The Denver Broncos already secured their first winning season since 2016, but anything less than a playoff berth would be a disappointment.
The Denver Broncos have accomplished a lot this season. Especially when you consider the historic dead money relative to the salary cap, the youth and inexperience of the roster, and being behind most teams in top shelf draft capital the past several years.
Achieving their first winning season since 2016 is a big statement. It’s no small feat especially with the aforementioned stacked against them. It’s a signal the team under Head Coach Sean Payton is in much better shape now than it has been in nine years. It shows that the Broncos are once again a competitive football team with a bright future ahead of them.
Bo Nix has played admirably as a rookie, and he will continue to get better. Various other players from this year’s rookie class have contributed in big ways too. On top of that, the development of other young players has been a sight to see.
Additionally, the team has the richest owners in football. Better yet? An ample amount of cap space this offseason and subsequent ones to significantly upgrade the roster. With a quarterback on a rookie contract, they certainly have the opportunity to be aggressive. Quite simply, all the resources are there for them to only get better over the next several seasons.
But let’s talk about the here and now.
After losing to the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football, the Broncos are now 9-6 on the season with two games left. They have a road date with the Cincinnati Bengals next Saturday which now turns into their most important game of their 2024 campaign. The following week they host the Kansas City Chiefs. That’s two chances to win—secure a tenth victory—and punch their tickets to the playoffs.
Of course, the Broncos can still make the playoffs even if they don’t win either of those games. If the Miami Dolphins or Bengals drop one of their last three, Denver is in by default. But all of Broncos Country is hoping the franchise can make it in on their own terms—not on the variability and outcomes of other games.
We have a lot of reasons to be proud of how the team has played to date. Though I’ll be honest here—anything less than a playoff berth would be a disappointment. I’m confident that the coaches, players, and everyone involved in the organization would feel the same way.
Sputtering out in the final three games would remind many fans of the latter years of the Mike Shanahan era where the Broncos had multiple opportunities to secure a playoff berth at the end of the year but failed to do so. Moreover, I think a lot of us don’t want to keep thinking about the blocked field goal from the Chiefs game earlier in the season knowing that could have been the defining moment of the year—an unforgettable “What if?” moment.
Let’s all hope the Broncos can put together a great gameplan and take care of business next week on the road against the Bengals. How confident are you feeling that will happen, Broncos Country?