Here are some points I’d like to watch closely on Thursday’s game against Dallas… In this first preseason game, we can start wondering how the big scenario of everything would be, and how the next regular season is likely to happen for the Denver Broncos. Of course it’s just the first preseason game of a shorter Training Camp (due to the lockout), so it’s just the beginning of an entire process. We can’t make heavy conclusions, but we can make a good idea about everything. Let’s go:

Von Miller vs. Tyron Smith
This is gonna be a very interesting man-2-man battle. The best pass rusher of the draft facing the best RT of the draft. I think Von Miller can make mostly RTs of the league look as children OTs, so I think he has a big leverage over Smith. I’m very excited to see this man on the field as an Orange & Blue.

Elvis Dumervil back
We suffered a lot without him last year. We were ridiculous (don’t) putting pressure on the passers. But now, the monster is back! It’s very exciting to watch him on the field again. Doubtless, he had his best season (in terms of sacks) playing LB… but now we are back to a 4-3 defense and Doom is back to his former position at RDE. It’s nice to see how it all will work.

Rahim Moore
A rookie intercepting a ball on his debut preseason game? Who knows… Besides putting a lot of pressure with 2 great pass rushers, we have this playmaker covering the back of the field while Champ shutdowns his side. The QBs are likely having a few nightmares with our new defense, and it’s being born on Thursday. It’s a process, but I see a lot of potential here.

Joe Mays at mike
This is our weakest position of the both sides of the ball imo. We know Joe Mays is a truck hitter who makes the offenses respect him and fear him. But can he be the defense QB we all expect from the mikes? Can he drop to make covers fairly? Did he develop these shortcomings so far?

Orlando Franklin vs. Marcus Spears
We all know the lack in pass protection of Franklin. But now we can start looking it in real action. Spears is not a great pass rusher, so it’s supposed for Franklin to block him very well. And we can watch too his big strength in the running plays… this is his biggest quality, so let’s enjoy it.

Robert Ayers
He was a victim of a lot of factors going against him in the past years. Now, he is back to his former college position as a 4-3 LDE player. It’s time for him to show all he can do. He has a good NFL experience and playing against the Cowboys we can start wondering how far this guy can go. I still believe him.

Daniel Fells in O&B
I like this guy, but I was very surprised on the amount of TEs signed on Free Agency, after we picked another 2 on the draft. Considering the depth chart released for Thursday, he will be the starter… I’m very curious on how good he will fit in Orange & Blue unis.

Interior DLine vs. Felix Jones
I hit hard our FO when FA passed a couple days and I thought there wouldn’t be top-tier DTs arriving. But they surprised me positively and landed very great names in Denver. Bunkley and Warren are my favorites to excel here and I’m excited to see the entire group in action. Felix Jones is a nice start to face against, since it’s his first year as a starter after the Cowboys lost the Barbarian, and it can bring this group some good reputation with a good debuting game.

The new offense and defense playcallings
Especially the defense ones (thank you Mr. Martindale), but the last year’s playcallings really pissed me a lot. Now we have a lot of different people, schemes and styles in our new coaches… and I hope it to be our biggest improve for 2011. I know they are likely to be much conservative, but I think at this moment we actually need to play this way.

The new running scheme
I’m veeeery curious to see what is the "sophisticated running scheme". I don’t even know what to expect here… but I hope it works, as we need to run the ball much more than we did last season and have a more balanced offense.

And you, MHR friends, for what are you excited to see on Thursday?
GO BRONCOS!