If there is one thing Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan is good at it is having a successful running game. Over the last five years, despite having nine different starters, the 13-year head coach has produced more than 1,600 yards a year from his running backs. However, over the last two years that running game has been declining.

Selvin Young split time with Travis Henry in 2007 and the two combined for 1420 yards, but only five touchdowns. This season, Young will be the No. 1 running back on the depth chart, and AccuScore projects him to finish with 1,142 yards and six touchdowns. The second year running back out of Texas is not forecasted to be the only one running the ball, as newly acquired Michael Pittman is projected to finish the season with 398 yards and two touchdowns and Andre Hall looks to have 491 yards and four touchdowns. That gives Shanahan’s three-headed monster to combined for more than 2000 yards on the ground and 12 touchdowns.

One man that will benefit from an improved running game is quarterback Jay Cutler. The third-year quarterback may have a losing record as a starter, but he has been successful. Cutler threw for 3497 yards last season and in two years has more touchdowns (29) than interceptions (19). In 2008, Cutler should mimic his 2007 production as AccuScore forecasts the Vanderbilt grad to throw for 3,466 yards and 22 touchdowns.

The question may be who Cutler is going to throw to. Last season, Brandon Marshall became Cutler’s go to guy, finishing the season with 1,325 yards receiving and seven touchdowns. But with Rod Smith retired, who will be on the other side of the field. Brandon Stokley, Darrell Jackson, and rookie Eddie Royal will all be competing for the spot. However, tight end Tony Scheffler is projected to finish second to Marshall in receiving yards with 547 yards.

The Denver Broncos are attempting to avoid missing the playoffs for the third straight season, a feat the team has not done in the Shanahan era. In fact, the Broncos have not missed the playoffs three years in a row since the first three years of the 80’s. However, it doesn’t look like Denver is going to keep that streak alive. According to the AccuScore simulations, the Broncos are forecasted to finish with a .500 record, a slim 12.2 percent chance to win the division and only 25.4 percent chances of making the playoffs.

To learn more about the Denver Broncos, click here to see how the Broncos will fair in week one against the division rival Oakland Raiders.