Three preseason games are in the books and the Broncos are off to a solid 3-0 start.
The No Fly Zone has looked as dominant as ever. Von Miller showed in his first preseason action that he’s once again going to be a force to be reckoned with. And the team appears to be handling the transition to a new coaching staff quite smoothly.
Still, the Broncos are coming off a 9-7 season that saw them miss the playoffs for the first time since 2010 and there are plenty of questions lingering as a result.
We asked the morning crew at Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7 what are the three biggest things we still don’t know about this Broncos team through three preseason games.
Nate Lundy | Mornings at 5280′ M-F, 7a-9a
We still don’t know if the offense can move the ball consistently. Short-yardage situations again proved to be problematic against the Packers, and we saw too many wasted possessions against the Bears and 49ers – especially from the first- and second-team units.
The Broncos averaged 323 yards per game last year, good for 27th in the league. Through three preseason games, they’ve averaged only 298. This offense can’t regress from last year if they hope to be anything more than 9-7.
Shawn Drotar | Mornings at 5280′ M-F, 7a-9a
Is the offensive line any better? For a number of reasons, we didn’t get a true sense through the three preseason games that matter. Matt Paradis played only one half all preseason. There was regular rotation at left guard as they tried to find a starter. And both tackles, Garett Bolles and Menelik Watson, had up and down performances. Pass protection wasn’t great, although the run game looked better at times.
Their bugaboo continues to be short-yardage situations. They failed to convert on two tries inside the red zone in the second quarter. Of course, they had that luxury in preseason to try a second time rather than kicking a field goal, but those third- and fourth-and-short situations remain problematic.
TJ Carpenter | Mornings at 5280′ M-F, 7a-9a
Stopping the run is still a problem. The Packers broke multiple runs for over 20 yards on Saturday and five different ball carriers went for 10 yards or more for the Bears in the opener. The fact that Chicago put up 173 yards on the ground should be a big concern. Denver is running thin on the defensive line, and each week seems to bring a new injury along the front seven.
Some depth players like Shelby Harris have stepped up, but they’ll need their big names back in the lineup and producing when the games that count roll around.
