet to score a TD this season. Along side of him is the always dangerous Ike Hillard and he has 2 TDs so far. Earnest Graham leads the team in rushing with 57 carries for 334 yards and 2 TDs while Warrick Dunn has 42 carries, 197 yards, and 1 TD. The Bucs have the potential to be a very dangerous offense if they are clicking on all cylinders.  

Defense

Broncos - If the defense has not learned anything from last week’s performance, then we might as well put this season in the Broncos’ archives right now. Each week, the Broncos manage to find a new way to allow their opponents to score points. Lots of them. They currently stand 29th in the league for total defense, 31st in passing defense, and 24th against the rush. You would think that with Champ Bailey and D.J. Williams being the best two players in the league at their respective positions, this defensive unit would come together and be ranked at the top of the league in defensive performance. While fans say that the problem lies in the defensive scheme, or the coaching, I would disagree. The problem lies within the players, and even they agree. They have given up big yards on third and long and they’ve missed tackles left and right. Elvis Dumervil is still sackless, but the return of Dewayne Robertson should help put a stop to the Bucs’ rushing attack. The Broncos absolutely need to pressure Brian Griese. Force them to run the ball. After a while they will tire in the high altitude, and that’s when turnovers happen.

Buccaneers - It will be no walk in the park for Jay Cutler and the offense. This defense ranks 9th in the league, and is without a doubt the toughest defense that the Broncos have faced thus far. It will be a good test for them because they face Jacksonville and New England in the next two weeks. Barrett Ruud is one of the top all around defensive players in the league with 25 solo tackles and 2 INTs in four games. Another concern is Greg White as he has 3.5 sacks so far. Old guys like Ronde Barber and Derrick Brooks are always threats when they’re on the field. Against Green Bay and Chicago, the Bucs needed big fourth quarter comebacks, and it was their defense that did it for them by creating 9 turnovers. Hopefully, the Broncos are over their turnover woes because if they aren’t, this defense could make them continue their turnover streak.  

Special Teams  

Broncos - Matt Prater missed his first field-goal last week in KC, but he stepped up by making a big 56-yard field-goal. He’s 3-3 on field-goals that are 50+ yards. This game against the Bucs could come down to the wire, and it may be the first time that we witness Prater’s leg under pressure. Punter Brett Kern was woeful last week booting the ball twice and averaging 38 yards per punt. Special teams coverage allowed 51 yard and 35 yard kick returns, and the Chiefs started in Denver territory on six possessions. They will need to pay special attention to Dexter Jackson as he is averaging 25 yards on kick returns with a long of 45 yards. Special teams can easily win or lose this game for the Broncos. 

Buccaneers - Kicker Matt Bryant is coming off of a very emotional week. His infant son passed away just four days before the game against Green Bay where he made all three of his field goal attempts. He has not missed yet this season making 8-8 kicks. Jackson could surprise this Broncos team with a big return at any time during the game.   

Coaching

Broncos - Let’s see what kind of work Shanahan put into the defense this week during practice. He blamed the offense for the loss, but let’s hope some changes were made on the other side of the ball. Shanahan has coached against Jon Gruden numerous times, and it’s definitely a meeting of two great masterminds, but I give the coaching edge to Shanahan.  

Buccaneers - Gruden has proven that he knows how to win late in the game. It wouldn’t be a Gruden coached game if you didn’t see his scowl on the sideline. I guarantee that he is chuckling on the inside about the situation in Oakland. Hopefully, he finds that amusing enough to forget about how good the Broncos are.

GO BRONCOS!!!

Offense 

Broncos – Jay Cutler has a clean slate so to speak. He preformed well in the preseason and with his diabetes under control, he should be confident enough to get his third season off to a strong start. The Broncos are without Brandon Marshall for one game due to his suspension, but look for rookie Eddie Royal to partially fill that large gap. Darrell Jackson will be matched up against Raiders corner Nnamdi Asomugha, so expect Royal to have a lot of balls thrown his way. Selvin Young and Andre Hall will be running behind an offensive line that doesn’t have a single starter back from last season. The #1 draft pick for the Broncos, Ryan Clady, will be starting at left tackle while Ryan Harris will start at right tackle. Penalties were a problem for these two youngsters during preseason. If there is a nice balance between the running game and the passing game, it should keep Oakland back on their heels enough for the Broncos to get into the redzone. All they have to do is convert.

Raiders – Look for Oakland to favor their running game. JaMarcus Russell should be a little on edge considering it’s he’s a first year starter at QB. The Raiders are probably itching to let their #1 draft pick Darren McFadden out of the gates. Big time off season signee, Javon Walker, will play despite a hamstring injury, but don’t expect big numbers for him since he is going up against former teammate, Champ Bailey. Unless McFadden gets off to a strong start then don’t expect Russell to perform well in his week 1 debut (Russell did come off the bench in three games last year, but only started once against San Diego in the season finale) because of the experience and talent on the Broncos’ defensive roster.

Defense

Broncos – The team made some key acquisitions in the off-season to help the secondary. Dewayne Robertson and Boss Bailey should help shut down the Raiders’ running game. The Broncos defense should cheat a little into a run support defense until JaMarcus Russell can prove his worth. Champ Bailey and Dre Bly know exactly how to match up against Javon Walker considering they practiced with him last year. Bailey also knows about Ashley Lelie’s speed since Lelie burned many fast corners in his years as a Bronco.

Raiders - The Raiders could not stop the run at all in 2007. We’ll see if the 50 million dollar man, Tommy Kelly, can help stop the run. However, the team is very strong in the secondary especially with their off season acquisition of DeAngelo Hall. Hall will partner with Nnamdi Asomugha to stop the Broncos small but quick wideouts. Derrick Burgess and Jay Richardson will be the guys trying to put pressure on Jay Cutler, but expect the Broncos offensive line to create a nice pocket for Cutler.

Special Teams  

Broncos – Eddie Royal will be kept very busy Monday night as a starter on offense and the team’s punt and kick returner. He has incredible speed that should surprise a lot of people in this league. The kicking game is a bit of a concern for Broncos fans considering Mr. Auto-Pilot himself, Jason Elam, went to the Falcons. Matt Prater will be replacing Elam and Brett Kern will be the new punter. Special teams is full of youth and you can guarantee that special teams’ coach, Scott O’Brien, is telling his guys to just hold onto the ball and avoid penalties.

Raiders – Their punter, Shane Lechler, is coming off of a Pro Bowl season. Field-goal kicker, Sebastian Janikowski, has only made 70 % of his field goal attempts in the past three seasons. Johnnie Lee Higgins is back to return punts after being demoted from the job last year because of fumbles. This special teams unit has potential, but if the game is on the line, don’t expect big things to happen from this group.

Coaching

Broncos – We know about Mike Shanahan’s hatred for the Raiders. He always wants revenge because Al Davis fired him four games into the 1989 season. He will pull out all the stops to win this  nationally televised game on week 1.

Raiders – Lane Kiffin has got a lot to prove, and the weight of Raider Nation rests on his shoulders. With talented guys at QB and RB, Kiffin will need to stop playing so conservatively if he is going to impress anyone in the league. I don’t think he’s willing to shoot from the hip against the Broncos, though.