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Published on 07/12/2008 at Sat Jul 12 10:00.
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Predicting the 2008 Denver Broncos

Posted Sat Jul 12th by

Garret Barnes has his hands in a lot of cookie jars these days – on top of running the Denver Broncos blog Bronco Madness, he also works on his NFL blog Between the Laces and contributes to an up-and-coming anti-Raiders blog.  As the latest guest blogger on BroncoTalk, Garret offers his predictions for many Broncos, quick and dirty style, before giving his final record prognostication. Enjoy!

My turn! My turn! My turn! Now that everybody else on the face on the earth has made their predictions for the Broncos, it is only fair that I can make my own.

Let’s begin with Brandon Marshall and his future. Brandon is going to become the bad boy of the press (if you do not consider he fits into that category already). Us Bronco fans will be the only ones who want him to stay. But after a string of investigations, the NFL will suspend him for 4-5 games. During those games we will go 3-2. Afterward he will come back and will catch for 800-900 yards and 6 Touchdowns.


Jay Cutler will prosper from a solid offense and throw for over 3,500 yards and 25 Touchdowns. Though he will still throw 11 or so Interceptions. Cutler will prove himself a leader and will be thankful for the fact that he has one of the most deep Wide Receiver Corps in the NFL.

Well what about Selvin Young? This is a question that is haunting every Broncos fan that knows anything about their team. The kid has talent. Add that with that Mile High Air, or coaches, or whatever triggers the success of all these RB’s up here and he could be really successful. I expect a 1,000 yard season from him with 6 Touchdowns to spare. Michael Pittman will be used as a goal line runner in the early parts of the season while Torain runs third downs.

Ryan Clady I think may be the only Tackle in the first round of the draft guaranteed a starting job. Jake Long might but I pay no attention to the Dolphins whatsoever. But he will be extremely successful and Jay Cutler will fall in love with him on the line. He will play at the same level that Joe Thomas did last year for the Browns.

The defensive line will be interesting. Elvis Dumervil will show that he really is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL and not some flash in the pan. How? 13.0 sacks! Thats how. On the other side of the line Jarvis Moss will stay healthy and will help stop the rush. He will have 45 tackles and 4.0 sacks. Dewayne Robertson I think will face an injury but it will be minor and he will only miss about 1 or 2 games. Though he will still have 60 tackles and 6.0 sacks.

Niko Koutovides will struggle with only 50 tackles but the other linebackers will do just fine. Boss Bailey will have around 65 tackles and 4.0 sacks in his first year with us. D.J Williams will be just fine moving back to where he is best and with that will give us around 55 tackles but 7.0 sacks.

Other teams to their dismay will underestimate Champ Bailey a bit. They will throw a bit closer to him and guess what the results will be. 8 Interceptions! Dre Bly will have 6 Interceptions on the other side of the field. John Lynch will leave proudly as he has over 60 tackles and 2 Interceptions. Yay for John Lynch!

So how do we do with our record? My predicted stats speak for themselves and we will go 10-6 and will be the 6th seed in the playoffs. Sadly we will not step any further as we lose our first playoff game. But just making it to the playoffs will give Cutler the needed experience to allow us to make a run next season. So that is my long season preview for the Broncos.

  • myerda00

    Mr Barnes,
    I could not find any glaring errors in you analysis. Unfortunately I think you are right about Marshall. I do see Niko getting around 75 tackles, Young around 1400 yards and hope that Marcus Thomas makes the Pro Bowl.

  • Quicksilver

    I have to say the only thing i disagree with is Niko, i think he will end up being a stud, if he struggles it will only be in the first 2-3 regular season games.

  • http://mrherculesrockefeller.blogspot.com hercules rockefeller

    No way does Marshall get 4 games. Two max.

  • kerry

    with how soft our schedule is i see us going 11-5 or 12-4 and possibly winning the division. Phyllis Rivers and Tomlinson are coming off knee injuries and one good shot will put one or both out of commission. take away those guys and the chargers finish below .500 the raiders are still no good and neither are the chiefs. and if Marshall doesnt get suspended at all then Cutler will go for 4,000 yards and 30 TD’s

  • http://www.broncomadness.com Garret Barnes

    kerry,
    wishful thinking but yes that is possible. hercules i think that the nfl is going crazy with this clean up thing and they will suspend him for that long cuz of it.

  • krippler

    Thats alot of sacks for the linebackers. Last time DJ played weak he was right around 100 tackles. I see him doing the same.

  • broncfanstuckinsd

    I agree with Herc he wont get more than 2. Jared Allen had 2 DUI’s and served only a 2 game vacation. Plus the commish wont rule on Marshall until his trial which is in late September. Plus even with the NFL going towards the clean up process unlike A. Jones and Chris Henry who have either pleaded guilty or been convicted this would be a first time offense for him and Bowlen does have some sway in the owner circles so I would say that he would get a pair. Plus why do you think that A. Jones is gonna be reinstated. He is in Dallas under J. Jones. If he was still in Tennessee I would bet he wouldnt be reinstated.
    But I can see Denver going 11-5 or 12-4

  • Arden

    60 tackles and six sacks sounds like an awful lot even for a productive NFL DT.

  • flbronc

    11-5 is a realistic number, but my gut says 10-6. i agree with herc and the others with 2 games for marshall- unless he has some more visits from the lawdogs.

    on defense, i agree with you about the secondary- they will have a much better showing this year. mainly due to the improvement at dt. i’m still not sold on our young de’s though. i dont think that dumerville is a ‘flash in the pan’ i expect him to get his sacks- at least 10. it’s moss and crowder that i worry about- health and ability levels.

  • HogBlog

    I have a difficult time believing 11-5 is reaistic. However, I will say that IF we can agree that the current D scheme, with the new additions are keys to creating defensive chemistry and confidence, then I can certainly buy 10-6, and 9-7 for sure.

    I’m skeptical toward the comment regarding D-Rob missing games. Especially as he’ll rotate in and out, and not see as much playing time as in his past 6 years. I see him easily playing w/some pain, but being more successful because of his need to prove he’s worthy of 1st round talent, and the critism/controversy created around his salary and injuries were more about saber rattling to reduce his price, that his value as a player. You gotta believe that the Jets were livid this coming out. It worked great for us. Im not saying he’s not injured, there’s no doubt about it. But here’s a man who has become used to playing with it, and I believe he’s worth much more than the price we’ll eventually pay for him…which could be nothing?

  • http://www.NFLdraftdog.com James

    At this time I see Denver going 9-7 possibly 10-6. I would like to hold off final predictions until a few preseason games to see how the new players fit in. Though with this schedule Denver’s stars could align for a serious playoff run. I think it all depends on health and the Defense gelling.

    Reasoning for at least 9-7 has to do with schedule.

    Game againts losers – 10
    1. Raiders (away) 4-12
    2. New Orleans (Home) 7-9
    3. KC (away) 4-12
    4. Miami (Home) 1-15
    5. Atlanta (away) 4-12
    6. Raiders (Home) 4-12
    7. Y Jets (away) 4-12
    8. KC (Home) 4-12
    9. Carolina (away) 7-9
    10. Buffalo (Home) 7-9

    Winnable Games against winners 2
    Tampa Bay (Home) 9-7
    Cleveland (away) 10-6

    Denver sould easily be able to win 9 out of these 12 games.

    That only leaes 4 games against teams that the probably won’t win. Though Denver may be able to pull an upset against San Diego at home or Jacksonvilee and Home.

  • Lee T

    Sounds good to me…. As much as I want Niko to be a stud (and I think he will be in the future) he’s going to struggle a bit this year but show us some John Lynch like highlight hits!

    Depending on the length of Marshall’s suspension I think he will have a big year and make the probowl. I hope Elvis has a huge year like he can and shows the league he’s a force.
    10-6 and out in the first round to those God Damn Colts!!!

  • http://www.broncomadness.com Garret Barnes

    Lee T,

    Actually that is exactly what I think will happen in the playoffs. Manning is pretty scary against our D.