2013 Broncos Season: Preseason, Week 4


The final week of the preseason has come and gone. Next time the Broncos take the field, it will be for keeps.

Preseason Week 4: Arizona Cardinals 32, Denver Broncos 24
Preseason Record: 2-2 (1-1 Home)
Key Play: Up 24-17 in the fourth quarter, tight end Jake O'Connell made a reception in Denver territory and fumbled the ball, which was recovered by the Cardinals. Following the turnover, the Cardinals scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion to take the lead.

Recap: The fourth preseason game is an interesting dance. From one standpoint, key players don't see the field, which is a disappointment. However, it's a chance to see your depth as a team and to see who's fighting for a roster spot in the season. Last night didn't disappoint from that standpoint. The Broncos did some good things, and there were some players that got a chance to shine. One of the hard things will be seeing who doesn't get picked up as the cuts start rolling in today. Most of all, the Broncos have survived the preseason relatively healthy and ready to go on September 5 against the Baltimore Ravens.

Impressive Players:
* Broncos backup quarterbacks. Brock Osweiler looked good. He went 7 for 11 for 108 yards and showed good mobility at times. Zac Dysert, who hadn't really played in the preseason, also showed good skill. He got off to a hot start, leading the Broncos on a 95-yard drive for a touchdown. His completion percentage dropped as the Broncos forced things down the field to end the game, but still he looked like a good prospect. He might have done enough for the Broncos to carry a third quarterback.

* Lance Ball. Ball is always a forgotten part of the Broncos' backfield. I thought Jeremiah Johnson did some good things too, but Ball was the runner that looked the best. He might not get a roster spot, though, because of the depth of the position. But Ball made the most of his carries and had the play of the night — a 69-yard screen pass.

* Gerell Robinson. The conventional wisdom heading into Thursday's game was that the last wide receiver spot would go to Tavares King. Robinson made it look otherwise Thursday. He had five grabs for 99 yards and a touchdown. He looked great and may have done enough to make the team. The Broncos already have five locks at receiver — Eric Decker, Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, Andre Caldwell and Trindon Holliday (our returner) — so it remains to be seen if Robinson can sneak in. But based on what I saw, I would take him over King.

Lingering Questions:
* Who runs for Denver? Ronnie Hillman started and got two carries on Thursday night. He's still listed as the No. 1 running back, but he has had fumble problems. Playing in the fourth preseason game makes it seem like he's falling on the depth chart. Knowshon Moreno and Montee Ball didn't play. Who knows who will start next Thursday.

* How do we replace Von Miller? Against the Rams, with Miller in the lineup, the Broncos got four sacks. Last night most of the starters were out, but the Broncos didn't get a ton of push. How does this team replace Miller for six games and make up for the loss of Elvis Dumervil? We didn't find out in the preseason.

* Who makes the cut in the secondary? The Broncos have a lot of players in the secondary, but they can't all make the final roster. Champ Bailey, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Chris Harris, Tony Carter, Rahim Moore, Duke Ihenacho, Mike Adams, and David Bruton seem like locks. That leaves a group of Kavon Webster, Quentin Jammer, Ross Rasner, Omar Bolden, and Aaron Hester fighting for one or two spots. Some tough choices to make.

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