For the entire month of August, the Sportable Staff will look at one National Football League team a day. We?ll look at their offense, defense and in the end, assess their playoff chances. Previews will be done by division, starting with the NFC East. Each new division will also feature a new podcast devoted entirely to that division.

Can Tons of New Faces Offset Tragic Losses?
Whether it was in or out of their control, it’s hard to find many teams that had a more active offseason than the Denver Broncos. Hours after a disappointing home loss to the 49ers denied the Broncos a spot in the playoffs, promising cornerback Darrent Williams was killed outside of a New Year’s Eve party. The following month, backup running back Damien Nash collapsed and died during a charity basketball game. While it will be difficult to pick up the pieces and play on without their fallen teammates, the Broncos appear to have the horses to contend in the AFC.

Offense
The big story of Denver’s season will be quarterback Jay Cutler, who showed tons of promise after taking over for Jake Plummer late last year. Cutler appears to have all the tools to succeed in the NFL: A strong arm, poise in the pocket, a solid supporting cast and Mike Shanahan. Cutler’s promise can be shown in just one play: A deep touchdown pass to Javon Walker that traveled 65 yards in the air against the Cardinals. But this year, it’s his offense. With Jake “The Mistake Snake” Plummer now in Tampa Bay out of the picture, it’s Cutler’s time to shine.

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