Denver Broncos Defense Tops The AFC West And Intimidates The Entire NFL

There is an old saying in the NFL about defense winning championships.

In the modern game, that hasn't been as true; the last team to get to the Super Bowl without any semblance of an offense was the 2006 Chicago Bears. And they didn't win it.

However, it is very difficult to find teams making the postseason without at least a very solid defensive corps.

Last year, when the Broncos were having success, it wasn't because of an explosive offense. Josh McDaniels employed a brilliant style of slow football aimed at controlling the game clock.

As the Broncos defense held opponents in check during the first six games Denver went undefeated.

The defense started to fall apart in the second half of the season after a few injuries to the secondary, defensive line troubles, and their opponents discovering ways to exploit then coordinator Mike Nolan's system.

It likely led to his transfer to Miami and replacement by Wink Martindale.

This off season, the Broncos massively upgraded their defensive line by bringing in Justin Bannan, Jamal Williams, and Jarvis Green.

Age and durability may be a concern in this situation, but with the young Ryan McBean still vying for playing time, there are eager back-ups ready to fill in if needed.

On paper, this is the best defensive line the Denver Broncos have had since . . . well, I can't even remember.

Jamal Williams, now 34, has been to the Pro Bowl three times. Jarvis Green has two Superbowl rings.

Standing behind them will be the lone holdover from the 2006 draft class, Elvis Dumervil (last year's NFL sack leader), with presumably the great D.J. Williams and hard working Akin Ayodele in the middle, and finally, on the other side, expect Robert Ayers.

Jarvis Moss, now converted to an outside linebacker, owes the team a lot after being selected in the first round of 2007. He has yet to accomplish virtually anything in his NFL career, and will try to compete with Ayers for playing time.

He does offer some additional depth.

In the back, the Broncos will have the legendary nine-time Pro Bowler, Champ Bailey, who recently-departed wide receiver Brandon Marshall claimed is still the best in the NFL last week.

He'll be joined by another NFL legend and the heart and soul of the defense, multiple-time Pro Bowler Brian Dawkins.

While Alphonso Smith will likely have an opportunity to start playing some safety, after reported improvement this year, Andre Goodman and Renaldo Hill both look to retain their positions in the very impressive line up.

While age has been the primary criticism for the front three and the back four, the players weren't showing signs of deterioration last year. Dawkins and Bailey made trips to the Pro Bowl, and for players at this level, deterioration happens over time rather than over night.

They're likely closer to retirement, but Bailey will still love to have anyone in an opposing offense pick on him.

Heck, a few years ago he had what most consider to be the greatest performance ever by an NFL cornerback. In 2006 he was thrown at a total of 35 times, 10 of those for interceptions, and only four of them for receptions. None of those passes were for touchdowns.

That's a huge part of the reason Bailey and Dawkins were named as first team members of the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team.

On paper, this is the unit to beat in the AFC West, and more probably now that the defensive line has been addressed, it is one of the units the rest of the NFL should be fearing.

While off season banter has focused on Denver's offensive confusion and the loss of Marshall, the defense brings the veteran leadership necessary to make Denver playoff contenders.

Not a Superbowl team . . . not yet anyway. Just a normal team in the NFL getting ready to surprise a division that appears up for grabs.