Three Keys to the '08 Bronco Season

#1-OFFENSE #2-DEFENSE #3-SPECIAL TEAMS

Questions on Offense: How will Cutler's body respond to treatment for diabetes and will he have a breakout season? How many and which RBs will it take to generate 2000 yards rushing? Will Brandon Marshall recover from his mishap, find a housekeeper and return to '07 form? Will Brandon Stokley start all sixteen regular season games? Just how good will the OL be in '08? Will the Broncos do better in the "red zone" (any relation to the I.W.W.?) and in short yardage in '08 and how big a part of that will Peyton Hillis be? Will Tony Scheffler play in all sixteen regular season games? Who will be Offensive MVP?

Questions on Defense: Will DeWayne Robertson make it through the whole season? Will the three sophomore DL (Moss, Crowder and Thomas) have a breakout season? Will Elvis Dumervil morph into a Pass Rush Specialist? How well will Carlton Powell Jr. do as a relief DT in '08? Will Nikos Koutouvides cause Greek flags to be waved and goats to be killed and cooked in his honor with much dancing, bazukis and ouzo, or will he need to winter on the slopes of Mount Parnassos seeking answers from the Pythia? Will Spencer Larsen or Nate Webster (of the flying helmet) make the team? Will Jordan Beck or Louis Green make the roster? Will the Bailey Brothers "cream" their opponents together? Is it the deepest group of cornerbacks in the NFL or what? Is Wesley Woodyard a LB or a SS, and can he make the team at either position? Who will the Safeties be and will Josh Barrett be one of them? How much longer will John Lynch play? Exactly how awesome (pretty awesome or awesome squared?) will DJ Williams be as a WLB in '08? Who will be Defensive MVP?

Questions for the Special Teams: Will Kick/Punt Coverage learn to run their lanes and do that thing called ... tackling? Will Kick/Punt Return figure out if it's left, middle or right return and do that thing called ... blocking? Will an exciting returner emerge and will it be Eddie Royal, Jack Williams, Anthony Alridge or all three? Who will the punter be and will he punt it out inside the +20 or make it die inside the +5 or will he kick it directly to Devin Hesteresque types at each opportunity? Who will kick off and can he get it beyond the +20 or even into the EZ occasionally? Who will the PK be? Will the rookies light it up for us on ST this year? Who will be "Captain Crash"?

OK, everybody, get out your blue exam books. You have until July 24. No cheating. And please ... don't write it in the Etruscan alphabet!

Sam