Browns-Broncos: Cleveland Aims to Take Advantage of Denver Flaws

(Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

Last week's game featured a big matchup problem for the Cleveland Browns when you considered that the Browns' weakness (stopping the run) was up against the Vikings strength (running the football).

This week’s game for the Denver Broncos poses a different issue: "What happens when a resistible force meets a moveable object?"

The Broncos won game one in miraculous fashion, 12-7, against the Cincinnati Bengals. Words cannot do justice to describe exactly how Denver managed to pull out that win. If you have not seen it, take a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K56C-roYUOA.

But the win buried a pitiful performance by the Broncos' offense. Take away that one 87-yard play and the Denver offense netted only 215 yards total yards on the day. It was just three of 12 on third down conversions.

In the offseason, Broncos management decided to trade away its Pro Bowl quarterback, Jay Cutler, in exchange for pedestrian quarterback Kyle Orton. Last season, Cutler carved up the Browns' defense for 477 yards. Orton might have a difficult time putting up those kinds of numbers even if the Browns pulled their entire defense off the field.

Orton is not particularly mobile and was sacked three times against the Bengals. If he gets the ball out of his hands quickly and into his playmakers' hands, he can be effective, but he rarely throws the ball down the field and generally isn’t much of a threat to make a big play.

To make matters worse for Denver, it has had serious issues dealing with its talented, but moody, wide receiver, Brandon Marshall. If Cleveland fans think Braylon Edwards has an attitude problem, they haven’t caught Marshall’s act.

Denver used its first round pick on running back Knowshon Moreno from the University of Georgia. Moreno is talented, but is a bit banged up. Heading into last week’s game, he had a sprained knee. He played, but then suffered a blow to the head. He more than likely will play this week against the Browns, but he will not be 100 percent.

If Moreno is not on the field, former Eagle Correll Buckhalter will take over the rushing duties. He’s a capable backup when healthy (which has not been often), but he still has not topped his rookie season high of 586 yards in 2001.

Denver does have a solid to spectacular stable of receivers. Both tight ends, Daniel Graham (brought over from the Patriots) and Tony Scheffler (40 catches, 645 yards, three touchdowns in 2008), must be accounted for. Denver will also move Peyton Hillis around at TE, RB, FB, and WR.

Wide receivers Marshall, Brandon Stokley, Jabar Gaffney, and Eddie Royal can all make plays. Who can forget Eddie Royal chewing up and spitting out Browns cornerbacks for 164 yards last season?

The one staple of the Broncos offense during the Mike Shanahan era was great offensive line play. Shanahan and his scheme are gone now, and in its place is new coach Josh McDaniels' "Patriot offense." However, Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and a stable of running backs and offensive lineman are not in Denver to run it.

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