Thread: Broncos Season Predictions!

I'm in the 6-7 win range. I went with 7.

If they have another VJ-like yearcim gonna be pissed

I went with 7-9 because I have no faith in Joe Flacco and the OL.

The new coaching staff taking time to get things organized in their first season. Garrett Bolles still gets holding penalties at twice the rate of any other LT in the NFL.

RT could also be a problem. Risner is still a (promising) rookie and Connor McGovern is untried.

The WRs other than Sanders are "promising" but have yet to do anything.TE is a weakness since Jake Butt is on IR again, and Noah Fant is a raw rookie. Give us a 2nd or 3rd year Noah Fant and this team might have a really good offense (or if Butt ever is healthy for a season). Probably not game 1 of his career though. And how long before Jeff Heurman is back on IR again.

I think the Broncos are going to be a top 10 defense, but they still have a weakness at ILB covering TEs. And if the offense can't score the Broncos defense can't play with the lead.

So, that ferocious pass-rush may be neutralized since teams will simply do what the Patriots did last year, play the most vanilla risk-free game possible under the theory "we may only score 13 points, but your offense won't be able to match that and we win 13-6 or something."

Really everything depends on Joe Flacco, because you can stuff the run by putting 8 or 9 men in the box -- IF their QB can't make you pay by throwing over the top.

And I just shake my head because depending on Joe Flacco. . . . .

I think 9 wins is the most realistic, we could even slide into a wild card at 9-7, but more then likely were improved and over .500 but not a playoff team, I don't have confidence in Flacco, never had, but I do think Offensive play calling, run game, and our elite defense will win some games we didn't think we would. I just don't think Flacco is good enough anymore to get us back to the playoffs. Then again we went to a SB because of our secondary and Pass rush with Peyton avg like 3 int's per game prior to brock and CJ saving our ass in the NE game . so I could certainly see a scenario where our defense goes crazy in some big games and we make the playoffs.

For me the big unknowns are the new OC, Jewell, and Flacco. If the new OC is able to approximate Kyle Shanahan and Jewell becomes the next Fangio archetype, it's a playoff team. Assuming Flacco and Scangarello click right away, first new offense growing pains are minimal, and homeboy wants greatness.

I’ll take 9-7. Not sure the NFC North will be as tough as I imagined. I still think the AFC West is a really tough division, and I think KC is two losses which makes those other four games really important.

One game at a time. I am not worried about another games. Just focus on 1 game. Go Broncos!

So many unknowns, but this is how I come up with my 11 wins.

@Oak - Win
CHI - Win
@GB - Loss
Jax - Win
@LAC - Loss
Ten - Win
KC - Loss
@Indy - Win
CLE - Win
@MIN - Loss
@BUF - Win
LAC - Win
@HOU - Win
@KC - Loss
DET - Win
OAK - Win

I figure beat OAK twice, and while I think it's likely that the Broncos split with KC/LAC, I don't think they are going to go 8-0 at home, so I throw in a home loss to KC, because I think KC is going to be tough.

There will undoubtedly games the Broncos will lose by surprise, like maybe Ten at home, but they could also go into MIN and win.

So, I think this feels about right to me if the defense plays the way I expect. It could also turn into a 13 win Cinderella season, or a frustrating 9 win season, but, my money is on 11 wins +/- 2.

Originally Posted by Elevation inc

because of our secondary and Pass rush with Peyton avg like 3 int's per game prior to brock and CJ saving our ass in the NE game . so I could certainly see a scenario where our defense goes crazy in some big games and we make the playoffs.

That can certainly happen. But, there's usually about 1 team every 10 years that wins a SB with virtually no offense, and historically great defense. The '85 Bears (Jim McMahon), 2000 Ravens (Trent Dilfer), 2002 Bucs (Brad Johnson), and 2015 Broncos (Ghost of Peyton Manning). It just doesn't happen very often.

And it's never happened twice to the same team, so there is almost no chance the Broncos can repeat their 2015 success where everything seemed to bounce their way - like the Jamaal Charles fumble in KC when they were just about to run out the clock and go to overtime, or the defense stuffing the Browns after Peyton threw a pick on the Denver 40 in overtime (after throwing a pick six in the first half).

The offense is going to have to be better since the defense cannot be as good as 2015. But, you're right that given a mediocre (not ter-bysmal) offense they could make the playoffs with this defense (if Denver's defense plays anything like the Bears defense last night).

The GB game seems winnable now if the D can smash Rodgers like 15

Originally Posted by Shazam!

The GB game seems winnable now if the D can smash Rodgers like 15

Well, GB's offense certainly didn't look like the 2013 Peyton offense last night! So, I'd say that Denver's defense should have similar success against them as Chicago's did.

The problem will be that Joe Flacco is just not remotely Aaron Rogers, so Denver's offense might not be as good.

GB's offense is going to look a lot better by week three.

You guys are forgetting that the first two weeks of the NFL season are now a joke....mainly because nobody plays in the preseason.

Originally Posted by Davii

Flacco won't play Defensive Line. He's a QB.

Oh, sorry. I meant the IR. Why isn't there uniformity among the major sports on how they list players put on injury disability?

Being realistic, 8-8 although hoping that the team proves its better than it really is.

Originally Posted by MOtorboat

I’ll take 9-7. Not sure the NFC North will be as tough as I imagined. I still think the AFC West is a really tough division, and I think KC is two losses which makes those other four games really important.

I'm not so sure KC is two losses. I think this D will bring it to them at least once and split.