The Denver Broncos have made headlines this summer, turning to Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback, and here is their 2021 season preview.
Best-case scenario
The Denver Broncos have talented players on both sides of the ball, including some playmakers in the secondary on defense, and some explosive weapons in the passing game on offense.
The best-case scenario for this team would be for Teddy Bridgewater to find some of his old magic, proving the franchise right for turning the page on Drew Lock, and leads this team to a fast start. If the Broncos can get out the gate early, they have some games late in the year they can definitely, especially against Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and Detroit, so a ten-win season is not as far off as one may think.
Worst-case scenario
The worst-case scenario for the Denver Broncos would be them tripping up early, where there are some games they should win, and then faltering against their AFC West opponents. We know that the AFC West is going to be tough this season, especially with the emergence of Justin Herbert in Los Angeles this past season, and Drew Lock losing his grip on the starting job is worrisome for this organization.
Teddy Bridgewater is a solid NFL quarterback, but he is not going to even close to the best signal-caller in this division, and if he struggles in his first season in Denver, it could be a very long season, one that lands them in the cellar of the AFC West.
X-factor
The biggest X-factor for the Denver Broncos this season will be quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who beat out Drew Lock for the starting job this summer and has a bunch of solid weapons to work with.
Denver has elite options at wide receiver, including Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton, and tight end Noah Fant should begin to emerge as one of the best young tight ends in the NFL this season. If Bridgewater can protect the football, Denver has a defense that can certainly get stops, but it will all depend on how the veteran plays when it comes to the success of this team in 2021.
Biggest game
Looking at the Denver Broncos schedule, it starts with three very winnable games, as they take on the New York Giants on the road, then Jacksonville, before coming home to play the New York Jets.
All three of those teams have question marks at quarterback, so it won’t be until Game No. 4 until they play a real playoff contender. That game against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens will be the first real test for a Broncos team looking to climb out of the cellar of the AFC West and start turning around the fortunes of this franchise.
Bold prediction
The Denver Broncos have some very winnable games throughout their schedule, and if they can at least split against their AFC West opponents, they should be in good shape to make a run at a possible Wild Card.
The Kansas City Chiefs are the obvious favorites in the division, and likely the AFC, but Denver sneaking into the playoffs as a Wild Card is not out of the question. One bold prediction is that Bridgewater does enough to keep this team in games, they win ten or 11 games, and earn one of the Wild Card spots in the AFC.