Broncos Beat Reporters Answer 4 Burning Questions About The Team
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) - They may be the defending champions, but there are still plenty of questions about this year's Denver Broncos squad.
The CBS4 Sports team has been posting regular updates on CBSDenver.com about the team since the start of training camp, but decided to take a timeout to see how their colleagues in the media business would respond to four W questions about the 2017 season (Who, What, Where & When).
CBS4 interviewed the following sports reporters at Broncos headquarters for the project:
The following are transcriptions of their responses to CBS4's questions.
Who will start the most regular season games as the Broncos quarterback?
Darren McKee: Mark Sanchez. However, for the first time since 2003, there will be three or more starters for the Broncos at quarterback.
Arnie Stapleton: I'm going to go out on a little bit of a creaky limb and say Trevor Siemian will start the most. It's going to take a knockout punch for him to win the job from Mark Sanchez but I think he's got what it takes to get that done.
James Palmer: I think it's going to be Mark Sanchez and the reason why behind that is really you look at what he has done in the league compared to what the other two have done. Paxton Lynch is the future of the team but he has a long way to go before he gets to that next level.
Jeff Legwold: I think it's going to be Mark Sanchez, but with a short leash. So, Mark Sanchez. If things go wrong, we could well see Trevor Siemian. And Trevor Siemian could win the job in camp. Still, Mark Sanchez (is my prediction).
Paul Klee: I'm going to go with the outlier -- the underdog -- and that's Trevor Siemian. I think Trevor Siemian will start 11 to 12 games for the Broncos this year beginning about Week 3 or Week 4.
What will be the percentage split of run to pass for the Broncos offense?
Legwold: They've been hovering near 65, 67 percent with Peyton Manning. It will be a far higher run percentage. I think the passer percentage could go down to 55 in that area. So you could well see a run percentage of 45, 47, 48 percent even.
Klee: It will be very heavily favored in the run department, even more than what we saw last year. I will say 5 percentage points higher for run than it was last year.
McKee: It will be 55-45 pass. The reason why is they're just going to find themselves down in games. They're going to want to run the ball but they're going to have to throw it.
Stapleton: I think it will be a little bit around 50-50 but there will be more runs than there has been in the years past. Obviously you don't have the hybrid offense to worry about anymore with Peyton Manning, so you'll have more of the Gary Kubiak offense that's predicated on the run and then late in the games you'll see the ball thrown a lot more.
Where will be the biggest weakness in the Broncos defense?
McKee: Pass rushing on the other side of Von Miller. Because DeMarcus Ware's back is going to be an issue all year. And to find that twin teammate for Von is going to be the trick this year.
Klee: It will be in the strength of the Broncos defense which is the secondary, which is the most important part of this team because they are a little bit thin back there and we saw when Darian Stewart and T.J. Ward got hurt last year, it changed things on that side.
Legwold: I don't think we know the biggest weakness yet. If Von Miller has done what he said he would do which is come back in prime shape, then the defense is what it should be. I think the one weakness to look for is what is Aqib Talib's health going into the season.
Palmer: I'd say probably down the middle of it. ... Danny Trevathan's gone and Malik Jackson is gone, I think what they need to do is make sure they stay strong up the middle and that's one of the aspects that was really a strength for them in the past.
When will the Broncos season end? Regular season, playoffs, Super Bowl?
Stapleton: I would think that the season's going to end in the postseason. I think they'll win the AFC West again. They have the talent to get back to the Super Bowl. I don't know if the ball's going to bounce their way like it did all of last year, so I'll say postseason.
Klee: The Broncos season will end --because this is an even year --in the first round of the playoffs at home against a team that we don't expect, much like it was against the Colts.
Legwold: I think it will be the playoffs. I think they could very well have a chance to win the sixth consecutive division title. Playoffs, be in the Super Bowl conversation. But an awful lot would have to happen like last year, so playoffs.
Palmer: I think it will be postseason, but my gut tells me it might be earlier rather than later. I know everybody wants a Super Bowl repeat, but I think the division got better, a lot of other teams that had some health issues have gotten better.
McKee: AFC Championship Game, unfortunately in New England. Wow, I really shouldn't say that. That's not good!
