The title of this entry is rather specific because unfortunately there will be no follow-up called "Playoff Report Card."

Here we go, let me begin on offense. Look for the defensive grades on Monday.

QUARTERBACK: B
Jay Cutler at times looked dazzling, and at times looked like a second-year player, but more often than not, he looked pretty soild. That bodes well. His quarterback rating was 88.1--it took John Elway 11 years to post a number that high. Of course, quarterback rating is more of a mechanical measurement than anything--it does not account for spontaneity and other intangibles, which were Elway's calling card. Nevertheless, it's something for Cutler to build on as he heads into his third year. Make no mistake, this team has a lot of problems, but the quarterback position does not seem to be one of them. Cutler should continue to progress, but if his offensive line doesn't give him adequate protection, we may not see his true colors shine.

OFFENSIVE LINE: D
Well, they were hit hard by injuries. Tom Nalen was out with a triceps issue. Ben Hamilton never seemed to recover from a concussion, and Matt Lepsis retired after an admitted rough year at tackle. That would affect any team, but since every team deals with injuries, I can't give the Broncos any slack here. This means that even if Nalen and Hamilton return, the line will have to be infused with new parts. The Broncos have young players they believe can step into the fold, but potential is great. Reality is something else. We'll have to wait and see if the faith the coaches have put in Chris Myers, Ryan Harris, and Chris Kuper is rewarded. A poor running game is also a direct reflection of the line. This season the Broncos, who almost always have a 1,000-yard rusher under Coach Mike Shanahan, failed to do so in 2007.

RUNNING BACKS: C
Selvin Young was a bright spot. However, that was mostly because Travis Henry was, in large part, a disappointment. He led the League in rushing after four weeks but his legal issues affected his performance. In the final regular season game against Minnesota, he had no rushing attempts. What does that say about his place in the pecking order? I was there in Kansas City to witness Young's first 100-yard game. It was special, though as many have pointed out, he is an injury-prone player, so while he is dependable in one sense, is he reliable in another?

WIDE RECEIVERS: C
A aggregate score for this grade. Brandon Marshall gets an "A" after a sensational season. Javon Walker gets a "D". He rarely played due to injury, and when he did return, he was not a factor. He looked good in the season opening win over the Bills, but when you heard the injury was to the same knee he blew out in Green Bay, you had to wonder. Now the Broncos are wondering what to do with him in 2008. Javon, as you may have heard, has offered his own thoughts on the matter. The team got more out of Brandon Stokley than it could have imagined, so that is a plus, however, he had injury issues as well. Cutler loved looking his way to bail him out and that cannot be overstated. The team signed Stokley to a contract extension. Then again, they signed to Walker to one as well...

TIGHT ENDS: A
The most depth on the offense is at this spot. Tony Scheffler had 49 catches. Daniel Graham had a much more clandestine role but his value should not be diminished. Since the offensive line was so maligned, he helped out the unit by blocking. All indications are, he did great. He complained a little about being taken out of the passing game to block, especially since he said he came to Denver to catch more and block less, though injuries changed that formula. He did well and kept his displeasure to a minimum. If the Broncos were set at other positions like they are at tight end, they would be in very good shape.

OVERALL: C
Cutler had an above-average season, Marshall had a season anyone would envy, and the future seems bright. However, the line was in flux all year. As a result, the running game suffered. They were 11th in yards per game at 346.3 but were only 21st in scoring. Not excatly the offensive numbers "The Mastermind" is used to having. They scored a total of 320 points. They gave up 409 points. Tells you everything you need to know right there.

Enjoy the weekend and I hope to see back here on Monday as we look back on the defense.

-"Z"