The Denver Broncos hit a rough spot in 2007, finishing at 7-9 in the AFC West. Falling to the San Diego Chargers twice, and a stunning 34-20 upset loss to the Oakland Raiders hurt badly, keeping the Broncos out of the playoff picture and preventing Mike Shanahan from getting that third Super Bowl ring. The decline of the vaunted Broncos running game with Travis Henry and key injuries to the wide receiver corps all contributed heavily to Denver’s troubles. But does anyone really doubt that Shanahan will be back?

Several factors weigh heavily in the Broncos favor. Playing at Invesco Field at Mile High continues to be a tough task for visiting teams. Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler should break out in his third year under center and Shanahan will come up with a cure for his running game woes. Look for Denver to also address their needs at wide receiver in either the draft or the free agent market. While the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots seem to have a lock on the AFC, it won’t be long before Mike Shanahan finds the key to put the Denver Broncos back in the Super Bowl hunt.