2013 Broncos Season: Preseason, Week 1

I have decided that this season I will recap each and every Broncos game. After all, I watch the whole thing, so it makes sense. So for those of you that love Broncos recaps from people who are too emotionally invested, merry Christmas. For those that don't, at least the NFL only has one game a week.

Preseason Week 1: Broncos 10, San Francisco 49ers 6
Preseason Record: 1-0
Key Play: Second quarter, middle linebacker Nate Irving forces a fumble, recovered by outside linebacker Shaun Phillips and returned nine yards for a touchdown. Score: 7-3, Broncos

Recap: The first preseason game is rough. You don't see stars for very long — if at all — and the players are rusty. So the games are ugly. This was an ugly game. There were no offensive touchdowns and, in fact, little offense in general. Behind second-year starter Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers were able to mount a decent opening drive, leading to a field goal. The 49ers then had one decent drive in the second half, which led to another field goal. But the 49ers also committed four turnovers. The Broncos offense was somewhat non-existent in the first half — seven possessions, 108 yards, and seven punts. The team mounted two somewhat decent drives in the second half — one led by Brock Osweiler that ended on a failed fourth down conversion in the Red Zone and one by Zack Dysert that led to a field goal to ice the game. Still, there were some questions answered, some questions raised, and some interesting chances to see players in live game action. While some were — ridiculously — calling this a Super Bowl preview, it seemed more like an early preseason game where coaches were trying to see who would make the roster. This is also a time, as fans, where we get irrationally excited about players way out on the depth chart that are playing in garbage time.

Impressive Players:
* Brock Osweiler. Heading into the game, I would have said with Peyton Manning the Broncos are Super Bowl contenders, but it he gets injured the team will compete for the No. 1 draft pick. In other words, I wasn't sold on Osweiler. However, he does look like he's made some progress and I was sort of impressed with his work in game one behind a shaky line and with little run support.

* Broncos Tight Ends, Julius Thomas. Denver played last night without its top two tight ends. One of the things that made the Patriots successful last year was not just great receivers, but great tight end play. The Broncos have three solid receivers, but with Julius Thomas coming on, good work from Virgil Green, and top tight ends Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreessen, the team appears loaded.

* C.J. Anderson. This guy is an undrafted rookie out of California. I hadn't really heard much about him, but he is a strong, powerful, and productive runner. He looked good and had some good plays even behind a spotty line. On a night where the Broncos' running game seemed to be non-existent, Anderson was productive. He could be one to watch.

* Duke Ihenacho. Ihenacho is a legitimate contender to start at safety. Mike Adams is a fine player, but Ihenacho plays at a different level. He looked great out there on Thursday night, and I think he could bring some dynamic playmaking ability to the back end of Denver's defense.

Lingering Questions:
* Offensive Line play. So, Ryan Clady was out and Orlando Franklin was limited. Chris Kuper still isn't back yet, and they're working at the center position. So the line deserves some grace. That being said, the Broncos couldn't really block Thursday night. It was, at times, painful to watch. That is something that needs to improve in a hurry.

* No Run Production. This could be attributed, in part, to weak line play. However, I wasn't sold on Ronnie Hillman last year. He was awful in the clutch. He was marginal last night. Montee Ball, the highly touted rookie, didn't get much work, but didn't do anything when he was in. Then there's Knowshon Moreno. I still like Moreno, and he's been good when he's played. His problem is injuries, and it's hard to tell if that's improved.

* Where's The Pass Rush? Denver needs to do work on the defensive front. Sure, they were playing the defending NFC champs. But the first series, which was the only one the 49ers starters played, saw the Denver front get pushed around. That's not a great sign. Where will the pressure come from if Von Miller's suspension isn't overturned?