Broncos vs. Seahawks: Previewing Denver's Preseason Week 1 Matchup
The Denver Broncos will open the 2015 preseason with a trip to visit their old nemesis, the Seattle Seahawks.
This will be the fifth season in a row that these two teams have squared off in the preseason, and the second consecutive time the old AFC West rivals will open their preseason schedules against each other.
Denver won 21-16 in the preseason opener last year, the first game since the two teams met in Super Bowl XLVIII.
The Broncos will bring a brand new coaching staff into the game, and for many fans, it will be a first look at how the team performs in the new systems being installed by head coach Gary Kubiak and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.
How many snaps the starters will get remains to be seen, but since it is the preseason opener, logic would seem to tell us that they won't be in for more than a series or two.
Read on for more analysis on this game, including news on injuries and matchups to look for.
Location: CenturyLink Field; Seattle, WA
Time: 10:00 pm ET
TV: NFL Network (National) KTVD (Local)
News and Notes
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Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan Share the Field
Andrew Mason of the Broncos' official website noted that Danny Trevathan and Brandon Marshall practiced together for the first time on Tuesday.
This is huge news for the team, as the play of these two inside linebackers could be the biggest key to Phillips' 3-4 defense this season.
Over the last two seasons, these two linebackers have accounted for 255 total tackles. Needless to say, they are both incredibly important to the team. However, both men will be coming back from injuries suffered during the 2014 season.
While the pair continues to rehab those injuries and get back into football shape, the Broncos will likely focus on what kind of depth they have behind them during the preseason. Todd Davis and Lamin Barrow are two players who could shine during preseason action.
Who Will Win the Kicking Job?
The Broncos settled the question at the punter position when Britton Colquitt took a pay cut, allowing the team to part ways with Karl Schmitz.
However, the question of who will be the team's placekicker remains open.
Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com reports that the competition between Connor Barth and Brandon McManus is close, noting that they have split reps in camp.
That makes the first preseason game a big one for both players. Has Barth improved his distance on kickoffs? Can McManus be more accurate than he was in 2014? If either player can show an improvement in their respective area of weakness, they could gain a leg up in this competition, no pun intended.
"Connor Barth just nailed a 59-yard FG here at Dove Valley. 50 yd was long last year for #Broncos. Spoke with him Tues: http://t.co/DONAeMxb68
— Rich Kurtzman (@RichKurtzman) August 6, 2015"
McManus missing multiple attempts last year, and Barth coming up short of the end zone on his kickoff attempts likely caused the Broncos to keep both kickers last season. The team likely wants to use that precious roster spot in other ways this year.
Latest Injury News
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The Broncos will come into this game relatively healthy, aside from the three season-ending injuries that will sideline Ryan Clady, Kyle Williams and Jeff Heuerman until next season.
According to ESPN, wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders was bothered by a hamstring in camp, which forced him to miss practice last Friday. By Sunday, he was back on the field and a full participant.
Sanders likely won't play much against the Seahawks, if at all, as the team tries to get a good look at some of the younger prospects at the position, such as Bennie Fowler, Solomon Patton and Jordan Taylor.
However, to show that the team should be confident in his health, he has been handling some of the punt return duties in recent practices.
"@broncos, watching Emmanuel Sanders return punts. Not wild about that. Someone else needs to step up. He's too valuable at WR.
— Les Shapiro (@LesShapiro) August 12, 2015"
As for Seattle, backup tight end Cooper Helfet has been dealing with a cracked rib, according to ESPN. Safety Earl Thomas is nursing an injured shoulder and won't appear in the game, as he has yet to practice.
This will give the Seahawks a chance to look at some of the safeties behind him, including DeShawn Shead, Ryan Murphy and Tristan Wade.
Key Matchups
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Ty Sambrailo vs. Cliff Avril
The Broncos have released their first depth chart of the season, as detailed by Troy Renck of the Denver Post, and all the talk is about how young the offensive line is.
For one, there is no guarantee the Broncos are going to open the season with this offensive line. But Kubiak is rewarding players for their work in practice, and it won't hurt a thing for him to see what he has.
As it currently stands, Ty Sambrailo, Max Garcia and Matt Paradis are all starters on the line. What do all three of those players have in common? They've all never been in on one NFL snap.
Naturally, this could be a concern. Is this line going to be able to hold up? We could start to find out the answer to that question when the Broncos face the Seahawks.
Can Sambrailo hold up against an elite pass-rusher such as Cliff Avril? Though we probably will only see Sambrailo take a few snaps in this game, the way he handles the pressure of facing an NFL pass rush will be a key to this season, making it an important aspect of this preseason game.
In fact, watching the entire left side of the offensive line is something fans should keep an eye on.
Cody Latimer vs. Seattle Secondary
Hopefully the Broncos allow Cody Latimer to play extended time in this game. After a poor rookie season, he needs to see as much time on the field as he can.
How much has he improved from last season? Is he really a legitimate complement to Demaryius Thomas and Sanders? These are questions many fans would like to see answered—soon.
Sylvester Williams vs. Interior of Seahawks Offensive Line
This is another matchup we will probably only get a short glimpse of, but anyone who is curious about how the Broncos will do in switching to a 3-4 defensive scheme needs to watch the play of Sylvester Williams.
Williams has been quiet in his first two years in the league, but he could break out in 2015 as the middle of Phillips' defensive line.
Fans should watch for Williams' effect on the running game, as well as his ability to eat double teams, allowing the linebackers behind him to make plays in this game.
Matchup X-Factors
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Broncos X-Factor of the Week: Solomon Patton
Last season, it was Jordan Norwood who came out of nowhere to make an impact for the Broncos during training camp and preseason games. In fact, he caught the game-winning touchdown pass from Brock Osweiler to beat Seattle in that preseason opener.
There is no reason why wide receiver Solomon Patton can't do the same this year.
Patton was grabbed off the waiver wire during the offseason, and as Nick Groke of the Denver Post reports, he has already grabbed some attention during camp.
"While Jordan Taylor got more early buzz, I think Solomon Patton can help team in more ways as member of 53-man roster.
— Mark Kiszla (@markkiszla) August 11, 2015"
Whether it be as a wide receiver or returning kicks, Patton is a name to watch for in this game.
Seahawks X-Factor of the Week: Thomas Rawls
We can expect to see third-string and even fourth-string players get significant playing time in this game, and games like this always create great opportunities for players to make a name for themselves.
Thomas Rawls, an undrafted running back out of Central Michigan, is the type of player who could make an impact in this game.
Rawls is a tough runner who pounds out extra yardage after contact and is tough to bring down. He will present a challenge for players on the Denver defense who are looking to earn a place on the final roster.
Prediction
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Preseason games are always tough to predict: particularly the first one.
Both teams will place evaluating the progression of key backups, as well as getting out of the game without any major injuries, way above winning the game.
With that said, CenturyLink Field is always a tough place to get a win. The Broncos came up short in Week 3 of last season, losing in overtime. The year prior to that, they were on the wrong end of a 40-10 preseason blowout.
The better regular-season team doesn't always win a preseason game, but the Broncos are facing a perennial Super Bowl contender in a tough environment.
As long as the Broncos get a good, long look at some of the players being evaluated for roster spots, losing the game will be secondary.
This one could be a sloppy, low-scoring affair, something that is often the case in the preseason opener.
Final Prediction: Seahawks 20, Broncos 13
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