When you think of the Denver Broncos offense, you think run, run, run.  Sure, when you think of their great players, you think of a QB named John Elway, but the most amazing part is how they’ve gotten anyone and everyone able to take the handoff from the QB to rush for over 1,000 yards for the season.  Mike Anderson came out of nowhere his rookie year.  So did Olandis Gary and Terrell Davis.  Clinton Portis had a rep from Miami, but he well exceeded expectations his rookie year.  With the veteran, Anderson going to split carries with Jamal Lewis in Baltimore, who rushes for a grand+ yards this season?

Well, you can forget about former Heisman winner, Ron Dayne as he was just cut by the team.  Tatum Bell seemed like a logical choice before training camps started, but HC Mike Shanahan had to go and mess with everyone’s heads by naming rookie Mike Bell at the top of the depth chart (and considering preseason performance, it was well-deserved).  If the Bell of the Tatum kind can keep the ball in his hands, arms, just anywhere on his person and not fumble the ball, he would have the starting job.  Keep a watch on this as someone will emerge and stick for the season.  Who knows?  It might even be free agent Cedric Cobbs who last played 3 games for the New England Patriots… in 2004!  Stranger things have happened.

The QB situation is settled… for now.  Jake Plummer, who seems to have gotten a hold on his turnover troubles that plagued him with the Arizona Cardinals, is the starter at this point, but for the future?  It’s all about Jay Cutler, whom the Broncos traded up for during this past NFL Draft.  I’m sure that had to be a blow to Plummer who has a lot of pride.  I’d expect him to do well, as long as he plays within the system and doesn’t try to do too much, as he did last season.  So, he’s a little more boring, but what matters is that the Broncos win.

Bye bye, Ashley Lelie.  Hello, Javon Walker.  And thanks for staying, Rod Smith.  Lelie, has the ability to stretch the field and is an athlete through and through.  AND, he’s also an Atlanta Falcon now where he has the potential to connect with the power of Michael Vick’s arm.  Walker was traded from the Green Bay Packers after a season where he tore his ACL during Week One.  If he comes back healthy, Walker will do some big things, especially considering that Smith still has the ability catch the ball and make plays and teams will focus on the elder statesman of the WR corp.

The strength of the defense and quite possibly the whole team is the LB group of Ian Gold, Al Wilson, and D.J. Williams.  All three have speed, toughness, and the ability to make things happen.  Williams is entering his third season and is probably the most underrated star-quality player in the game.  Call me crazy, but I’m thinking a young version of another University of Miami alumnus, Ray Lewis.

The defensive line was surprisingly better than most people thought last season, but can you blame anyone for thinking that it would stink?  Former first rounders turned busts and journeymen made up the D-line, but Gerard Warren, Courtney Brown, Michael Myers did relatively well.  The secondary consists of one of the best DBs in Champ Bailey.  Darrent Williams and Domonique Foxworth can only get better and make this secondary one of the best in the league this season.

The Broncos are pretty much the favorites to take the AFC West and I’m jumping on the bandwagon… err, horse.