Time to hop on the Broncos’ bandwagon?

This is a team that can compete for the AFC West and will play in the playoffs.

Welcome to the bandwagon Matt, because it is filling up.

That miracle finish in week 1 is starting to look like a really good win after what Cincy did to Pitt yesterday

"but for the rest of the experts, fans and avid followers of the NFL, a 3-0 start was the last thing we expected from coach Josh McDaniels and his team"

Cincy, Cleveland and Oakland - if any expert couldn't see 3-0 start, even after the Cutler and Marshall drama then they shouldn't be experts.

The 2nd quarter of the 4 quarter nfl season will be telling for this team. I think the burning question will be, did Josh screw himself and the Bronco's from winning a big game against a team like Baltimore or the Giants? It's great the Defence has played way beyond expectations through three weeks but say the Defence holds but the offence can't score? Would the offence have scored with Cutler?

It's easy to see how Denver's O is getting is done, but what about the defense? They brought in Dawkins; Bailey is healthy - what other changes were made that made such a hugh difference? Nolans schemes? Denver's competition? Did the D stop drinking bud heavies?

As I remember, all you guys at the NFP seemed to think Denver was going to be the surprise team heading into the season...Oh, except you Matty, deciding to ride the spineless Texans D. :-P I bet you wish you could have that one back!!

Can't say I'm surprised. Looks like another AFC West team that will get 4 easy wins in their division and then crash and burn once the playoffs start and they have to play decent teams.

Yeah, I guess it's tough to throw a team with that much offense under the bus after three games...lots of football to play.

I'm with you as far as Nolan, he turned that poor unit into a top ten after one off season.

How about my Vikes almost blowing that game despite the defense not surrendering a single 3rd down? The old man still has the moxie and is as tough as nails.

Thanks for the article Matt.

NFP was one of the very few major football media sources that didn't rag on the Broncos all offseason and talked about the positives and the things that mattered, not all of the drama that makes big stories.

I appreciated that a lot.

We'll see. As Mike Lombardi noted a couple weeks ago, teams can cover their deficiencies with scheme for a certain time. Don't get me wrong - no one would be happier to see the Bronco's remain competitive than me. And I was never on board with the widely dispersed notion that the cupboard was completely bare for the Bronc's on defense. It always seemed to me that the Bronco's D suffered last year after it lost its field general (Lynch), and maybe Dawkins is bringing some of that back.

No doubt that there is alot of potential on offense. The O-line is rock solid, our 1-4 recievers (Marshall, Royal, Stokely, Gaffney) are certainly comparable to the best in the league and seem well suited for the type of offense that McDaniels wants to run. Running game is speaking for itself. So it really comes down to whether we can get big time performances from Orton when the occasion requires, I've gone on record as saying Orton = Drew Brees, and I'm still a little concerned that I will be eating those words. But he does seem to be getting better every week.

If the offense can realize 80% of the production from last year, and the D can just be average, the Bronc's have a chance for the playoffs. Probably at least a year a way from being a true contender, though.

It's been said already: Cincy, Cleveland, Oakland. Congratulations Denver, by a miracle you beat the Bengals in a sloppy game, then went on to beat 2 of the worst teams in football.

Is it possible that the Broncos aren't as bad as many thought they'd be? Sure. But they haven't played anyone of consequence yet and their schedule is about to get very rough.

Fact is, you have to realistically evaluate the first three weeks of the season. Is Joe Flacco really an elite QB or is he just feasting on bad defenses? Are the Broncos legit? Is Mark Sanchez really this good or is he doing just enough to win some close games?

As for the Broncos, they now start a run in the next six weeks against the Cowboys, Pats, Chargers, Ravens and Steelers. If they enter that Redskins game 6-2, then we can talk about bandwagons.

I wouldn't jump on the bandwagon just yet......

The defense, really Dawkins, is carrying the team. Dawkins has brought leadership to teh defense that hasn't had since Al Wilson retired three years ago. The D creates turnovers and keeps opponents down until the offense can do something. Palmer had some success late in the Cincinnatti game with underneath passing game and the Bengals O-line powered their way in through the smallish D-line for the go ahead score. They can be pushed around in the middle.

Look at the TD drives from the last three games (# of plays - yards)
CIN 2-87 Don't forget 80 yards of this drive was Stokely's awesome catch and run
CLE 3-9, 7-82, 3-67
OAK 6-23, 8-80

The defense is giving the offense great field position, but a lot of long drives starting between 20-30 yardline are ending in FGs or punts not TDs.

I want to see what Orton does against a defense that brings pressure. He had a horrible game against the Bengals and they pestered him the entire game. That great Stokely catch was possible because Orton threw into double coverage and no one was covering Stokely. If Dallas (or any team) can pressure Orton, he has shown he does not play well.

Wes,
I really like your articles but your choices in teams leave a lot to be deisred. What do you see in the Broncos to make you think this team can beat any teams that aren't second tier? The best of the worst is what I would call the Broncos. Kudos to McDaniel for accomplishing that much, but they would be a heck of a lot better with Cutler throwing the ball and McDaniel blew that one.
After the Broncos fall off whos' bandwagon will you jump on?

Understandably, people are hesitant to give Denver any credit because of the opponents they have beaten. But that win AT Cincinnati looks pretty good right now, especially because the defense held them to 7 pts and had a shutout for 59 minutes and change. The defense has definitely been the reason for the 3-0 start. Elvis Dumervil has wreaked havoc on opposing QB's and Brian Dawkins has been flying all over like he always does. As expected, Dawkins' leadership and intensity has been paramount. It seems like he's set the tone and has everyone following him as 1 cohesive unit. I can't give the guy enough praise, he is a GREAT leader....

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" Broncos safety Brian Dawkins is serious during the week, but usually more calm and thoughtful than insane.

He speaks with authority but somewhat quietly when asked questions.

He’s a 35-year-old family man who speaks earnestly about his religious faith.

On Sundays, there’s a different person inside the No. 20 jersey and helmet with the tinted visor. Dawkins has a never-ending resource of energy. Before the Broncos played Cincinnati two weeks ago, the team’s Web site had a camera on Dawkins as he got his teammates fired up.

There was nothing quiet or calm about it.

“Respect is not given, it is earned, doggone it!” Dawkins yelled in the pregame huddle and he bounced from side to side, watching his teammates’ reactions. “And they don’t respect us! Nobody respects us! You know what you’ve got to do in that situation?”

At that point, Dawkins’ voice became nearly demonic.

“Take it! Take it! Take the respect from somebody!” Dawkins said, hitting himself in the helmet and pacing about like he wanted to jump out of his skin. “Take it!”

While other players — Baltimore’s Ray Lewis and New Orleans’ Drew Brees are among them — put on a similar show in the pregame huddle, Dawkins’ motor never slows down, even when the defense isn’t on the field.

He’ll roam the sideline, even run onto the field when one of his offensive teammates goes down with an injury.

Whenever the offense or special teams are on the field, coach Josh McDaniels said Dawkins never stops shouting encouragement toward them.

“When I’m calling plays on offense, there’s not one time where I don’t hear him behind me,” McDaniels said. “And it’s all positive, it’s all the right things. And it’s not phony. It’s real leadership. Tremendous value in the things he says.”

The game wouldn’t be the same for Dawkins if he couldn’t be exuberant before the game, on the field or even on the sideline.

“I don’t take it for granted,” Dawkins said. “I love what I do. It is an opportunity for me to go out and have a great time.”

Give Dawkins credit for understanding his audience. For anyone who has turned on a NFL game and dreamed about playing the game with unbridled excitement and joy if given the chance, Dawkins is living the dream for you.

“(Fans) would love to do what I do for a living,” Dawkins said. “People come to the game to have a great time. I go to the games to have a great time. I am not going to allow anything to deter me from that.”

Dawkins said he was told in high school and college to tone it down, but that was never the case when he got to the NFL. So he lets it all hang out. He doesn’t script his pregame words. They come from pure emotion and adrenaline.

“I’m not trying to show off,” Dawkins said. “I do what I do. My teammates love it.”

Congratulations Matt, for leading the media bandwagon. It is nice for us true Bronco fans not to here a writer bash our team and finally begin to recognize that Denver is not just a sleepy Cow town filled with hayseeds. Thanks for an accurate take on what's happening in Dove Valley.

"I want to see what Orton does against a defense that brings pressure. He had a horrible game against the Bengals and they pestered him the entire game. That great Stokely catch was possible because Orton threw into double coverage and no one was covering Stokely. If Dallas (or any team) can pressure Orton, he has shown he does not play well."

What?

The Raiders have a terrific D-line. Our O-line is just very good. Orton had a winning record in Chicago when he was constantly under pressure, and now he's got the benefit of great weapons and great protection now.

As for the Bengals, it was Orton's FIRST GAME in a complicated offense. He's done nothing but get stronger over three games.

These critisms of the Broncos are just so often ridiculous, goalpost-moving nonsense.

First it was the team was "the joke" of the league. Then it was they won't win any games. Then it was they only won by a fluke. Then it was they only won 2 games. Then it was only 3 games against mediocre teams (who just happen to have played other teams competitively, but we'll ignore that). Then it was they didn't beat those teams by enough points.

Gimmie break.

#1 defense in the league -- a 2nd year LT on the verge of setting an NFL record by allowing .5 sacks IN HIS ENTIRE CAREER of 20 games -- one of the top o-lines in football -- a great RB corps -- a great WR corps -- a defense that has seen plays made by many players (not just Dawkins) -- and a coach that is magnetically attracting high quality players like Dawkins, Jabar Gaffney, Vonnie Holiday, etc. -- great young defensive talent

There's every reason to believe the Broncos will be a competitive team this year, and that McDaniels has a bright future with this team.

If your judging Denver by the teams they've played so far and is questioning their validity, please compare the win/loss record of the teams the Baltimore Ravens and the Minnesota Vikings have played? Yeah, I thought so!!

Actually, I kind of like being taken for granted every week and getting no respect from the media, etc. Hopefully, even if it only does a little bit, make the players from the other team take us for granted as well. We can keep our, "I told you so" attitude to ourselves until the end of the season, when we've proven a lot of people wrong.

ROFL. This wlll be one of the most linked articles on the internet in about 8 weeks when the Broncos still have 3 wins.