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Posted Wed Sep 5th by Monty
![[Lombardi Trophy]](/images/lombarditrophy.jpg)
Twenty-two Denver athletes take the field every Sunday (but one) from now until January. 22 men will lead the other 31 with hope – the hope for glory that comes every September as the world embarks on another NFL season. For the 2007 Denver Broncos, it has been nearly a decade since the team reached the biggest game of the year. The players, coaches and fans hope that this year will mark the return of the Broncos to that grandest of stages that we call the Super Bowl.
In 1997, the Broncos head into the season after a crushing defeat – one John Elway would later call the worst of his career. They improved their roster through free agency, found breakout stars in all the right places, and ultimately made the run they needed to win it all.
Can this year’s Broncos do the same?
Position by position, I decided to break down the starting 22 men from both teams, and give the better player a simple checkmark. It was hard to fight the temptation to just give the mark to the 1997 team every time – my love affair with that roster has grown throughout the years. But for your viewing (and debating) pleasure, away we go with the list of each team’s starters. Note: I used the starting 22 in Super Bowl XXXII vs. the starters projected this week in Buffalo.
| Pos | 1997 | 2007 | Check | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offense | ||||
| Quarterback | John Elway | Jay Cutler | 1997 | Jay Cutler could break a few records, but did you really expect me to rank him above Ole #7? |
| Running Back | Terrell Davis | Travis Henry | 1997 | One of these backs belong in the Hall of Fame – Henry has some more work to do before he can even be considered |
| Fullback | Howard Griffith | Cecil Sapp | 1997 | Sapp wasn’t even our starter last week. |
| Wide Receiver | Rod Smith | Javon Walker | 2007 | Walker had comparable stats last year to Smith’s in 1997, coming off injury and dealing with QB controversy. |
| Wide Receiver | Ed McCaffrey | Brandon Marshall | 2007 | McCaffrey didn’t break 600 yards until the next year, when he had over 1,000. I think BM will do better than that (he had over 300 in limited action last year). |
| Left Tackle | Gary Zimmerman | Matt Lepsis | 2007 | I’m a big Lepsis fan, and Zimmerman was contemplating retirement and missed two games that year. |
| Left Guard | Brian Habib | Chris Myers | 1997 | If Hamilton were healthy, we’d be talking. Chris Myers better be INSANE in practices to justify him making the team. |
| Center | Tom Nalen | Draw | Don’t you just love this guy? | |
| Right Guard | Mark Schlereth | Montrae Holland | 1997 | As much as you all know I love Holland, he still hasn’t seen any REAL game action for Denver. And Schlereth is a personal favorite of mine too. |
| Right Tackle | Tony Jones | Erik Pears | 1997 | Pears still has something to prove to me – I wasn’t as impressed as many by his backing up Lepsis last year. |
| Tight End | Shannon Sharpe | Daniel Graham | 1997 | Another solid player against a future Hall of Famer… sorry, but not even close. |
| Defense | ||||
| Defensive End | Neil Smith | John Engleberger | 1997 | Smith was one of the biggest free agent moves in Broncos history. |
| Defensive End | Alfred Williams | Elvis Dumervil | 1997 | Dumervil has the potential to be better, but I fear he’s still a liability against the run. |
| Defensive Tackle | Keith Traylor | Sam Adams | 1997 | Traylor returned to the team that drafted him and made a big impact. |
| Defensive Tackle | Maa Tanuvasa | Amon Gordon | 1997 | Gordon had among the best preseasons of any Bronco, but again, I need to see it “for real.” |
| Weakside Linebacker | John Mobley | Ian Gold | 2007 | This one was a bit of a push, but when Gold’s on, he’s on fire. |
| Strongside Linebacker | Bill Romanowski | Nate Webster | 1997 | Webster’s play is one of the biggest question marks on this team heading into this year. |
| Middle Linebacker | Allen Aldridge | D.J. Williams | 2007 | Aldridge had clutch plays in our 1997 postseason, but I like D.J.’s upside better. |
| Cornerback | Ray Crockett | Champ Bailey | 2007 | I mean… it’s Champ. |
| Cornerback | Darrien Gordon | Dre Bly | 2007 | Best CB tandem ever? |
| Strong Safety | Tyrone Braxton | Nick Ferguson | 1997 | Hope Ferguson’s healthy, but our safety depth may be the best its ever been based on preseason performances. |
| Free Safety | Steve Atwater | John Lynch | 1997 | If T.D. had one less TD, Atwater’s your Super Bowl MVP. |
| FINAL: 1997 (14-7-1) | ||||
When it really comes down to it, though, I don’t view this team all that differently from the team that went on their Wild Card Run in 1997. The quarterback has a lot of upside – enough to do better statistically than even Elway. I also like the upside of Holland, Marshall, and D.J. Williams.
It’s important to note the depth that this team has as well. If I were to break down the entire 53 man rosters (22 was exhausting enough, trust me), I think today’s Broncos would get quite a few more checkmarks, particularly in the defensive backfield, the defensive line, wide receiver and at running back.
Don’t agree with any of these? I’ve stated my opinion, let me hear yours!
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