Why 2016 should breath optimism for Bronco Fans.

The Broncos may not be able to top last years Super Bowl 50 win in the 2016–2017 season. The Broncos may not win the Superbowl, but the Broncos appear to be in the hunt despite a 23–16 loss to the Atlanta Falcons at home. With a combined 11–14 win loss record for the opponents they have faced in 2016 (that’s including the Falcons) and losing to the Falcons who were the only team besides the Panthers (0–0) who had a winning record, the Broncos were always the better of the teams they faced prior to the Falcons, and one could argue the Broncos were the better team on Sunday despite the loss and I’ll have more on that later. Why should Broncos fans be optimistic about the 2016–2017 season?

The defense is still outstanding despite losing key pieces in Malik Jackson (who was never going to stay if you view his twitter headline “all about my commas like a run on sentence”), Danny Trevathan, and David Bruton being the real big pieces who have left on that side of the ball. Prior to the season starting many NFL Guru’s including Adam Schefter pointed out that historically Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips does outstanding in year 1 of taking over a defense, his squads often regress in year two. Though we are only five games deep into 2016, so far the defense looks as outstanding as ever and one could argue that it’s due to the outstanding talent he has to work with and I for one would find that to be the case. The Broncos have an outstanding defensive coaching staff, Bill Kollar is doing wonders with Derek Wolfe, and even Jared Crick, Darius Kilgo and Sylvester Williams. Fred Pagac is doing wonders with the outside linebackers in Von Miller, Shane Ray, DeMarcus Ware, Shaq Barrett. Though each of the linebackers have an outstanding talent base, Pagac is helping Ray and Barrett have more of a prominent role in year two of being on the active roster with the injury to Ware. Though we can see that Ray needs to get better with his discipline in the running game, we can see what John Elway and company saw in Ray to trade up for him with a First Round pick especially with this hat trick of sacks earlier this season. Reggie Herring is working with an established starter in Brandon Marshall (who probably had his worst game as a Bronco against the Falcons) and trying to coach up a young new found starter in Todd Davis. The Broncos linebackers are outstanding, and though they all can still get better, as they continue to work together and grow, this is as stable as the Broncos have had at linebacker since the late nineties Broncos Superbowl era. Elway and company are tremendous in evaluating talent, and the Broncos will continue to grow.

The Broncos offense of 2015, could not be much worse this year, at the beginning of the Kubiak/Manning marriage was awkward to say the least. Kubiak forced Manning to run a system that Manning had no business running, and the running game was spotty and overall weak to say the least. As each side began to compromise, we saw Manning get more comfortable (prior to injury) and Brock Osweiler come in and perform outstanding for a first time starter in an offense he was born to run. After Manning returned in San Diego and giving Gary Kubiak the one finger salute that symbolized “PUT ME IN COACH!”. Manning and Kubiak who are as brilliant at offensive football as anybody in the history of the league were even more dangerous together and discovered ways to compensate despite working with a makeshift offensive line (Looking at you Ryan Harris and Michael Schofield). Though the Broncos were not going to be known as offensive juggernauts, last year, they were able to do just enough with a brilliant defense to win the Superbowl.

In 2016, the Broncos don’t have a field general, in Peyton Manning, they have a first year starter and temporary band-aid in Trevor Siemian. That’s no knock on Siemian who has improved each week to peak (so far) at an offensive player of the week nod in week 3 with a four touchdown performance in his first road win. The Broncos locked up Emmanuel Sanders prior to the season and have Demariyus Thomas to compliment him. Both player throughout their careers have shown ability to make plays after a catch, as most recently shown when Thomas showed amazing awareness enough to reach for a score at the end zone. The Broncos also locked up CJ Anderson who has not looked like himself since week 1, and it’s unclear whether that’s attributed to the offensive line or each defense being hypersensitive enough to not want to underestimate him as the Panthers did in the Superbowl. The Broncos added Andy Janovich in the NFL draft this past offseason and Pro Football Focus had him graded as the best fullback in the NFL prior to week 5. Janovich showed incredible ability in his long touchdown run in week 1 against the Panthers. The offensive line is still a work in progress, but the Broncos locked up Russell Okung on well documented team friendly deal and Donald Stephenson who transitions to Denver from division rival Kansas City who has been missed since his injury. Max Garcia appears to have regressed from looking impressive in year one last year that people thought he should start. Garcia has had a few ill advised penalties and been taken advantage of by superior defensive linemen. Michael Schofield so far appears to have been working harder than ever this offseason, and was doing outstanding at right guard until a returning from injury in Ty Sambrailo in week five who did not look like he was fully recovered enough to play, was benched in favor of Schofield being moved to the tackle position and a journeymen former tackle in Darrion Weems being moved to right guard. The Tight End situation is still in flux, Jeff Heuerman has been an occasional presence, after being injured all of last year and for a good portion of training camp. John Phillips a trusted veteran had a great touchdown catch against the Bengals and has been suitable. Virgil Green who has been known as a great blocker, was doing well catching balls prior to his injury this season, we will have to watch and see how he rebounds from the injury and assumes the role he was occupying prior to his injury.

In year two of the Gary Kubiak, zone blocking system the Broncos look to have improved on Offense with a cut down of turnovers. By this point in 2015, the Broncos had eight (8) giveaways, this year the Broncos have six (6) giveaways. On defense the Broncos have 9 takeaways, and last year had 14, which is mainly attributed to five against the Chiefs. The Broncos while obviously wanting to win against Atlanta, were disadvantaged having to play a game on Thursday and now we know Gary Kubiak was under the weather. While I refuse to say that the Broncos “punted” this game, I will say that they probably and rightly were looking to a game that mattered more in a divisional game with playoff implications for the Broncos in San Diego.

The Broncos are still the best team in the AFC West, they may even be the best team in the AFC. It’s well documented that the best teams in the playoffs are the teams that peak late, I for one would rather have the taste of losing against a non divisional, non conference opponent in the Atlanta Falcons than I would against San Diego who has already lost to the other two teams in the division. Oakland and Kansas City play this week, the winner will be undefeated in divisional play. The Broncos were right if they did look over Atlanta, as long as they get it together for San Diego. If that happens maybe people can take their hands off of the panic button, or if they lose, press it harder.