Five Denver Broncos that must improve after the bye week

The Denver Broncos got a much-needed bye week in Week 11, and they hope the week pays dividends to a team that still has Super Bowl aspirations.

After starting the season 4-0, the Broncos limped into the bye week, going 3-3 in their last six games.

But the bye week could be a very valuable asset to a team that desperately needed it.

After 10 weeks of very competitive football, this team is banged up with various injuries, and there are a number of areas that could use a week of focus.

Denver now heads into the stretch run before the postseason. It was at this point last year that we saw Gary Kubiak sit Peyton Manning down with injury, rallying the team around Brock Osweiler.

The Broncos won five of their last seven games and clinched home field advantage in the playoffs.

Can Kubiak work the same magic this season and get this team playing their best again this year?

Here are five players that need to show some major improvement if this team is going to defend their title:

Trevor Siemian

We might as well start at the top.

It hasn’t always been pretty for the first-year starter, but Siemian is 7-2, and that has to count for something.

Still, the Broncos would like to see more production from their offense, and a good portion of that will fall at the feet of Siemian.

He is completing over 60 percent of his passes, but he has thrown seven interceptions to just 12 touchdowns. And we can’t forget that he has had a number of interceptions dropped by opponents.

We know with this defense that Siemian just has to take care of the football and make good decisions. It might be frustrating to fans, but they’ll live with his 6.97 yards per pass, as long as he doesn’t turn it over.

The league now has a scouting report on Siemian. Can he still find ways to generate some points when needed?

Donald Stephenson

After winning the Super Bowl, John Elway knew he would have to rebuild his offensive line.

Gone were Ryan Harris, Evan Mathis and Louis Vasquez, and Elway set about signing some new offensive linemen to fill the void.

His first move was inking former Kansas City Chief Donald Stephenson to a three-year deal worth $14 million dollars.

So far, Stephenson hasn’t proven to be worth his price tag.

Broncos quarterbacks have been under constant duress, and the Denver running game ranks 24th in the NFL, with just over 97 yards per game.

In their Week 10 win over the New Orleans Saints, Stephenson was actually benched in favor of Ty Sambrailo.

Stephenson could be a huge factor in getting this offense rolling.

Brandon Marshall

Of all of the losses from their defense a year ago, one of the more noticeable has been the departure of inside linebacker Danny Trevathan.

Trevathan was a bit undersized, but his ability to drop into coverage and make tackles all over the field has been sorely missed.

Brandon Marshall has been battling a hamstring injury that has rendered him less effective, but if he can get healthy, it would be a huge boost to the Denver defense.

Teams have been finding success in their run game, gouging the Orange Crush for nearly 124 yards per game.

And currently, three of the top four Bronco tacklers are defensive backs with T.J. Ward (66 tackles), Chris Harris (46 tackles) and Darian Stewart (44 tackles) racking up big numbers.

Brandon Marshall and the rest of the Denver inside linebackers need to get back to shutting opposing runners down and making those tackles before they get to the secondary.

Russell Okung

John Elway made news in the offseason when he managed to sign former Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Russell Okung to a deal.

It wasn’t that the Broncos didn’t need help on their offensive front, but more the fact that Okung did the deal without an agent.

Denver got Okung to sign a one-year deal worth $5 million, with an additional four year $48 million option, if they are happy with his production.

So far, it looks like that deal could be over in a matter of months.

The Broncos line has allowed 26 sacks, numerous quarterback hits and those pressures have caused the Denver offense to be one of the most inconsistent units in the league.

Okung has been particularly disappointing, allowing 38 quarterback pressures and his five accepted holding calls have been costly.

If this offense is going to improve down the stretch, it will have to start up front.

Demaryius Thomas

I don’t want to bang too hard on Thomas, who finally had his most productive game of the season in Week 10 against the Saints, but that was the aberration this season, not the norm.

On the year, Thomas is averaging 5.5 catches for nearly 68 yards and a half touchdown per game.

The Broncos offense is desperate for some playmakers, and Thomas needs to be the guy that fills that role.

With his size and speed, he can be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses, but DT doesn’t always seem as though he plays with the highest focus.

Against New Orleans he was on top of his game, grabbing eight receptions for 87 yards, and an important touchdown.

Let’s hope that was the start of a big upswing for Thomas, who could be a major force down the stretch.