Football Blog

Who Will Start for the Broncos in 2009?
By: Ryan Ayars

With all of the surprising changes and moves that highlighted this year’s offseason reports, the Broncos’ training camps look to be quite exciting.

There are a bunch of new names on Denver’s roster this year.  For some new players, training camp symbolizes the start of a new career. For others. it’s just another long day under the Colorado sun.

The purpose of this article is to analyze the current and possible starters for each position for the 2009 campaign.  Part one of this two part series, will focus on the offensive side of the team.

Quarterback

The leader of the pack.  The brains behind the brawn.  The “Big Cheese” as they would say in Green Bay.  The quarterback is the most important position in football.  No other player touches the ball as much as the quarterback and who ever has the ball, has the power.

For the Denver Broncos, there are three new faces at quarterback; Kyle Orton, Chris Simms, and rookie Tom Brandstater.

As of now Kyle Orton is the front runner to be this year’s starter.  Orton is a good game manager and positive locker room personality.  As long as he stays level headed and follows the coach’s plan, he should do just fine as the starter this year.

Chris Simms is definitely a dark horse in this competition.  He has an NFL pedigree and played very well in his first years at Tampa Bay.  However, Simms suffered a season-ending injury in game three of the 2006 season, in the form of a ruptured spleen.  Simms hasn’t been the same since.  Could a change in scenery restart his career?

Tom Brandstater was a sixth round pick in this year’s draft.  He has a lot of upside and will look to compete for the second string spot in this year’s Bronco offense.  However, it’s more likely that he will become the third string quarterback and walk the sidelines with a clipboard this year.

If he doesn’t show any potential, the Broncos will send him to the practice squad and give him another chance to show up next year.

Offensive Line

Offensive line has always been a source of constant production for the Broncos.  Their zone blocking scheme has become the scourge of the NFL, with many challengers and champions.  Regardless the perception is of this scheme, it works.  McDaniels looks to capitalize off of the success of the zone blocking scheme and infuse it into his own spread offense scheme.

Teams looking for intangible that can’t be measured by drills
By Steve Wyche  |  NFL.com
Senior Writer

INDIANAPOLIS — The prospective NFL offensive linemen moved about the media circuit at the combine Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium following extensive medical workups. Most looked the part, strolling around in black sweats, meeting media that probed which teams the players will be meeting with before going through a multitude of drills in the coming days.

Yet, this whole circuit might not dictate much of what teams — especially those in desperate need — are looking for in an offensive lineman.

“Toughness,” Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said about the main trait he wants in an offensive lineman.

Can’t measure that in a 40-yard dash or in drills where guys go at it in non-padded Under Armour gear. You can measure it, though, but it might take the insight of an offensive line coach, by nature, like Sparano.

“It’s OK to watch them against the best player, but I kind of like to watch them against people they should play well against and see maybe what they’re about,” Sparano said.

Manhandling the vulnerable measures a player’s focus, will and, maybe, his nasty streak — requirements that are mandatory in the NFL, where there are no patsies eager to make their mark by racking up quarterback sacks and tackles for lost yardage.

Sparano, along with members of Miami’s personnel staff, saw what he liked in Michigan tackle Jake Long and used the NFL draft’s No. 1 pick on him last season. Though a lot of other things fell in place, Long’s development at left tackle factored into the Dolphins advancing to the playoffs after winning just one game the season before he was drafted.

As a result, Miami will select 25th overall in April’s draft, long after most of the top offensive line prospects have been snatched up.

Tackles Andre Smith (Alabama), Eugene Monroe (Virginia), Jason Smith (Baylor) and Michael Oher (Mississippi) and centers Alex Mack (California) and Max Unger (Oregon) lead an offensive line group that is highly regarded for its depth and top-end talent, especially at tackle. The guard group isn’t viewed as spectacular, but solid players can be found (isn’t that what is always said about guards?).

“We coached in the Senior Bowl last year, and you had a pretty good idea about both (teams’) lines,” Raiders coach Tom Cable said about the offensive line prospects in the 2008 draft class. “This year, just going to the Senior Bowl and watching, I thought all these guys are going to be NFL players. I wasn’t sure about all those guys last year.”

Most of the teams in the top 10 of the draft need to upgrade their offensive lines with top-level players (St. Louis, Cincinnati and Jacksonville, especially), and some of them will. The run on tackles could start much earlier than last season, when six went in the top 19 picks. There might not be as many tackles selected, but the top four could be gone before the 15th selection.

The projected first-round picks among the offensive linemen have the size, footwork, strength and athleticism to be anchors for years. Yet, do they have that extra bit of heart that will let them overcome being whipped by Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison on the previous play? Do they possess that extra toughness to move Albert Haynesworth back a yard at money time after being hammered for the better part of four quarters?

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For those of you who don’t know, the Combine is like a job fair for players who want to be in the NFL. Players go through a series of drills, tests and interviews with more than 600 NFL personnel including head coaches, general managers and scouts.

The Combine started today and will go on over the next six days.

For more information go to www.nfl.com/combine

Watch the Combine Online here

The NFC proved superior this weekend with a 30 - 21 win over the AFC.

It was a good game and the Manning brothers made history, not only were they the first brothers to play in a Pro Bowl they were on opposite sidelines. Little brother Eli ended up with the bragging rights for the game over his older brother Peyton.

An obvious list of all stars led to a day of fun under the sun for the top player sin the league.

For more info and highlights check out NFL.com.

Well the Super Bowl is over, and what a great super bowl it was, I was pulling for the Cards but I am not disappointed by any means as it was a great game.

The NFL draft is only 79 days away.

There are lots of hot prospects on the list and we should see some amazing rookie talents show through next year.

Here are some of the first round prospects and the draft order.

1. Detroit Lions - Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia

2. St. Louis Rams - Andre Smith, OT, Alabama

3. Kansas City Chiefs - Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss

4. Seattle Seahawks - Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

5. Cleveland Browns - Rey Maualuga, ILB, USC

6. Cincinnati Bengals - Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas

7. Oakland Raiders - Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech

8. Jacksonville Jaguars - Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest

9. Green Bay Packers - Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State

10. San Francisco 49ers - Mark Sanchez, QB, 49ers

11. Buffalo Bills - Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia

12. Denver Broncos - James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio State

13. Washington Redskins - B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College

14. New Orleans Saints - Brian Cushing, OLB, USC

15. Houston Texans - Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

16. San Diego Chargers - Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB, Ohio State

17. New York Jets - Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

18. Chicago Bears - Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss

20. Detroit Lions (from Cowboys) - Everette Brown, DE, Florida State

21. Philadelphia Eagles - Jason Smith, OT, Baylor

22. Minnesota Vikings - Alex Mack, C, California

23. New England Patriots - D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt

24. Atlanta Falcons - Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati

25. Miami Dolphins - William Moore, FS, Missouri

26. Baltimore Ravens - Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

27. Indianapolis Colts - Sen’Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn

28. Philadelphia Eagles (from Panthers) - Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State

29. New York Giants - Fili Moala, DT, USC

30. Tennessee Titans - Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

31. Arizona Cardinals - LeSean McCoy, RB, Pitt

32. Pittsburgh Steelers - Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma

Being a Bears fan I am excited to see a WR on the list but I still hope that some day Chicago can find A QB.

This year Bodybuilding.com joined in on the festivities of the Super Bowl, see Bob as he hosts  
an all-star cast of celebrities including Kevin Dillon, the Kardashians, Vida Guerra and much more at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa, Florida.  

Check out photos from the red carpet here.

The list for the Draft is in (depending on who wins the Super Bowl) and here are some of the 1^st round picks that are being speculated.

1. Detroit Lions - Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia

2. St. Louis Rams - Andre Smith, OT, Alabama

3. Kansas City Chiefs - Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss

4. Seattle Seahawks - Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

5. Cleveland Browns - Rey Maualuga, ILB, USC

6. Cincinnati Bengals - Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas

7. Oakland Raiders - Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech

8. Jacksonville Jaguars - Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest

9. Green Bay Packers - Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State

10. San Francisco 49ers - Mark Sanchez, QB, 49ers

11. Buffalo Bills - Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia

12. Denver Broncos - James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio State

13. Washington Redskins - B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College

14. New Orleans Saints - Brian Cushing, OLB, USC

15. Houston Texans - Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

16. San Diego Chargers - Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB, Ohio State

17. New York Jets - Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

18. Chicago Bears - Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss

20. Detroit Lions (from Cowboys) - Everette Brown, DE, Florida State

21. Philadelphia Eagles - Jason Smith, OT, Baylor

22. Minnesota Vikings - Alex Mack, C, California

23. New England Patriots - D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt

24. Atlanta Falcons - Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati

25. Miami Dolphins - William Moore, FS, Missouri

26. Baltimore Ravens - Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

27. Indianapolis Colts - Sen’Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn

28. Philadelphia Eagles (from Panthers) - Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State

29. New York Giants - Fili Moala, DT, USC

30. Tennessee Titans - Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

31/32. Arizona Cardinals - LeSean McCoy, RB, Pitt

31/32. Pittsburgh Steelers - Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma

What a crazy year in the NFL! At the beginning of the season or even the playoffs there were not very many people that would have guessed it would be the  Steelers and the Cards at the Bowl. Not to say the Steelers haven’t looked great this year coming out on top of the AFC North with a 12-4 record but the Cards definitely surprised some people making it to the Super Bowl. Well the count down is on and only 10 days till the Big Game.

Even if your not a looking forward to watching the Steelers and Cards don’t miss the Lingerie Bowl for halftime.

Lets see if the Cards can pull it off, not many people thought the Giants could do it last year.

Looks like Eric Mangini is gonna be coaching the Browns. After being let go by the Jets, Mangini reached an agreement with the Browns. This will be the Browns 4th coach in nine years, looks like they will have Mangini for 4 years at the Browns! Could some of it be Favre’s fault, the Jets started the season off with an 8-3 record but as Favre faded down the stretch they ended season 9-7.