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5 reasons the Denver Broncos won’t make the AFC Playoffs

By John Buhler

Mar 7, 2016; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning during his retirement announcement press conference at the UCHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 7, 2016; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning during his retirement announcement press conference at the UCHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 25, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Denver Broncos executive vice president of football operations and general manager John Elway speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 25, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Denver Broncos executive vice president of football operations and general manager John Elway speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

2. All in on 2015

The last team that has had their window of opportunity to win a Super Bowl slammed shut was the San Francisco 49ers. Like the Broncos, the 49ers in the last year of the Jim Harbaugh era had to make several tough decisions with who to pay on their roster.

Great players outplayed their perceived worth with the 49ers and signed elsewhere in free agency. San Francisco also had several key players retire once they realized the Super Bowl window had unfortunately closed in the City by the Bay.

Denver was fortunate to win it all in 2015, but the Broncos have to realize that regression in 2016 is inevitable. Mid-to-late round picks like Jackson, Osweiler, and Trevathan have looked out for their best interests in free agency and an all-time great like Manning had to call it a career after a personally dismal 2015 NFL campaign.

Elway made a huge risk in building a team that could contend for a Super Bowl from 2012 to 2015. After two trips to the Super Bowl in 2013 and 2015, that window of opportunity has come to a close. Denver can regroup the next few years and play so-so football in the AFC West, but not only have their days of winning another Super Bowl in the not-so-distant future gone to the wayside, but so might their chances of getting into the AFC Playoffs.

Teams on the decline can scrap to temporarily delay the inevitable, but unless Sanchez can channel his inner Tim Tebow in 2016, Denver will see either Kansas City or Oakland win the AFC West and take the Broncos’ best chance at defending their Lombardi Trophy.

Next: 1. The great parity of the NFL

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