With a new season comes new expectations, and through six weeks some NFL fans have changed their expectations according to how their teams have fared thus far. In the NFL, where the salary cap is king, there is only one thing that is guaranteed and that is parity. Whether it?s an injury to a key player or a key player just not playing to their potential, one year can have a prodigious effect on a team. In 12 months a team can go from Super Bowl challenger to a struggling bottom feeder. Here are my surprises and disappointments through six weeks. Surprises Denver Broncos They say the true test of a man?s character is whether they will admit when they are wrong. Well, let me be the first to tell you that I was dead wrong about Josh McDaniels. I was one of many pundits that stood in line to take shots at McDaniels, who came in with a ?my way or the highway? attitude. But it seems ?Boy Wonder? a.k.a. Josh McGenius? preparation and attention to detail has the Denver Broncos sitting at 6-0 and at the top of the AFC west. McDaniels? decision to hire Mike Nolan as the defensive coordinator this off-season has been one of the keys to the Broncos surprising fast start. Nolan, who was chased out of San Francisco last season, has transformed last years grotty and soft defense that couldn?t guard an ATM with a machine gun into a pack of hungry hyenas that chase down would-be quarterbacks and ball carriers. The Broncos defense has taken to Nolan?s 3-4 scheme like a fish to water. The primary beneficiary has been Elvis ?the sack man? Dumervil. Dumervil?s 10 sacks through six weeks has been the catalyst for a transformed defense that has only yielded 66 points in six weeks. The Broncos defense has also benefited from the addition of Brian Dawkins and the reemergence of the NFL premier shutdown cornerback, Champ Bailey. Bailey, who was hampered last season by a nagging hamstring injury, has been targeted 37 times this year with only 15 of those being complete. Dawkins and Bailey?s presence in the secondary allows Nolan to befuddle Broncos opponents with a bevy of blitzes. The Broncos aren?t a thing of beauty offensively, but they are extremely effective. McDaniels has dumped last season?s deep passing game and installed a myriad of short and effective pass plays, which are better suited to his new signal caller Kyle Orton. Through six weeks Orton has only thrown one interception and has a stellar 100.1 quarterback rating. The Broncos have also benefited from Brandon ?The Beast? Marshall?s timely ability to make the big play. Marshall?s 29 catches, 332 yards receiving and four touchdowns doesn?t tell the full importance of Marshall to the Broncos 6-0 start. If the Broncos defense continues to play at an exceptional level and the Broncos offense continues to mature, look for them to host their third playoff game in nine years. Minnesota Vikings What can you say, Brett Favre is Brett Favre. The senior version of Favre might be losing the color of his hair, but he hasn?t lost his patent rocket arm. It doesn?t hurt that Favre has Adrian Peterson, the best back in the NFL, in his backfield. The combination of Peterson on the ground and Favre through the air has been inexorable. Favre?s great start to the season has put to rest all the off-season turmoil and/or schism over whether Favre was going to play or not, or who was better suited to lead the team Favre or Tarvaris Jackson? Through six games Favre has looked in complete control of a Minnesota Vikings offense that has methodically steamrolled opponents on their way to a 6-0 start. The peerless Peterson, the NFL leading rusher, has bullied and sprinted his way to 624 yards and seven touchdowns this season. The Vikings defense looks like it has taken a half step back by giving up leads late in games. But it isn?t because of DE Jared Allen. Allen has continued to terrorize NFL quarterbacks on his way to notching up 7.5 sacks in six weeks. If the Vikings want to be the NFC representative in the Super Bowl they will have to sure up a leaky pass defense. But if they fix a defense that was very good a season ago, look for the Vikings to play late into January. Cedric Benson, RB, Cincinnati Bengals Cedric Benson is running like a man possessed. In 16 months Benson has gone from getting cut by the Chicago Bears, to cutting up NFL defenses. Through six weeks Benson has banged his way to 531 rushing yards and four touchdowns, including being the first running back in 40 games to crack the century mark against the Ravens with an impressive 120 yard, one touchdown day. Benson?s hard nose running style has been a key component in the Bengal transform identity, from a pass happy offense to a more balanced offense. If Benson continues on with his resurrection, look for the Bengals to make a run at the tough AFC North title. Steve Smith, WR, New York Giants One of the most asked questions of the off season was who was going to be the Giants number one receiver. Through six weeks Smith?s fast start has allowed him to step to the forefront. The diminutive Smith is deceptively quick and a reliable route runner that has quickly gained the trust of Eli Manning. Smith?s 525 yards and four touchdowns have provided Manning with a dependable receiving target. If Smith continues his torrid start, it will help Giants fans forget the very successful duo of Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer. Disappointments Tony Romo Just three seasons ago, Tony Romo was being anointed as the next great NFL quarterback. But three seasons later, Romo?s blemishes have been exposed now that the NFL spotlight has been shining brightly on him. Through six weeks Romo has only managed to complete 58 percent of his passes, for a very pedestrian 86.5 quarterback rating. Whether it is blindly throwing balls into coverage and/or making ill-advised decisions to pick on Champ Bailey with the game on the line; Romo?s decision making has been abysmal. It is evident that Romo and the Dallas Cowboys miss Terrell Owens? presence and the double teams that he drew that left the middle of the field open for Jason Witten to roam. It will be interesting to see how the Cowboys offense finishes the season, now that we know that Owens? 235 catches, 3,587 yards receiving and 38 touchdowns, over the last three seasons, were the gas that powered the Dallas offense for last couple of years. Green Bay Offensive Line Wisconsin is known as the Cheese State, but it seems they have imported some Swiss cheese for the Green Bay Packer offensive line. Green Bay has been dreadful and amiss, while leaving truck size holes for defenders to run through and tee off on Aaron Rodgers. Through five games this season the Green Bay offensive line has already yielded 25 sacks and is on pace to give up 80. The last quarterback that absorbed this much punishment in one season was David Carr, and it?s taken three seasons for Carr to resurface after being placed in the quarterback protection program. If Green Bay doesn?t fix the incompetence on the offensive line, it is going to lead to a lost season as well as a lost quarterback.