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During the Broncos bye week, it’s a good time to look back at the differences between 2014 to 2015.

Last season after six games the Broncos were 5-1 suffering only a road loss to defending champion Seattle, this year they are 6-0.

But that’s where a lot of the comparisons end. A new coaching staff and a lot of new players form a new Denver squad.

Let’s take a look at what made the team better and what has made it worse.

Biggest addition: Safety Darian Stewart (player), defensive coordinator Wade Phillips (coach).

Stewart is the lone starting member of the defense that wasn’t in Denver during the 2014 season, but he’s already one of their best players. He’s a big upgrade over former starter Rahim Moore.

The former Baltimore safety’s late fourth-quarter end zone interception against the Ravens clinched the Broncos 19-13 win in the season opener. Stewart is also the team’s fourth leading tackler.

Meanwhile, Phillips has taken largely the same group of defensive stalwarts and shifted the unit from good to great.

NFL-leading numbers in sacks and turnovers have made this a feared unit by every offense it plays. It just wasn’t that way when now-Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio was the Broncos defensive coordinator last season.

Biggest loss: Jacksonville tight end Julius Thomas.

Thomas leaving via free agency was more that the Broncos couldn’t afford him rather than they didn’t want him. Still, he is the missing link in the Broncos offense.

Coach Gary Kubiak alluded to it Monday by saying how they’ve missed rookie tight end Jeff Heuerman after he tore his ACL during rookie camp.

Tight end Owen Daniels just doesn’t have the skillset to beat defenders one on one often anymore. Not having a consistent third threat behind receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas is holding the offense back.

CHEW ON THIS

— The Broncos offense is a .

— to practice squad.

— Better .

— How much longer does Tom Brady want to play in the NFL? .

— In the Broncos Mailbag: Brad from Las Vegas thinks . Here’s what Troy Renck though.

— : How many members of the Broncos Ring of Fame can you name in 3 minutes?

— If you feel like cheating on our quiz, .

— Telluride freestyle skier today.

— Last year, in which Kenworthy talked about girls and puppies.

— Fantasy footballers, here’s this week.

WATCH THIS

— Comedian (and apparent Mets diehard) when the Mets swept the Cubs yesterday.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY

— Ichiro Suzuki turns 42 today. The Miami Marlins outfielder ( ) is 65 hits away from 3,000 in his MLB career — and .

Cameron Wolfe: 303-954-1891, cwolfe@denverpost.com or @CameronWolfe