Green Bay Packers vs. Denver Broncos: Third Quarter

Opening kickoff and Marquand Manuel is helped off the field, he is the starting free safety for Denver.

Patrick Ramsey comes in and Michael Pittman is handling handoffs.

Dibs on Ramsey's interceptions this half? I'd say two, I've got two...

Green Bay still has their first team defense on the field.

Ramsey has his pass knocked down as the Packers appeared to rush no one then, rushed nine at the last moment.

Brett Kern's punt is impressive, but is negated by the piss poor second-team punt defense and the Packers make the Broncos look like, well... The Broncos.

Green Bay Packers keep their first-team offense and the Broncos get their fifteen yards on the first play.

Wesley Woodyard stops the next play for no gain what-so-ever. 2nd and 13.

Karl Paymah's coverage on Greg Jones could have been pass interference, but Aaron Rodgers pass to Jones is out of bounds.

Next play, same play, Paymah gets called in teh end-zone for pass interference. First and goal on the one yard line.

Brandon Jackson is stopped on the one-yard line! Niko Koutouvides and Wesley Woodyard on the stop.

Jackson is stopped again by thee Denver second-team defensive line. Give Larry Birdine and Wesley Woodyard the credit.

Third time's a charm and Aaron Rodgers gets the touchdown on the QB sneak. 20-17 Green Bay, but remember that's the first-team Packers offense against the second-team Broncos defense.

UPDATE: Marquand Manuel has hurt his thumb and went to the locker room.

Broncos second-team offense stalled in their first drive, let's see where they go. Michael Pittman is wrapped up by Desmond Bishop, Pittman cut back way too early.

Patrick Ramsey's dump off to Michael Pittman goes barely for a first down, this is Pittman's specialty.

Pitch to Pittman goes nowhere, the safety Aaron Rouse stops it in the backfield.

Ramsey scrambling on the next play hits Keary Colbert for nine yards.

Ramsey's handoff to Pittman goees for negative yards and the punt team heads out.

The second-team offensive line just can't handle the pressure right now.

Packers punt returner catches the punt from Brett Kern and is knocked to the ground by his own player.

Noah Herron, Packers third-stringer, who beat a lampshade against a robber in the off-season, he nearly beat him to death. Regardless, he's now beating the Broncos to death, running for 4-10 yards at will. Brian Brohm is in at quarterback for the Packers.

Thank science the Packers brought in their second-team, because now the Broncos can compete again. Some pressure and dropped pass make it 2nd and 13 for Green Bay.

Defensive end Paul Carrington may be hurt on the Broncos side, the Broncos trainers rush out to help him.

Wesley Woodyard again in on a tackle, this #59 is an animal. However, the Broncos look like the Broncos of last year. Not able to make a tackle on a rush...

Alvin McKinley, doing his best to make a point pushes Packers quarterback Brohm to the ground as Tim Crowder bats the ball down. Domonique Foxworth breaks the 3rd down pass up and Mason Crosby is back in for 53 yards, but it's wide right.

Broncos second team offense may be clicking against this second-team defense... Pittman catches a dump from Ramsey for about eight. 3rd and 1. Ramsey bootlegs to Clifford Russell for the first down. A late hit on Patrick Ramsey gives Denver an extra 15 yards.

Clifford Russel's my guy by the way, the dark horse, Michael Pittman rushes on the next play for 15, Andre Hall comes in, first and goal from the 6.

Patrick Ramsey nearly passes for his first interception! Not quite as Ramsey's interception attempt to Clifford Russell is incomplete. Ramsey will be back though.

Ramsey hits Brett Pierce at the two yard line. That's two bootlegs in a row. Hall is still in the back field.

Cecil Sapp isn't enough to get into the backfield.

Paul Carrington- strained calf muscle done for the night as the third quarter is done.

There's more! Check out the Broncos Denver Broncos Blog for multiple daily updates.
Want updates on your cell phone? Join us on Twitter and receive updates to your cell phone.

Denver Broncos vs. Dallas Cowboys: Second Quarter

Our defensive line is looking better this second series as well.

Eddie Royal not impressive on his first punt return, chalk that one up to the blocks he didn't receive though.

I was about to say that Selvin Young looks like a backup, but he's redeeming himself. Saw Andre Hall run over half the Dallas defense though. Including Zach Thomas, Roy Williams and Tank Johnson.

That pressure on Brad Johnson is encouraging, nice to see Josh Mallard and Jarvis Moss making those pushes with Elvis Dumervil on the sack. Three team rush.

Why is Domonique Foxworth not the number two corner back in Denver? We just saw why. He tackles well though, but the object is to stop your receiver from catching.

Let's see the two minute offense...

Okay, Matt Prater, time to make a move. There will be riots in the streets of Colorado and south Wyoming if Denver loses a game over a missed field goal.

Keep it on refresh after every quarter or so....

Denver Broncos Training Camp Report: Day 16

I've been all over the place since last Friday, so I apologize for the lack of updates. There's not a ton to report from Day 15 or Day 16 for the matter, but I will give tidbits on what should be noted.

I may have jinxed Lamont Reid yesterday, as Denver waived the corner back last night. Reid was waived to make room for Wale Dada, that'll be a fun name to say if he can make an impact. Dada has yet to play a game in the NFL, but spent the second half of last season on the Seattle Seahawks practice squad.

Out of pads today: Hamza Abdullah, Champ Bailey, Louis Green, Boss Bailey, Peyton Hillis, Tom Nalen, Erik Pears and Ryan Torain. It should be noted that while Hillis was listed as out, he did in fact participate in practice at fullback. Noticeably absent from the out of pads list is tight end Chad Mustard, who returned yesterday to practice.

Here are my unsolicited best guesses for winners of position battles at this point:

Fullback: Cecil Sapp will likely walk away with this one. Running back Michael Pittman could have been a dark horse candidate had rookie Ryan Torain not gotten hurt early in training camp. Peyton Hillis, who is the best receiving back Denver has, simply cannot get on the practice field. Without being able to practice, young Hillis will not be able to pass anyone on the depth chart.

Second-string Quarterback: Patrick Ramsey will remain the second-string quarterback going into the season. However, if there ever were a need for a second-string quarterback in the regular season lasting longer than a game Darrell Hackney would get the start. Let us just hope with the open roster spot created with Jason Elam's exodus to mecca (Atlanta) and Matt Prater having the incredible ability as a kicker to both kick-off, attempt extra points and kick field goals, that the open roster spot created goes to a third quarterback.

2nd Tight End: Fan favorite Tony Scheffler does not appear to have this position locked down by any means, the Broncos resigned ("Nasty") Nate Jackson which means that they're going to want a return on their investment. Both tight ends have injury issues, neither one has ever made it through an entire season. Scheffler is great once he gets the ball, Jackson is great at getting the ball. In training camp both tight ends have seen time split out, neither end is known for his abilitiy to block, at the same time neither of them have any problem with blocking. My best guess at this point is that Nate Jackson will see more time on the field, but Tony Scheffler will get the ball more often.

Center: If Tom Nalen's healthy, there is no discussion, he will start. If there is any doubt in his head that he's not healthy I would think that he will retire. Leaving Denver with a very experienced Casey Wiegmann, who has not disappointed yet either in training camp or preseason play. In the very unfortunate event the Tom Nalen does retire, PJ Alexander, who can play any position on the offensive line would back up Wiegmann.

Right Guard: It is not out of the ordinary for Chris Kuper to be listed as the number one right guard in preseason, he was last year as well. Last season Montrae Holland ended up beating him out for the start and started every game in 2007. I don't expect there to be any different this season. Chris Kuper will be a back up, the right tackle position will be discussed a paragraph down.

Right Tackle: The message boards are full of chatter of Chris Kuper moving over from right guard, making room for Montrae Holland and starting in the right tackle position. If Chris Kuper were the number one option at right tackle, he would have been playing right tackle all along and someone would have been filling in at right guard. Mike Shanahan named Ryan Harris the starting left guard in Denver way back in January or February. When Denver drafted Ryan Clady at left tackle the obvious move was to put Ryan Harris at right tackle. Right tackle is in many informed and expert opinions the easiest position on the line, as it is generally the side that also features the blocking tight end. Meaning the right tackle and tight end double-team who ever happens to be the opposing left defensive end. When you read about Ryan Harris being "blown up," in camp, this was happening in the first couple of days of camp during one-on-ones. With last season's starting right tackle Erik Pears, out for a bit this week with a soar back and dedicated to second-team left tackle I don't see Pears passing Harris on the depth chart either.

Running Back: Though I've felt that I've called this one ad nauseum, but Andre Hall will start, Selvin Young is the spell back. It's not going to happen just yet, it'll happen shortly after the Dallas game. However, clever Mike Shanahan may wait until just before the Oakland game to announce it. Leaving Oakland Raider coaches scrambling for film. We got a glimpse of Selvin Young early last season and he was exciting, but he sputtered out at the end of the season, why does no one remember that? He wasn't incredibly exciting going up against the number one defense last weekend in Houston either, he had one exciting run that pushed him into the positive yardage column though. The blueprint is being formed right now in Denver, running by committee is the future. Though we're not likely to see Bo Jackson/Marcus Allen production any time soon, but gone soon will be the days where one back carries thirty times per game. Rookie Anthony Aldridge will see carries here and there, as will Michael Pittman, when Ryan Torain is healthy again, expect him to get more than a few serious looks. I'm anti-rookie hype, especially when it comes to running backs, but Ryan Torain could be a huge threat, no team will have been able to scout him and he comes during a time when there are going to most likely be injuries to starters.

Wide Receiver (Y spot/2nd Receiver): Rookie Eddie Royal is the talk of the town, as he will probably start alongside Brandon Marshall when Denver plays the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday. However, he's just keeping the chair warm. When the season begins, Darrell Jackson will be the number one receiver and Eddie Royal will remain at number two. Week three versus the New Orleans Saints, Brandon Marshall and Darrell Jackson will start with Brandon Stokley in the slot, Eddie Royal will still see plenty of time and opportunities, but Darrell Jackson is the Broncos man. Incredible depth at wide receiver for Denver, Keary Colbert will likely take the sixth spot on the depth chart. My dark horse candidate at wide receiver is Clifford Russell, did you see his tackle at Houston? Russell narrowly missed an over thrown Darrell Hackney pass that would have made Denver fans see what I've been talking about over the last two weeks. He can make the team based off of his special teams contributions and provides good depth at kick returner and punt returner.

Defensive Line: I don't see anything changing here, Denver's first-team did decent, Jarvis Moss will not be an every down defensive end, at least to start the season off, John Engelberger is too much of a warrior. The Josh Mallard that I've crowned messiah did not do me any favors in Vegas last weekend, but you will see him a lot this season. Marcus Thomas is not disappointing and will do well, once DeWayne Robertson is taking on double teams next to him at defensive tackle. I want to see Tim Crowder do as well as he did at the beginning half of last season, but I want to see him do it the whole season. His spot on the depth chart is proof enough that Denver's not happy with what he's shown so far. The blitzing package that Denver occasionally sets up with in training camp is pretty fierce though: Jarvis Moss, Josh Mallard, Ebenezer Ekuban and Elvis Dumervil, that's overwhelming... If those men get organized, look out.

Middle Linebacker: Niko Koutouvides will get the start against Dallas, if my assumptions are correct and fans will call for Nate Webster. Good depth and intense battle, but Denver just doesn't want to see the money spent on Koutouvides go to waste, they want him to be the number one. However, that number one will be Nate Webster. For one reason, where Koutouvides overshadows Webster the most is in coverage, but Denver's not a team that often has a middle linebacker in coverage. In the nickel package, Denver doesn't even have a middle linebacker on the field. Boss Bailey is incredible in pass coverage and DJ Williams isn't to shabby either. If those two are in coverage, you'll want Nate Webster manning the middle, not Niko Koutouvides. Koutouvides is a special teams ace though and coupled with Jordan Beck, if he can somehow manage a roster spot and the youngster Wesley Woodyard, Denver should improve drastically at kickoff coverage.

Cornerback: Domonique Foxworth vs. Dre Bly, going with Dre Bly on this one. This could mean that Denver loses Domonique Foxworth next off-season. I, as many Denver fans, hope not, but I can't imagine him wanting to spend another season here next year as the nickel back. Foxworth believes that there are thirty-two teams that he's capable of starting for in this league and that is true, but he's not beating out Dre Bly, who is in the top five of current NFL corners for interceptions, this year.

Free Safety: Hamza Abdullah is giving his all to returning to practice, but it might be too little too late. Marquand Manuel is looking good filling in for the injured Abdullah. Prior to being injured Hamza Abdullah could be seen ball hawking in Denver's secondary, but in Marquand Manuel, Denver has Dennis Smith hitting ability. I think that it may come down to what situation Denver's in defensively and we'll call this one a draw for now.

Preseason Football: Denver @ Houston: Observations

Please accept my sincerest apologies for being absent. Unless you'd like to field some questions on The Iliad, let's get to the first Bronco game of '08.

Quarterbacks:

Jay Cutler: 8-10-0, 60 yds, 1 att, 15 yds TD.
Patrick Ramsey: 8-13-2, 49 yds.
Darrell Hackney:5-8-0, 68 yds, 1 att, 16 yds.

Had Jay Cutler played the whole game, Denver victory. What do you want in a backup? A game manager or a guy who can make plays? Darrell Hackney is making a case for the latter. In the event Patrick Ramsey disappears from the roster, he might be going on a secret mission for the CIA; into Iran to overthrow the Ayatollah (who is always wide open).

Running Backs:

Andre Hall: 8 att, 45 yds, 5.6 avg., 1 rec, 0 yds
Anthony Alridge: 3 att, 20 yds, 6.7 avg, F (FR by Polumbus) 3 rec, 21 yds
Micheal Pittman: 6 att, 18 yds, 3 avg, 1 rec, 5 yds
Selvin Young: 4 att, 7 yds, 2 rec, 21 yds.

This would appear to be the committee. Their success is symbiotic with the offensive line which is brand new. Selvin Young and Andre Hall both ran behind 1st team offensive although I didn't notice if Hall was up against Houston's first-team defense the whole time. Ian predicted the emergence of Andre Hall [editors note: fist pump]. Anthony Alridge is super fast and Michael Pittman is tough inside and a capable receiver. Peyton Hillis needs to get well soon. Selvin Young needs to step up.

Wide Receivers & Tight Ends:

Tony Scheffler: 4 rec, 61 yds
Darrell Jackson: 3 rec, 18 yds
Eddie Royal: 2 rec, 13 yds
Nate Jackson: 1 rec, 11 yds
Samie Parker: 1 rec, 10 yds
Brandon Marshall: 2 rec, 8 yds
Daniel Graham: 1 rec, 7 yds

A wide receiver who didn't catch a pass, but made a big play was Cliff Russell who drew pass interference at the +3 giving the Broncos a scoring opportunity in the 4th quarter. He is still very fast as he was at Utah. Eddie Royal looked good. Tony Scheffler is a big part of the passing game as he has always proven to be. Darrell Jackson wasn't used effectively which is a coaching flaw, not his. Keary Colbert drew a pass interference penalty, too, but was otherwise ineffective. It's a good group of receivers who can give Jay Cutler a variety of players to whom to throw.

Offensive Line:

The starting line which played the first half has essentially two rookie tackles (i.e., the Ryans). Houston's upstart defensive lineman Mario Williams pushed Ryan Clady around which was a good experience for Clady. Ryan Harris drew four penalties only two of which he deserved. The illegal formation one could have as easily been given to the other Ryan or the guards. One holding call was a bogus flag thrown by a guy on the sideline who was seeing things. The false start and one holding were deserved. Not too bad; nothing that can't be fixed. In the event Montrae Holland returns and starts and Chris Kuper returns to right tackle, Ryan Harris is definitely the #6 offensive lineman. Casey Wiegmann did a good job as did Ben Hamilton. These guys need chemistry and that will only come with playing together. Stay tuned for what happens with Tom Nalen whose injuries are nagging him to the extent he is sidelined. Depth is good.

Special Teams:

Matt Prater was 3 of 4 on field goal attempts. His kickoffs mostly came down at the +5 to the goal line. Sam Paulescu's one punt was fielded 52 yards from the LOS and was returned. Brett Kern's one punt was fielded 42 yards from the line of scrimmage with more hang time and wasn't returned. Both held for extra points and field goal attempts. Eddie Royal had two kick off returns for 47 yds, Clifford Russell had one for 27, Anthony Aldridge one for 24 and Andre Hall one for 20. Glenn Martinez fielded one punt for two yards. The leading special teams tackler was Wesley Woodyard with three including the stop on Matt Turk who tried to advance a punt attempt for a first down and came up one yard short; ball over to Denver on downs-big play. Clifford Russell had two special teams tackles, and Michael Pittman forced a fumble which Cecil Sapp recovered.

Defense:

The only sack was shared by linebacker Jordan Beck and defensive tackle Steven Harris. There were no picks. Boss Bailey injured his bad ankle and his backup, Louis Green, injured his neck and suffered a concussion. The Broncos are extremely lucky to have Jamie Winborn who switched from DJ Williams backup to first team strong side linebacker and did a great job. That put Jordan Beck as DJ Williams backup where he played as weak side linebacker during the second half. Nate Webster had one tackle and two assists and a flying helmet. Niko Koutouvides and Spencer Larsen each had four assists. The most outstanding starter was Domonique Foxworth with three solo and two assists including a 5 yd tackle for loss. He is making his case. The defense was without DeWayne Robertson and Champ Bailey and very quickly lost Boss and Louis. The interior defensive line played well with Kenny Peterson logging two solos and Marcus Thomas had one. The defensive ends need to step up. I expect some shuffling/experimenting there. Ebenezer Ekuban had two solos and two assists and an offsides penalty.

The second teamers in the second half produced the leading tacklers:
Josh Barrett: 7 solo and 6 assists
Jordan Beck: 5 solo, 3 assists, 1/2 sack
Wesley Woodyard: 5 solo, 1 assist
LaMont Reid and Christian Morton had 4 solos each with the latter including a 7 yd sack.

Josh Barrett's detractors have described him as looking like Tarzan and playing like Jane. If so, Jane had a hearty meal of roast Texan Saturday night which was fresh-kill. He was in the box, often lining up over the TE in a 9 tech on the line of scrimmage. Having heard nothing about Wesley Woodyard from training camp reports, he suddenly exploded during the game making big plays on special teams and defense. On running plays these two totally attack the line of scrimmage. Josh Barrett came down the line of scrimmage several times and I didn't even notice him until he was the last guy to get up from the bottom of the pile. I had to pause the DVR and advance it one click at a time just to figure out where he came from. Wesley Woodyard and Josh Barrett also have great speed for guys their size. They seem to work well with Spencer Larsen and Jordan Beck. The linebacker depth and Jim Ryan's great coaching was very much in need and it all came through.

I expect to see more from the Broncos in next week's game with the Dallas Cowboys besides the vanilla O & D which they showed ... except not during practice ... with Dallas, that is.

CBS Channel 4 in Denver gets a C+/B- and an A for effort. The box guys need binoculars ... or bifocals. The director needs more monitors and helpers and to stop showing graphics instead of THE PLAY WE'RE MISSING. Also, how about more replays? But, hey, thanks for broadcasting the game. Do it again ... please?

There's more! Check out the Broncos Denver Broncos Blog for multiple daily updates.

Want updates on your cell phone? Join us on Twitter and receive updates to your cell phone.

Denver Broncos at Houston Texans: 1st Quarter Notes

Here's the annoying part about the National Football League... Okay, DirectTV has the monopoly on the NFL games, if I'm out of market. So I abide and get Direct TV, guess what? It's cloudy outside, no reception for my satellite.

- SLB Boss Bailey down with a right ankle injury on the first Houston possession. Then was carted off after making it to the sideline. He has a sprained ankle and is questionable to return.

- SLB Louis Green collided with another Bronco and was injured two plays later, while subbing in for the injured Boss Bailey. He was moving around, but he was taken off the field on a stretcher and gave two thumbs up as he left the field.

- FS Marquand Manuel is everywhere early.

- CB Domonique Foxworth was boxed out completely by Houston WR Andre Davis, for a nine-yard catch.

- SS Marlon McCree nearly picked off a Matt Schaub pass, in his own end zone that would have gone yard had he made McCree secured the catch.

- Denver's defense wins out the battle at the goal line to hold Houston to a field goal.

- Backup SLB Louis Green was diagnosed with a concussion and an injury to his head and neck, taken to the hospital in an ambulance.

- WR Eddie Royal makes his first catch as a Bronco, going five yards in the slot.

- LT Ryan Clady, thus far is losing the battle to Houston's DE Mario Williams.

- WR Brandon Marshall made a nice catch for Denver's first first-down.

- QB Jay Cutler and Eddie Royal has some miscommunication around 5:20 in the 1st Quarter. Royal went post and Cutler tossed it ouside.

- Where Selvin Young is looking shaky (mainly due to the poor offensive line) as a runner, he's making it up as a capable receiver.

- On back-to-back plays, Cutler drops it off to Selvin Young for a total of 23 yards on two plays.

- TE Nate Jackson lined up in the slot catches a quick first-down.

- Next play, Eddie Royal makes his second catch for a gain of eight yards.

- The offensive line is protecting very well in pass situations and Jay Cutler's looking poised.

- RB Selvin Young makes his first positive yardage on a seven yard run.

- Cutler narrowly missed TE Daniel Graham for a touchdown. The ball bounced off his finger tips at 01:47.

- 3rd and 8 Jay Cutler in the shotgun, takes off, running 15 yards and leaping for a Denver touchdown. 00:56 left in the 1st Quarter.

- Domonique Foxworth knocked back Houston RB Chris Taylor for a loss of five yards to wrap up the 1st Quarter.

1st Quarter wrap up:

Positives: Denver's passing offense.
Negatives: Denver's rushing defense/rushing offense.

There's more! Check out the Broncos Denver Broncos Blog for multiple daily updates.

Want updates on your cell phone? Join us on Twitter and receive updates to your cell phone.

What to Watch?: vs. Houston

Throughout the preseason and possibly into the regular season we will feature a column called "What to Watch?" it will point out the inside stories that Denver fans should be aware of. Hopefully adding value (as if there needed to be) to the game the Broncos will be playing this week.

According to Mike Shanahan the following players will not suit: Champ Bailey, Tom Nalen, DeWayne Robertson, Hamza Abdullah and Dre Bly will only be out on nickel formations.

On Saturday the Denver Broncos will play at the Houston Texans, here is a few notes on potentially interesting sidebars.

Mario Williams vs. Ryan Clady: Mario Williams, the controversial number one draft pick from three seasons ago, held his coming out party last season against Denver, sacking quarterback Jay Cutler three times. Reversing many fans protests, who had previously felt that Reggie Bush may have been a much better choice with that draft pick. Denver fans are ready to proclaim Ryan Clady the next Gary Zimmerman, but the first quarter on Saturday will be the first challenge that Clady will face. Will, 'Sweet Feet,' hold true to his nickname and dominate Mario Williams or will he be rudely welcomed to the NFL by the future prototype at defensive end?

Eddie Royal: We've heard the reports and Mike Shanahan has given the start at wide receiver to the rookie Eddie Royal. Though Houston itself is young and very inexperienced in their secondary, they still have more experience than Royal and they will be looking to impress early. Denver is very heavy at wide receiver and a lot of players need to get looks at that position and Eddie Royal has veteran receiver Darrell Jackson breathing down his neck. It's an uphill battle and the rookie will probably only get a quarter, along with whatever opportunities that brings, to look good. That means perfect pass routes, blocking and hands. Dropped passes are a killer and can quickly lose a young receiver's confidence, along with the confidence of a quarterback and the coaching staff.

Selvin Young/Andre Hall battle: Selvin Young has proclaimed himself the number one back in Denver, but Andre Hall has been quiet and very impressive so far in training camp. As fans have seen neither lost an opportunity to shine when given the option last season. The battle is Young's to lose, but Hall will be facing less talented defenses. That being the case, Selvin Young will need to continue his 5.2 yard per carry average. Mostly where Young will win or lose the position battle is picking up blitzes in pass blocking and in catching the ball out of the backfield. Where Hall will need improve is in short yardage situations, we know that Hall can break a forty-yard run, we need to see constant four to six yard runs from him. Where both backs can prove their are the uncontested number one is in goal line situations. That's where the Denver Broncos were counting on rookie Ryan Torain to have an impact, his injury leaves a gap that either Andre Hall or Selvin Young will need to fill.

Jay Cutler: No, you'll find no mention of the quarterback's diabetes. Where Jay Cutler will need to improve is in his check offs. Yes, we've seen the, "No look pass," in training camp, but camp goers have seen that Cutler stares down a wide receiver. This doesn't work with Champ Bailey or Dre Bly in practice and it won't work for any of the lesser corners in the NFL. The expectations for Jay Cutler this season are sky high and the prophecy is that Cutler will help coach Mike Shanahan six-pete on quarterbacks having career years in their third season in Shanahan's offense.

Ryan Harris: There has been loads of disinformation on the internet regarding last year's third-round draft pick. Here will be Denver's first chance to see what the truth is. Ryan Harris will most likely get at least two-quarters this game.

Marcus Thomas: The second-year defensive tackle earned his spot on the first-team in training camp. Now he'll have to prove he deserves it and starting next to DeWayne Robertson might be the easiest chance he gets to do that. Robertson will draw double-teams leaving Thomas one-on-one with a guard. It wasn't easy for anyone to look good on Denver's defensive line last season, but this season there won't be any excuses. A year wiser, Marcus Thomas needs to prove that Denver doesn't need to target a highly regarded and highly paid defensive tackle (Albert Haynesworth) next off-season.

Niko Koutouvides vs. Nate Webster: Their two day rotation in training camp isn't exactly encouraging. Both are talented and all though Nate Webster started last season in Denver a lot of his impressive production was a due to the defensive scheme funneling backs to the linebackers. Niko Koutouvides has been a skull cracker on special teams his whole NFL career and has played the last several seasons in Lofa Tatupu's shadow. Early observations from camp show Nate Webster to play with reckless abandon, which allows him to light someone up, at the same time leaving him very vulnerable to missed tackles. Niko Koutouvides, appears to lack a bit of closing speed, but flourishes in pass coverage.

Dre Bly vs. Domonique Foxworth: Though this game will most likely not be the game to judge, as Dre Bly will reportedly not play outside of nickel formations. This opens up the door even farther of Domonique Foxworth, who can now go up against the Houston Texans first-team offense. With Champ Bailey out and Dre Bly seeing very limited action Domonique Foxworth, Karl Paymah and rookie Jack Williams will all see plenty of action in the secondary going against the very talented quarterback duo of Matt Shaub and Sage Rosenfeld.

Nate Jackson vs. Tony Scheffler: This has kind of been the quiet battle of training camp. Nate Jackson has been seeing more time with the first-team offense than Tony Scheffler, often times in practice Jackson is even split out as a wide receiver. When Denver resigned Nate Jackson this off-season, the strength of his contract put pressure on him to perform at a higher level than he has over the past three seasons. The casualty of that signing may have been Tony Scheffler, Jay Cutler's favorite target. Scheffler has constantly stepped up to the plate over the last two seasons though, no matter where he may have been on the depth chart. Both Jackson and Scheffler have been plagued by injuries over their time in the NFL and this may be Denver's way of insuring that no matter who it is playing their second tight end position, they are interchangeable.

Marquand Manuel & Marlon McCree: Marquand Manuel and Marlon McCree are known for their intense hitting ability, which at times borderlines on illegal. That alone makes them worthy of joining the incredible pedigree that his Denver's safety position. While Marquand Manuel is stepping in for the resting Hamza Abdullah, don't be surprised if he is able to push Abdullah down a roster spot. He is officially listed behind Marlon McCree on the depth chart, but will see time along side him this week vs. Houston.

Jarvis Moss: Another player that has been the subject of erroneous training camp reports is defensive end Jarvis Moss. Moss will rotate in at the defensive end position with the first-team defense on rushing downs and with the second-team he should see time during both passing and receiving downs. Fans should get the opportunity to see for themselves what type of player Denver has at defensive end.

There's more! Check out the Broncos Denver Broncos Blog for multiple daily updates.
Want updates on your cell phone? Join us on Twitter and receive updates to your cell phone.

Denver Broncos Training Camp Day 9 (Morning) Report

Young Broncos are shinning! However, more on that in a bit.

As I stated yesterday, veteran center Tom Nalen's MRI came back negative, but he still sat out today. Nalen was joined on the sideline by: Chad Mustard (hamstring), Boss Bailey (knee), Hamza Abdullah (groin) and Montrae Holland was once again conditioning with Rich Tuten. Rookie linebacker Spencer Larsen was excused from practice, as his wife is having a baby. So congratulations to Spencer Larsen. More good news is that rookie fullback Peyton Hillis and running back Michael Pittman were both in pads and participating in practice today, Cecil Sapp can rest up a bit finally and Brett Pierce can return to only playing tight end.

Now onto training camp notes:

Jack Williams breaks up Keary Colbert's reception

• Rookie corner back Jack Williams and Domonique Foxworth continue to make the best of every opportunity that they get. Foxworth is making a legitimate case for becoming Denver's number two option at corner back. He's said earlier this week that he believes that there are 32 teams in the league that he could start for, which includes Denver. Foxworth and Dre Bly actually both caught the wrath of a peaked Brandon Marshall who shared one of his best days in camp with the extremely accurate Jay Cutler.

• Rookie safety Josh Barrett has also stepped up significantly this week, particularly in the last two days (in the absence of Hamza Abdullah). Having broken passes up, thumping running backs in the backfield and blitzing the quarterback, he's kind of making it look easy. Barrett's jarring hits while performing for the second-team defense didn't prove to be enough to cause tight end Nate Jackson to drop a pass, as he was leveled by Barrett, but managed to hold on to the pass. The young Barrett got his revenge in a goal line situation, preventing Jackson from scoring on a short pass at the three yard line.
  
  
• Position battle wise: Niko Koutouvides suited at middle linebacker with the first-team defense and the two day rotation between Koutouvides and Nate Webster became evident. I'm not sure anymore where Tony Scheffler stands, obviously Daniel Graham is the number one tight end, but did Nate Jackson become the number two for Denver and then lose it? Scheffler played more with the first-team today and Jackson played more with the second-team offense today. Patrick Ramsey's successes continue to pale in comparison to that of third-stringer Darrel Hackney. And as far as the offensive line goes, calls for heads rolling may have been a bit premature... Today Jay Cutler succeeded because the emphasis was on passing and the offensive line looks great in pass protection. However, when Cutler has a bad day it's normally because of the amount of time he has to pass the ball. One last position battle is the number four receiver, Eddie Royal and Keary Colbert, it's too tough to tell.

The crowd collectively asked, "Jason who?"

• Matt Prater went ten for ten in field goal kicks, including one for 68 yards. That's not a typo.
  
  
• Here's the deal on Denver's rookie running backs Anthony Aldridge and Ryan Torain. Bronco fans have every reason to be excited about these two, for many years ahead there will be success, but when they look the best, they're playing against second and third-team defensive players. That being said, I don't believe that anyone should be lobbying for Torain to start immediately, not that anyone is. Selvin Young and Andre Hall are still the guys in Denver and as I've said before, I wouldn't be surprised to see movement at the top of the chart sometime during preseason.
  
  
• The receivers, you've no doubt heard that this was Brandon Marshall's best day of camp, possibly anyone in Denver's best day of camp. The rest of the first-team receivers, Darrell Jackson and Brandon Stokley, both looked great as well. I mentioned the number four spot battle earlier and I think that Keary Colbert might have the edge over rookie Eddie Royal, because of blocking ability. That's just what my instincts are telling me.
  
  
• Jay Cutler's good day was directly due to the strength of the offensive line, who seemed to have finally come together as a unit, despite having their leader replaced by center Casey Wiegmann. That's the first-team offensive line, the second-team offensive line was a mess and the first-team defensive line, led by DeWayne Robertson, made them flat out look bad.
  
  
• Speaking of the defensive line, Jarvis Moss is making it look easy, adding several sacks, pressures and knock downs to his training camp total. Fans can look forward to a very strong interior rotation on the defensive line, consisting of: Ebenezer Ekuban, DeWayne Robertson, Josh Mallard, Marcus Thomas and Alvin McKinley.

Denver Broncos Training Camp Day 8 (Morning) Report

I may have jinxed our gentle giants in Dove Valley and I'm sorry. Starting free safety Hamza Abdullah (groin) and strong side linebacker Boss Bailey (knee) were both added to the list of inactives today, which includes: Tom Nalen (knee), Peyton Hillis (hamstring), Chad Mustard (hamstring), Michael Pittman (too many reps) and Montrae Holland (TFTP).

The good news?:

Brandon Marshall is Magic!

Seriously, Marshall hasn't even caught the ball and the referee is already calling a touchdown. He's so sure of his skill that he doesn't even stand up to catch anymore. Just sits in the end zone and waits. It's a sign, what Marshall is trying to illustrate with this metaphor is that even "sitting" he will be effective. He's telling fans that it's okay, look at the young boy just below the ball, he understands.

Tom Nalen's MRI was negative, which is great news to everyone, except center Casey Wiegmann, who has been filling in for the injured Nalen on the first-team offense.

I proposed this a couple of days ago (maybe even the first day of camp), what do you guys think of this for a front five: Clady, Hamilton, Nalen, Wiegmann and Kuper? Just a through, of course if missing this many reps in training camp does not affect Montrae Holland then of course swap him and Wiegmann. I love Ryan Harris and I'm assuming the coaches do too, because of the amount of first-team reps he is getting at right tackle. However, if Chris Kuper doesn't have to play right guard and the Denver staff can put him on the outside, they probably will. He's playing like a programmed machine, broken hand and all.

Nate Webster is still at middle linebacker on the first-team. As I stated yesterday, as far as I can tell it's two day rotation, Webster plays two days on first-team, then Niko Koutouvides plays two days on first-team. Who's better? Hmm... Webster's certainly more exciting to watch play, while Koutouvides seems to be the more intelligent player. They both come from good NFL pedigrees as far as previous experience, however Webster was an animal for Denver last season. Can he be trusted in pass coverage? Not as much as I would trust Koutouvides in pass coverage and here in lies the problem for Denver's coaching staff. Preseason will sort out the situation, hopefully. Let's not forgot about rookie Spencer Larsen either, while he's most likely going to go head-to-head with Jordan Beck for special teams thriller, Larsen provides nice insurance to Webster and Koutouvides.

Dre Bly's a man on a mission:

Can you imagine the results of the above picture in an actual game? Backup quarterback Patrick Ramsey would most likely have spinal fluid coming out of his nose from the hit he's about to receive. The week old battle between Bly and Domonique Foxworth is only going to get hotter. Only Denver will benefit from this competition, with both Bly and Foxworth playing to beat each other out. Foxworth is in a contract year and fans seemed to have shifted favoring Foxworth over Bly, where as their were rumblings to trade Foxworth for a fourth rounder prior to the draft. I'm hoping that the three along with rookie Jack Williams and Karl Paymah can link to form the iron curtain coverage that any team needs to force an offense to become one dimensional.

With Hamza Abdullah out, rookie Josh Barrett was given an opportunity to shine and he did, nabbing a sack during eleven-on-elevens. Roderick Rogers, whom I haven't brought up as much as I should have in the days since John Lynch evacuated, also picked off a ball today. If I'm the coach, I don't know who stays and who goes, either way, there are going to be some very talented players in a lot of the positions who won't be making the team unfortunately.

On the defensive line, Josh Mallard is continuing reps with the first team. At one point in practice the defensive line consisted of nearly all draft picks from 2007, as Jarvis Moss, Marcus Thomas and Tim Crowder front ended Denver's second-team defense.

Photo credit: Kyle Sonneman © DenverBroncos.com

Calling Out Names: Jarvis Moss, Domonique Foxworth, Andre Hall and Darrell Jackson

I write for the people, the people that want to know what I have to say about the Denver Broncos. I appreciate every single one of you who visit the page every day, seriously, just wish you'd feel the need to comment =)

So here's what I'd like to do, it's been five days and yes, it may be a bit premature, but I feel it's necessary to point out a couple of the Denver Broncos' players who have looked exceptionally well over those five days.

Jarvis Moss - Defensive End

Granted training camp tends to favor the defense, Denver quarterbacks have to favor the fact that they're not allowed to be hit during camp. No matter what the drill it seems that Moss is playing for keeps, a certain Denver paper reported erroneously that Moss was being punished after practice. Moss has stayed late after every practice, the man is on a mission. He's got great competition in Elvis Dumervil, but Moss is excelling in both pass rushing and running situations. Too early to call? No, I don't think so, Denver will not be disappointed in last season's first round pick.

Domonique Foxworth - Corner Back

The Broncos have employed a new defensive scheme in training camp. A 4-3-3-1, if you will, the second three are the corner backs and granted this formation may just be in an effort to stop their own offense... However, in this defense it is Domonique Foxworth, not Dre Bly who shadows the number two wide receiver. It's a contract year for Foxworth and he's making it abundantly clear that he wants an extension in Denver. Rookie Jack Williams can wait and Foxworth is doing his best to make Bly look expendable, Foxworth means business. I only hope that he gets a chance to prove it in the playoffs against Indianapolis.

Andre Hall - Running Back

Andre Hall is the biggest speed bump in Selvin Young's 2,000 yards or bust campaign. Hall may just "accidentally," take the starting spot from Young, once they get in, "Under the lights," as Shanahan says. Hold off on your fantasy drafts my men, I'm not just a member of the Andre Hall Fanclub, I'm the President. He's a triple threat, in that he can run up the middle or off the edge, he can catch and then burn you or he can lay you out in a passing down. It's up to him, I wish I had a clip of him lifting unsuspecting defenders off their feet, but I don't. Even if I did, I'd be scared that I'd get sued for posting it.

Darrell Jackson - Wide Receiver

Proving that there are two constants in life, the sun will rise and Darrell Jackson will prove to be efficient. I've down played the drops that Jackson had in Seattle before, but let this be my thesis, it rains in Seattle, balls get slick- if that's not good enough for you, it might just be that your quarterback sucks (see San Francisco last season). In Jackson there is proof that Denver just may be okay in the event that Brandon Marshall gets suspended and with the consistent Brandon Stokley and the highly likely emergence of rookie Eddie Royal... Denver may not need Marshall at all this season. Take that Denver media, blow his situation out of proportion all you like, but it's not doomsday in Denver until Elvis says so... And even then we'll be okay.

Denver Broncos Training Camp: Day 5 (Morning Practice)

A little late, I apologize- ran into some traffic, here's the highlights:

Rookie fullback Peyton Hillis, starting center Tom Nalen and tight end Chad Mustard (who's been out since team camp) were not suited today. Right guard Montrae Holland again spent time on the sideline with strength and conditioning coach Rich Tuten.

• Fans who have followed should notice that the Broncos defense will in fact look towards the past with their new scheme. This means blitzing, especially from the edges, we've seen Champ Bailey come off the edge so quickly that had it been a game the quarterback may have been annihilated. Today it was Dre Bly's turn and while he gave his best effort to sack Jay Cutler, Cutler seemed to exhibit a thing or two that he's been working this off season- scrambling. Cutler broke past Bly with a spin move that was called canceled out by coaches who ruled the play a sack, based on the fact that defensive players are not allowed to hit the quarterback. Denver fans have a lot to look forward to though, as the bootleg is back and rookie fullback Peyton Hillis possesses two of the best hands in Denver.
  
  
• Where the Broncos may be in trouble at their quarterback position is with their backup, Patrick Ramsey does not seem to be able to gel very well with the new guys. Over throwing backs in the flat and give me interceptions to the Denver defensive backs (one of which newly acquired safety Marlon McCree picked off).
  
  
• As I mentioned earlier, Tom Nalen sat out and we got to see Casey Wiegmann at center with the first team. He did not disappoint, the offensive line, with only one single returning starter from last season (Chris Kuper) looked leaps and bounds better than they have over the last couple of days as a unit. Charging the way for Cutler to connect consistently during the eleven-on-eleven scrimmage, resulting in a touchdown pass, on a bootleg to wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Right tackle Ryan Harris continues to improve, making every day better than the last for him. That's the good news, the bad news (for Ryan Harris) is that Erik Pears and rookie tackle Tyler Polumbus are breathing heavily down his neck, both had very good days. At right guard Kuper was able to fend off defensive tackle DeWayne Robertson (whom has been a nightmare for Broncos interior linemen thus far). Though Robertson proved to be too much for Wiegmann once or twice. Rookie center/guard Kory Lichtensteiger also got a lot of work in and he looks good.
  
  
• At tight end, Tony Scheffler and Nate Jackson lined up opposite each other, with Daniel Graham looking improved in the short passing game. The heavy involvement of Jackson over the last couple days may indicate depth chart movement at this position- meaning Jackson may have bumped Scheffler down. However, I don't see that being the case, as Scheffler has always been Cutler's favorite option on the field.
  
  
• In the offensive backfield Michael Pittman played the entirety at fullback. Andre Hall was once again the best running back of the committee, catching and running better than the others. That is not to say that Selvin Young isn't still brilliant at running back, because he is. Hall's just looking better. Rookies Ryan Torain and Anthony Aldridge both continue to shine in training camp. Denver's offense seems to be using the running back more and more as a pass option than they have in recent years, one if not two of the backs in Denver could draw comparisons to great receiving backs of the past. Torain knocked over defensive end Elvis Dumervil in a pass block, while both Aldridge and last year's starting fullback Cecil Sapp struggled a bit with dropped balls that should have been caught. Where Sapp failed (catching passes), Pittman excelled and both quarterbacks (Cutler and Ramsey) used him as a constant option throughout the day. Sapp also drew the teeth of Mike Shanahan and running back coach Bobby Turner, over his apparent lack of focus.
  
  
• At receiver both Brandon Marshall and Darrell Jackson looked great, though Jackson fumbled on a reverse from Cutler. Glenn Martinez may have surpassed Keary Colbert on the depth chart, as Martinez played predominantly with the second-team and Colbert played mostly with the third-team. The Martinez "**** in his hat," as Shanahan says, dropping a nice pass from Cutler that may have gone for a large gain, had Martinez caught the ball. Rookie Eddie RoyalBrandon Stokley were both very quiet, which may have had more to do with corner back Dre Bly stepping up his coverage game than the level either receiver is playing at.
  
  
• Rookie Eddie Royal did do exceptionally well as a punt returner, Glenn Martinez and Marquay McDaniel also fielded punts. Punters Sam Paulescu and Brett Kern continue to go head-to-head with Paulescu's performance today, Kern may not be able to run away with the roster spot.
  
  
• On the defensive line, Tim Crowder saw time with the first-team at defensive end and Alvin McKinley spent some time at defensive tackle. Defensive end Jarvis Moss also rotated with Elvis Dumervil and continues to dominate (despite a newspapers report that he was struggling). Crowder went head-to-head consistently with Ryan Harris and the two seemed to draw the best from each other. Ebenezer Ekuban maintains at first-team tackle, but I think that coaches are resting him, giving room for Josh Mallard to continue to dominate. Defensive tackles Kenny Peterson and Marcus Thomas both are doing very well, but mostly against second-team offensive linemen.
  
  
• The linebackers, Niko Koutouvides is back "honing," (as Horvil Tiki would say, guy) the mike position for the first-team defense. Koutouvides got beat at times in coverage and Nate Webster continued to work on his camp highlight reel, while working with the second-team defense. Boss Bailey earned cheers from fans and coaches alike and DJ Williams, replaced punter Brett Kern with offensive lineman PJ Alexander as the leader of the stretches, drawing laughs from the team. Illustrating that there are more than a handful of leaders on the defensive side.
  
  
• In the secondary, during eleven-on-eleven scrimmages, the Broncos have started to fore go the nickel formation, keeping three linebackers in, three corner backs and one safety. That safety is Hamza Abdullah, who has been everywhere during camp and does not look at risk of losing his safety position at camp. In this formation, Dre Bly is covering the slot receiver with Champ Bailey on one side and Domonique Foxworth manning the number two receiver. Foxworth is handling the number two receiver very well and in this contract year, he may earn the extension that he expressed interest in during interviews yesterday. Rookies Josh Barrett and Jack Williams continue to do very well. Barrett shut down a run in the backfield and Williams shut down none other than Brandon Marshall, leaping to break up a pass to Marshall during eleven-on-elevens.

The Afternoon Practice will is a walk through, so don't expect a ton of exciting news. Although, keep it here, we've got some stuff for you.
photo taken by Jake Grilley © DenverBroncos.com

Training Camp: Day 3 (Morning Practice)

Here it is, let's get the ball rolling.

Apparently yesterday Ryan Harris got blown out worse than we had speculated. Orange Mane's "24" posted this picture which pretty much sums it up, you can view that picture here. (Hope that he doesn't mind me including that link!)

• Spencer Larsen is back and participating in training camp and faced off against Peyton Hillis in one-on-one drills (and looked good).
  
  
• Keary Colbert again took reps with the second-team, Brandon Marshall, Darrell Jackson and Brandon Stokley all took first-team snaps with the offense.
  
  

• Rounding out the rest of the offense was: Ryan Clady, Ben Hamilton, Tom Nalen, Chris Kuper and Ryan Harris remained the starters on the line and Jay Cutler (who looked better than he has all TC today), Daniel Graham and Selvin Young rounded out the rest of the first-team o.
  
  
• Fans saw a new defensive line as the first-team fielded: John Engelberger and Elvis Dumervil on the bookends with Alvin McKinley and Kenny Peterson in the middle. Peterson is filling in for DeWayne Robertson who is not suited today.
  
  
• Guess the major story is that Nate Webster, not Niko Koutouvides played middle linebacker and he looked great. Boss Bailey and DJ Williams started at Sam and Will, respectively. In the backfield were Champ Bailey, Dre Bly, Hamza Abdullah and John Lynch. With Josh Mallard, Domonique Foxworth and Marlon McCree still coming in for nickel formations.
  
  
• During one-on-one drills, Champ Bailey blanketed Marshall and basically made him ineffective, with the exception of one pass in which Marshall beat Bailey and went yard. Scheffler looked very good in his drills... I mentioned Harris earlier, during one-on-one he looked great, handling Dumervil easily- Clady had a bit of trouble with Dumervil. Defensive tackle Josh Mallard continued where he left off last season, strong- This man will be a monster this season.
  
  
• Tight end Daniel Graham looked exceptional during one-on-ones as well, blocking wise.
  
  
• Andre Hall will definitely give Young a run for his money this training camp. Hall is quickly proving that he's the best receiving option Denver has in the backfield. Michael Pittmann may be in camp literally to provide veteran guidance to the very young backfield, he's been a non-factor for the offense thus far and has looked especially bad catching balls out of the backfield. Rookie Ryan Torain continues to prove that he is a rookie, after a very disappointing day yesterday, he looked better today, but had a false start and dropped pass.
  
  
• Which running back did we forget to mention? Oh! During nine-on-nine drills (no receivers/corners) the defense stuffed the run. These drills are done at full speed, however, I'm now knocking on wood. As I said at last year's training camp the Broncos defensive line looked impressive as well. Of all the running backs the Broncos played, only Anthony Aldridge was able to find real success. Scampering for several 15-yard gains.

• One eleven-on-eleven drills, second-year safety (former Wisconsin Badger) Roderick Rogers continued to shine, picking off two balls (both tipped one by Marshall, one by tight end Nate Jackson). While Marshall again made a tough catch in traffic, Young ended the drill beating Jarvis Moss around the end to gain that could have gone on forever, if he didn't end up being knocked out of bounds.
  
  
• Speaking of Young, he beat Boss Bailey on a pass coming out of the backfield and the mistake quickly drew the wrath of his older brother.
  
  
• It wasn't all bad for Boss though, he drew acclaim from Coach Shanahan after breaking up several passes.

Training Camp: Day 2 (Morning Report) Part II

More notes from the AM practice:

Brandon Marshall out duels Dre Bly for a reception:

Picture taken by Kyle Sonneman © DenverBroncos.com

• DJ Williams looked so good, no one seemed to notice who's taking the majority of reps at middle linebacker, Niko Koutouvides started off the day with the first team. Are bothKoutouvides and Nate Webster that good or that bad?
  
  
• Coach Shanahan on Koutouvides, "We've been watching him for the last 17 days, and try to get the pads on and the chance the evaluate everybody day by day. That's what all the preseason is about; To get a pecking order and see these guys compete and see what they can do in special situations. It's only the second day."
  
  
• Boss Bailey has done well in pass coverage and loves being back on the field with Champ, "It's a lot more easier for me to be back on the field with my brother. It's a comforting thing for me," he said. "It's just been fun playing with him and watching and learning and trying to steal some moves from him."
  
  
• Here's what Coach Shanahan has to say about the younger Bailey, "He's been great. He did a great job during the offseason conditioning program and adjusted to our system very quickly. He's got the ability to cover the tight end by himself. He plays as a coach... So far so good."
  
  
• Both Domonique Foxworth and Josh Barrett got interceptions in the morning 7 on 7 drills.
  
  
• Jarvis Moss made Ryan Harris look bad more than once, even pushing him to the ground once. Is it that Moss is good or Harris is bad? Or are they both good and Moss is just better?
  
  
• When the first-team offense squared off against the first-team defense, the offense did not score.

Other offensive/defensive scrimmage notes:

• Peyton Hillis scored on a dump pass out of the backfield.
  
  
• Eddie Royal caught a pass in traffic that brought the crowd to their feet.
  
  
• DeWayne Robertson broke through the offensive line to bat down a screen play.
  
  
• John Lynch and Marlon McCree appear to be swapping when the Broncos bring in nickel formation McCree's playing free safety. While Domonique Foxworth,is coming in as the nickel back.
  
  
• Darrell Jackson appears to be the number 2 receiver as of right now.

That's the end from the AM, here's a thought or two from me:

Why isn't Casey Wiegmann filling in for Montrae Holland? Most likely, because it would mean someone else giving snaps for the second-team offense, but if this were the season... I don't know who would be manning the right side of the offensive line.

Are we in trouble at middle linebacker?

Don't be fooled, last year our defensive line was said to be "very impressive." Wait until Denver goes up against Dallas to decide how good the offensive/defensive line is.

Broncos sign rookie corner Jack Williams

The Denver Post is reporting that the Broncos have just signed Kent State corner back Jack Williams.

This leaves just two players for the Broncos to sign before Thursday. First round pick and assumed starting left tackle Ryan Clady and second round pick wide receiver/kick-off messiah Eddie Royal.

Williams will make a very good push on current dime corner Karl Paymah. However, having signed a four-year contract, he will most likely emerge in his second season, as both Paymah and Domonique Foxworth will be unrestricted free agents this coming off-season.

The bad news for current Broncos with these two remaining unsigned rookies, is that we will most likely see two more cuts from the current Denver roster.

2008 Game by Game Preview: Week 7 New England, Week 8 Bye Week

With the NFL Preseason weeks away we here at Broncos Denver Broncos will be previewing the entire season ahead, two games at a time. This is all in fun, but in reality it will be our best effort at predicting how the 2008 season will actually shape up for the Broncos. It should be fun to look back in January or February and laugh...

So here goes any credibility that we have, hope that you enjoy and feel free to add, subtract or crack my orange tinted glasses in half. Just do it in the comment section:

Week 7 (Mon. October 20th, 2008)
at New England.

some facts: Denver and New England are tied for 2nd in the NFL for Super Bowl berths, with 6. Denver was the 6th team in the NFL to go to back to back Super Bowls, New England was the 7th. Denver was the only AFC team to do it in two decades, until New England joined them. Patriot's coach Bill Belichick and Mike Shanahan are the only active coaches to have won two Super Bowls and are members of an elite fraternity (12 coaches) to have ever won two Super Bowls. Since 1995 (under Shanahan) Denver is third (130-78-0) for most wins in the NFL, New England is first (135-73-0). In that same time span Denver is third in the NFL for points scored (5,079), while New England is fourth (4,883). Shanahan is 8-3 against the Patriots as a head coach, 4-2 at home and 4-1 at Foxborough. In the 2003-2004 seasons New England surpassed Denver's record of most wins in a two-year span (33), setting it at 34. Champ Bailey had one of the most dramatic interceptions in NFL Playoff history picking off New England's Tom Brady in the end-zone on January 14th, 2006, setting an NFL record for longest interception return not for a touchdown. Bailey's career was foreshadowed when he picked off former New England quarterback Drew Bledsoe in his first preseason game, returning it 46 yards for a touchdown. In 2005's regular season corner back Domonique Foxworth had 10 total tackles against New England (the second highest in his career). Denver tight end Daniel Graham was drafted by New England in the first round in 2002. Both safeties John Lynch and Marlon McCree's last interceptions took place against New England. McCree's best game in 2007 was played against New England (10 total tackles, 6 solo).

They're going to 'murdah' me for this one, but it is undeniable that Shanahan has owned the Patriots, whether it be in Denver or Foxborough. Actually the Patriots would probably be better off if this game were in Denver. Last year, as stupid as it sounded, the Patriots were lucky that they didn't have to play against Denver, with the way that teams were playing every game against them as if it were the Super Bowl (see the game vs. the Ravens or any game following week 7).

New England has the least difficult strength of schedule of anybody in the NFL (go figure) and partly because they're playing the AFC West. This is also likely the most difficult game that Denver will have all season, given the respect for the opponent coupled with the fact that the game is on Monday Night Football, the team should shine. That as well as the fact that the team has nothing to look forward to the next week except a well deserved break, following the most difficult stretch of their season.

Expect many players to step up in this game that haven't been necessarily heard from before. As always when Denver plays New England, fans will see formations on both sides of the ball that they haven't seen all season. Look at how great some of these match-ups will be, Champ Bailey vs. Randy Moss, Ryan Clady vs. Richard Seymour/Mike Vrabel, Tom Brady vs. Denver's Secondary, Boss Bailey vs. Ben Watson, Daniel Graham/Tony Schefler vs. Tedy Bruschi/Victor Hobson, Dre Bly vs. Wes Welker, et cetera...

New England for whatever reason, seems to never be able to defend against the safety blitz, when it comes to Denver (or even certain other AFC West teams). Denver had extreme trouble competing with teams that played the 3-4/5-2, the good news is this season, by this game, they will have already faced two of the best 3-4/5-2 defenses the NFL has to offer in Jacksonville and San Diego. So the Broncos offensive line will hopefully be ready for whatever it is that New England has to throw at them.

The scary part is on defense for the Broncos. Do they have what it takes to defend a full-on Brady attack? I think that they do, even with the likely emergence of Chad Jackson and Jabar Gaffney the talent in the secondary in Denver is going to be too much for anyone this season. Couple that with the fact that Brady will be avoiding joint rushes from Marlon McCree and John Lynch the whole game.

In the end, this will be the definitive game that makes the rest of the NFL take a look back and say, "Huh? These guys are really that good," and I'm looking forward to it. Got my tickets to Gillette Stadium already.

Denver emerges from Week 7, victorious 6-1, as they head into a perfectly timed Bye Week.

Week 8 (Sun. October 26th, 2008)
Bye Week.

Denver comes off the most difficult part of their entire schedule with a much deserved one-week vacation. Back to Denver to prepare for Miami and lick their wounds, in the upcoming weeks they face Miami, Cleveland (in Cleveland) and Atlanta (in Atlanta).

Denver is 6-1 with their sights set on Miami.