The Denver Broncos are 1-0.

How sweet does that sound Broncos fans?

After the longest verbal beating I can remember, the Denver Broncos proved their skeptics wrong on Sunday, and they did it with an unexpected strength: their defense.

In fact, the Broncos’ defense was so on point that the home team Bengals only reached the red zone twice in the entire game, and did not score a point for 59 minutes, 19 seconds.

The new-look Broncos defense forced three turnovers, seven punts, and sacked Carson Palmer three times.  Steelers fans and Giants fans may laugh that the Broncos are proud of those statistics, but one must realize that this kind of defensive performance is not commonplace for the Broncos over the last three years.

In addition to the great play of the defense, the Broncos had stellar play from their special teams, namely Matt Prater who made both of his field goals from 48 and 50 yards.

The low spot of the game for the Broncos was the abysmal play of their offense, which was only able to get 10 first downs the entire game.

While those who did not watch the game will blame the ineptitude of the offense on quarterback Kyle Orton, anyone who actually saw the game knows that the offensive struggles came from an inability to effectively run the ball and a large amount of dropped passes.

This was a very boring game to watch until the last two drives of the game if you were an unbiased third party. Neither team scored a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter, but the scoring was totally worth the wait.

After a long drive by the Bengals culminated in a one yard touchdown run by Cedric Benson, the Broncos defied incredible odds.

Trailing 7-6, the game clock read 0:20 and Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels realized that the time remaining should be nearly doubled because of a failed challenge attempt by the Bengals with 41 seconds remaining. The ensuing touchdown play only took three seconds off the clock, and McDaniels’ pleading paid off.

The game clock was reset to 0:38 and that proved to be absolutely crucial for the Broncos.

After a pass by Orton that was nearly intercepted by Jonathan Joseph, he heaved up a pass to Brandon Marshall that was tipped in the air by Leon Hall and subsequently caught by fellow Bronco Brandon Stokley who ran 87 yards for the game-winning touchdown.

The game-winning drive took 27 seconds off the clock, so it was huge that Denver got the clock reset to 0:38 before the game resumed.

A crazy finish, and one for the ages to be sure.  Broncos fans will remember this one for a long time, and unfortunately, so will Bengals fans.

Kyle Orton did about as expected with his stat line which saw him complete 17-of-28 passes for 243 yards, a touchdown, a 100.7 QB rating, and most importantly:  no interceptions.

Orton effectively managed the game, and the Broncos did not make any mistakes, and it is even more impressive that he did it all with a dislocated pointer finger on his throwing hand.

The Broncos were absolutely shut down in the running game, partly because they did not run it very much, and had a lot of trouble with dropped passes.  In fact, every Broncos receiver had a dropped pass today except for Daniel Graham.

Defensively, there is a lot to talk about for the Broncos.

The team finished the game with three sacks from Andra Davis, Mario Haggan, and Darrell Reid, all of whom are from the linebacker position.

Denver also forced three turnovers, two interceptions from Wesley Woodyard and Tony Scheffler, and a botched field goal attempt by Cincinnati.

This game has to be looked at as somewhat of a reality check for the Broncos who will host Cleveland in week two. They did some great things defensively, but the defense can only hold so much weight on its shoulders. Eventually, the offense is going to need to be able to score points on a more consistent basis, and eventually means by next week.

Cincinnati’s defense looked vastly improved from what we have seen in recent years, and they were very stingy against the pass. Their defensive backfield is very solid, and they were able to get three sacks on one of the best pass protecting defensive lines in the NFL.

Granted, Kyle Orton’s indecision and inability to get rid of the ball at times were the cause of those sacks, it is still an impressive feat by the Bengals.

A lot of the offensive struggles can be attributed to a pure lack of chemistry, as the team welcomed for the first time at the same time a group that included Knowshon Moreno, Brandon Marshall, and Russ Hochstein as irregulars.

The Broncos should come out more aggressive offensively against the Browns next week who were absolutely crushed by the Minnesota Vikings 34-20. Adrian Peterson had his way with the Cleveland run defense, and the Broncos need to take advantage with their new group of backs.

This was one of the best finishes to a game the NFL will see all season long, and it helps that the Broncos got win number one off their chests, and if the defense continues to play like they did today, there will be many more wins to come.

It also helps that the only people who thought Denver would win this game were fans of the team, and even some of them were skeptical because of the loss of quarterback Jay Cutler.

By the way, Cutler threw four interceptions in his Chicago Bears debut against Green Bay, and the Bears lost 21-15. I know it is only the first game of the season, but Kyle Orton and the Broncos are heading home winners, and the Bears are staring Pittsburgh in the face at 0-1.

Somewhere Josh McDaniels is smiling, and he should be.

In the wake of his recent practice field hissy fit, Denver Broncos wide receiver may have gone far beyond anything any fan ever thought possible.

In addition to losing respect from virtually every respectable NFL fan, coach, or executive, he may have lost the respect of his role models and elders on the team.

When asked if he was surprised of Marshall’s recent suspension, veteran wide receiver Brandon Stokley responded by saying, “Not really, not with his attitude and how he was acting,” Stokley said. “Something had to be done. They made the decision. We’re moving on, and hopefully in a few weeks, when he’s back, he’ll be ready to contribute.”

Hopefully.

2008 offensive co-captain and tight end Daniel Graham also weighed in on the Marshall situation.

“We’ve had a few conversations and Brandon, he’s running his own ship,” Graham said. “He’s doing what he feels is best for him. Now, I’m just making sure, as a leader on this team, that we stay focused.”

A very interesting choice of words by Graham, to say the very least.

Marshall is “running his own ship.”

This entire offseason has been a self-imposed disaster for the Pro Bowl wide receiver.  Even Colorado Hall of Fame wide receiver and Bronco great Rod Smith, a former player who has given a great deal of time and effort mentoring Marshall distanced himself when he made a cameo at Broncos camp earlier this summer.

One thing though, is for sure.

If Stokley and Graham’s comments are to be taken as a general consensus of the feelings of the entire team, then this whole fiasco has proven that the players are on McDaniels’ ship, not Marshall’s or any of their own.

McDaniels said on Friday that he does not know how long Marshall will be on his “ship” at all.

“I’m not sure necessarily if I think it will or I think it won’t [work out],” McDaniels said. “I’m just hopeful that it will, because obviously he’s a talented football player that we’d love to have pulling in the same direction as the other 79 guys that go out there and work their tail off.”

And if he is not?

If Marshall is unwilling to pull in the same direction as the 79 other guys, where do the Broncos go from there?

While suspending him for the regular season would go a long way if the Broncos were committed long term, it does not seem to make much sense anymore for a guy they may want to trade at the end of this season.

Which is why it makes perfect sense to suspend him for the final two games of the pre-season.

This gives Marshall time to study his playbook and vie for a fresh start when he returns to the team on September sixth.  Also, it gives him time go face the temptations of doing something else stupid or getting in trouble with the law.

Two weeks may not seem like a long time, but for Brandon Marshall, it could seem like a lifetime.

When Marshall returns to the Broncos, he better show this team that he is serious about the “fresh start” he said he wants, and he had better keep his nose out of trouble.

2008 was a great year to be a wide receiver with the Denver Broncos, as former head coach called on his quarterbacks to drop back and pass the ball 620 times, a franchise record and good for second in the NFL.

Still, the Broncos’ group of receivers was very young, and while they were extremely talented, they made their share of mistakes.

Each receiver had his share of key drops, fumbles, or missed blocking assignments, all which cost the Broncos significantly last year, being that their offense had to play near perfect football to win games.

While the Broncos continued to gain yardage through the air (they ranked second in the NFL), they had a very rough time putting the ball in the end zone.

Heading into 2009, the Broncos’ receiving group has high expectations, even though Kyle Orton has taken over at quarterback for Jay Cutler.  Who will be his top targets?

1.  Brandon Marshall

Since the start of the 2007 season, no wide receiver in the National Football League has been thrown at more times than the former fourth round pick out of Central Florida.  Also in that timeframe, only one receiver (Wes Welker, Patriots) has more receptions than Marshall’s 206.

Still, Marshall has had his share of off-field issues, and heading into the final year of his rookie contract he finds himself holding out and requesting a trade from the Denver Broncos.

Of everything Marshall has gone through with the Broncos, this is one thing he truly did not think through.

Is Marshall expendable?  Are his legal issues too much for the Broncos to even consider re-signing him?

If Marshall wants a new contract, the way to do so is very simple:  stay out of trouble for a year, and report to training camp.

So far, Marshall has missed every offseason activity due to a bum hip, and most recently because of his displeasure with the Broncos’ front office.  His injury is supposed to be almost fully recovered by the time training camp starts on July 30th, and head coach Josh McDaniels has said publicly that he expects Marshall to report.

If he opts to hold out and not report to training camp, not only will Marshall lose more than the 2.198 million dollars he will earn in 2009, but he will lose valuable practice time with a new system he has yet to fully come to grips with.

On the field, there is no question Marshall deserves to be paid like the top ten wide receiver he is.  Off the field, Marshall acts like a troubled “thug” and if he was not in the NFL, he would probably be living week to week on his paycheck from White Castle.

There is no question his numbers will take a hit in 2009, but it is not because Kyle Orton is the quarterback.  Last season, the Broncos threw the ball 620 times, and over 15 percent of those passes were thrown Marshall’s way.  The Broncos enter 2009 with far too many playmakers for Marshall to be thrown at so many times, and of course his reception total could take a hit, but that does not mean he has to be less effective.

In the end, Marshall can hold out and request as many trades as he wants, but unless a team like Baltimore offers Haloti Ngata, nobody is getting Brandon Marshall away from the Broncos.  Not until after the 2010 season most likely, seeing as the Broncos can still franchise tag him the next two offseasons.

Oh and by the way, if Marshall decides to not attend any training camp session, he will forfeit a year of free agency eligibility on his contract, and will owe the Broncos yet another year of his services.

The Broncos hold all of the cards in Marshall’s ridiculous situation, and I fully expect him to not only report to camp, but play for the Broncos in 2009 and beyond.

2.  Eddie Royal

Eddie Royal was the exclamation point on the most stellar first day of a draft the Broncos have had this decade.

When he was drafted, Royal was expected to contribute immediately as a kick returner, but little else.  Virginia Tech is not a throwing offense, and thus, his numbers were not very “gawdy” as one can imagine.

During 2008 Denver Broncos training camp, Royal opened the fans’ eyes completely to the receiver he could potentially become.  I can still remember sitting there and admiring every catch he made while others around me scrambled to figure out “Who is number 19?!” on their media guide.

From that point on, it was clear that Royal was going to make an immediate impact on this team.

He led all rookie receivers with 91 receptions, and finished the season with 980 receiving yards and five touchdowns.  The former Hokie ended up leading the Broncos in all-purpose yardage with his return abilities as well as finishing the season with 109 rushing yards.

In the Broncos’ new offense, Royal appears to be a carbon copy, albeit faster version of New England Patriots’ receiver Wes Welker.

If Royal can become a more consistent target inside the red zone, he will be one of the most dangerous receivers in the entire NFL.

Last season, he and Marshall combined for 195 receptions, which was the best in the NFL.

3.  Brandon Stokley

When the Broncos signed Stokley in the summer of 2007, he was expected to be a minimal contributor and nothing more because of an Achilles injury he suffered in 2006.

The two-time Super Bowl champion has since re-claimed his title as the NFL’s best slot receiver (behind Welker), and the 10 year veteran has caught 89 passes the last two seasons for Denver.

Perhaps the most important part of Stokley’s game is his route running, which teammates consistently rave about.

Thanks to his ability to separate from defenders, Stokley has been the Broncos’ most dangerous third down target, catching 69 of his 89 passes over the last two seasons for first downs.

Stokley also averages nearly 14 yards per reception the last two years, giving Orton a safety valve he really needs.

4.  Jabar Gaffney

Gaffney was a free agent acquisition this offseason from the New England Patriots, and he figures to bring good veteran leadership to this young unit thanks to the fact that he has been working in McDaniels’ offense the past three years.

Throughout the course of his career, Gaffney has had his share of ups and down’s, but overall he has been a solid, consistent performer in his time with Houston and New England.

He enters his eighth year in the NFL with the Broncos, and figures to give them some much needed help inside the 20, where he did a lot of damage with the Patriots. He also has the ability to take over as the number two receiver if Brandon Marshall decides to hold out.

5.  Kenny McKinley

Kenny McKinley was regardled as “the best receiver” legendary football head coach Steve Spurrier has ever had the privilege of coaching.

The former South Carolina product was taken by the Broncos in the fifth round of this year’s draft, and his immediate contributions seem to be coming with the special teams, potentially as a punt or kick return man.

McKinley is a very quick receiver with good route running skills, but how significant will his playing time be with the Broncos’ receiver depth as good as it is?

Is he the heir apparent to Brandon Stokley?  If he is going to replace the best, it helps to learn from the best.  McKinley should see time as the third and fourth receiver this season.

6.  Chad Jackson

Jackson is the receiver pictured with Jabar Gaffney on the right in this article’s photo.  At 6′1″ 215 pounds, he undoubtedly looks the part of an NFL receiver.  He also runs the 40-yard dash at a sub 4.40 second time.

Why has he not been able to find his groove in the NFL?

Coming out of Florida in 2006, I projected Jackson to be picked by the Denver Broncos with the 15th overall pick in the draft, so you can understand why I think the world of this kid.

He has been derailed by injuries in his career, and when the Patriots’ receiving core became so deep after their stellar 2007 campaign, he was cut loose.

I wrote an article shortly after he was cut how I would love for the Broncos to sign him, and the rest is history.

While many are not familiar with Jackson due to the fact that he had only one reception last season, I truly believe that he could be a star in this league.

He has big play potential, and he is very familiar with McDaniels’ system coming from New England.

Is he a diamond in the rough?  Can he rebound from his slow start in the NFL?

7.  Brandon Lloyd

On the day disgruntled receiver Brandon Marshall requested a trade, the Broncos coincidentally signed former 49ers, Redskins, and most recently Bears receiver Brandon Lloyd.

Lloyd is the sixth or seventh receiver on the Broncos’ depth chart, which really is an indication of how deep Denver is at the position given he was arguably the best receiver on the Bears in 2008.

The former Fighting Illini star has great big play ability, but is his work ethic going to be his demise in Denver?  Does the fact that he is familiar with Kyle Orton bode well for his potentially making the final roster?

8.  C.J. Jones

Jones was recently acquired by the Broncos via waivers from Kansas City, and he figures to eventually end up on Denver’s practice squad.

Jones has spent the past three seasons in New England, so like a few of the other Denver receivers, he is familiar with the system.

The former Iowa star is a good blocking receiver, and he has great return skills.  He will be a solid competitor in training camp.

9.  Nate Swift

Swift has quickly become a fan favorite thanks to the fact that he reminds many fans of former Broncos great Ed McCaffrey.

The undrafted free agent out of Nebraska may have come to the Broncos a year too late, and the receiving group may already be a bit too crowded.

He will make it tough for the coaches to let him go because of his work ethic and versatility as a return man and special teamer.

Projected Starter:  Brandon Marshall (Acquired via 2006 NFL Draft)

Projected Stats:   Rec.   Yds.   Avg.   TD

88    1,100   12.5   8

Projected Starter:  Eddie Royal (Acquired via 2008 NFL Draft)

Projected Stats:    95    1,045   11.0   6

Projected No. Three:  Brandon Stokley (Acquired via Free Agency in 2007)

Projected Stats:    40    520      13.0   3

Projected No. Four:  Jabar Gaffney (Acquired via Free Agency in 2009)

Projected Stats:    35    440      12.5   3

Projected No. Five:  Kenny McKinley (Acquired via 2009 NFL Draft)

Projected Stats:    20    240      12.0   1

Projected No. Six:  Chad Jackson (Acquired via Free Agency in 2008)

Projected Stats:    15    225      15.0   1

Practice Squad additions:

Nate Swift

CJ Jones

Wide Receivers Coach:  Adam Gase

2008 receivers grade:  A-

Roster Spots filled by WR:  6/54

Total Roster Spots filled:  14/54