Denver entered the 2010 season hoping to build on consecutive 8-8 campaigns. Instead, it bottomed out.
The Broncos finished 4-12 overall and went 1-5 against AFC West foes. Now, they're looking to start fresh with new Head Coach John Fox.
The Broncos brought him in for damage control after Josh McDaniels made more than a few bad personnel decisions.
It's been five seasons since Denver last won the division and reached the playoffs.
Offense
The Broncos finished No. 13 in the league in total offense last season with 348.9 yards per game. They finished No. 19 in scoring with 21.5 points per contest.
Last season, the offense moved the chains almost exclusively through the air. Starting quarterback Kyle Orton helped Denver boast the seventh-best passing attack in the NFL while throwing for 3,653 yards with 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Despite a solid season, Orton was not embraced by the fans or McDaniels, who drafted Tim Tebow to be the franchise's quarterback of the future.
Tebow was given every opportunity to win the starting job this season, but Orton was clearly the best signal caller in camp.
Orton has a vote of confidence from wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, who caught 77 passes for 1,448 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2010.
The running game was an afterthought a year ago, but that will change under Fox. The Broncos finished 26 in the league with 96.5 yards per game on the ground last year.
Hidden in Denver's lackluster running game was a good season from Knowshon Moreno. He showed excellent all-around skills by rushing for 779 yards and catching 37 passes for 372 yards. I expect his numbers to be more impressive this season as Fox utilizes him more.
The offensive line must do a better job in pass protection. It gave up 40 sacks a season ago, a figure that tied for 23rd in the league.
The potential is there for the boys up front to have a breakout season, especially if Ryan Clady returns to form following a down year.
Defense
While strides need to be made on offense, they need major strides on the defensive side of the ball. The Broncos brought up the rear in the NFL last season in both total and scoring defense with 390.8 yards and 29.4 points allowed per game.
Denver is looking to make progress with its run defense and pass rush after ranking 31 in the league against the run with 154.6 yards allowed per game and last in sacks with only 23 on the season.
The pass rush should be better with the addition of Von Miller and with Elvis Dumervil set to return after missing all of last season with a pectoral injury, but the run defense may still be an issue. That's because no major moves were made to strengthen the interior of the line.
Brodrick Bunkley and Kevin Vickerson are set to get the majority of the snaps inside and neither player is likely to factor into the team's long-term plans.
The switch to a 4-3 scheme at least makes the Broncos a little tougher to run on.
Champ Bailey still anchors the defensive backfield. The 10-time Pro Bowler likely only has only few more good years left in him. It would be in the best interest of the Broncos to upgrade at the other spots in the secondary so those years aren't wasted.
Prediction
Fourth Place AFC West—I have little doubt Denver will be a better football team this season, but it is still likely two years away from seriously being able to challenge in the West. Under Fox, the offense should take a step toward becoming more balanced. The defense should take small steps toward mounting a better pass rush and stuffing the run. These things will make the Broncos more competitive so they're not getting blown out by Oakland 59-14 on their home field. NFL odds makers have listed the Broncos at +1000 to win the division.
Check out my 2011 NFL predictions to see which team I have winning the AFC West.
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/838152-2011-nfl-odds-denver-broncos
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