Is Our Team Better Or Worse Than the '07 Broncos?

[raphael120]

I pose this question because it seems like both Denver and the Bills have the same type of team. Cutler last year was a second year QB, he had about as good a recieving corps as we do now, run game, defense, etc...

I mainly ask this question because Cutler was lauded and he didn't get the Broncos to the playoffs in his second season at the helm. Just trying to gauge the optimism and thoughts about how well we think Edwards is going to be. Cutler was nothing great, he still had to take his lumps, he might blow up in his 3rd year coming up. Just more and more I think about it...sure, we have the pieces...but those pieces, IMHO, won't be ready to contribute enough to get us to the playoffs until next season, not this season.

Hardy, McKelvin, Simpson, Lynch, Poz, Edwards...#2 CB, #2 WR, FS, RB, MLB, QB....those are key positions.

[gr8slayer]

OL/DL - Buffalo
QB - Denver, but not by much.
RB - Buffalo
LB's - Buffalo
DB's - Denver
WR's - Buffalo, I don't buy into the Brandon Marshall hype, and the guy is a moron.
TE's - =

I went with "it's a wash,"

[Philagape]

Do you mean the 08 Bills and 07 Broncos?

[raphael120]

Do you mean the 08 Bills and 07 Broncos?

Wow yeah, I got a little ahead of myself. Uh, Mods, if you feel like it, you can fix.

[PECKERWOOD]

OL - Denver ( Over the last 10 years you could plug in any RB in their system and he would rush for 1,000 yards. )
DL - Buffalo ( Denver's DL is a joke. )
QBs - Denver ( Cutler owns Edwards. )
RBs - Buffalo ( Lynch and Jackson baby! )
LBs - Buffalo ( Not overly impressed with either team's lbs. )
DBs - Denver ( Bailey and Bly are nasty. )
WRs - Denver ( Marshall and Stokely are solid. btw, didn't they still have Rod Smith in 07? )
TEs - Denver ( Graham and Sheffler beats anything we have. )

BTW, didn't Denver beat us in a close one last year?

[LifetimeBillsFan]

I think Cutler is going to be a good QB, but I think that this year's Bills should be a bit better than last year's Broncos.

A big problem that the Broncos had last season was that they had to replace some of their offensive linemen and, as a result, the O-line was not the outstanding unit that it was in the past. It was decent, but not outstanding.

This hurt Cutler and his RBs. Even though their overall numbers were pretty good, they had some rough patches because they didn't get the kind of line play that the Broncos have been used to getting.

I think that this year's Bills have a chance to have a better offensive line than Denver did last year and that this will benefit Edwards and the Bills' RBs. I really expect Lynch to be better this season and become as much of a threat as any of the Denver RBs.

If Hardy gives the Bills a presence in the red zone that can make the offense more efficient in scoring TDs, I would give the Bills' WRs an advantage over the Denver WR corps. Marshall and Stokely were both pretty good, but Rod Smith was injured for most of the year and Javon Walker really wasn't happy with his role on the team. Hardy is unlikely to suddenly become the kind of weapon that Marshall blossomed into, but, if the Bills take care of Evans' contract and their WRs stay healthy, the Bills' foursome of Evans, Hardy, Reed and Parrish should be at least as dangerous as the Broncos' top 4 WRs.

On paper the Denver TEs look like they would be better than the Bills' collection of TEs, but, in reality, they weren't as big of a factor as one would have thought that they would be. D.Graham had such a lousy year that Denver cut him. So, if the Bills' TEs aren't that good this season, they will only be slightly worse than the better known Denver TEs were last season. And, they could be better. (It should be noted that the Bills' TEs finished in the middle of the pack in the NFL in receptions last season as a group.)

Denver's front seven had a rough year last season--which is why they have made so many changes there this offseason. A lot will depend on how Stroud, McCargo and S.Johnson play at DT, but, if those three players can stiffen the interior of the Bills' defensive line as expected, the Bills' front seven has a chance to be as good or better than Denver's front seven was last season.

With Bly and Bailey, Denver's CBs were perhaps the best tandem in the league at that position. It is not likely that the Bills' CBs will be that good this season. But, they may not have to be for the Bills to be a better overall team.

Denver's STs have traditionally been good, but, like the Bills, took a bit of a step back last season--not a big step, but a step back nonetheless. With Moorman, Lindell and the return men that the Bills have, I expect the Bills to be in the top 5 in STs, even though they will have to replace some key ST aces. Considering how much time Stamer and Wire missed and how Wendling and Jenkins developed as "gunners", it is possible that, after a few initial rough spots perhaps, the Bills' STs could develop into a top unit once again by mid-season.

I expect Edwards, as a second year starting QB, to have his ups-and-downs this season. But, overall, I expect him to show improvement over last season. If the Bills can stay healthy, I think that he will have a solid enough cast around him, though, that this year's Bills team can be better than last season's Denver team.

I don't think that all of Denver's problems last season were Cutler's fault and I do expect him to be better this season than last. IMHO a playoff berth could very well be on the line when the Bills meet the Broncos in Denver the second last weekend of the season. But, for that to be the case, the Bills will have to play up to their potential--which is to be a better team than last year's Broncos were. And, I think that is very possible if the Bills can stay reasonably healthy this season.

[yordad]

I think the Bills are better, but Cutler is better then Edwards.

[Night Train]

I think Flying Bison Aviator Red is better than ANY Coors product.

Conclusion : Buffalo > Denver