Broncos: 3 games Russell Wilson will have to win with his arm
By John Buhler
The Denver Broncos are expecting huge things out of Russell Wilson in his first year with them.
By trading for Russell Wilson in a deal with the Seattle Seahawks, the Denver Broncos are hoping to end their lengthy playoff drought this fall.
While Denver did win its most recent playoff game, the Broncos have not sniffed the postseason since winning Super Bowl 50. A big reason for this is Denver has had substandard quarterback play for the better part of a decade. The last time they could lean on their signal-caller to win games was in Peyton Manning’s second-to-last year with the team back in the 2014 NFL season.
With lofty playoff dreams and aspirations, here are three games Wilson must win with his arm.
Russell Wilson: 3 games he must win for Denver Broncos with his arm in 2022
3. Week 4: at Las Vegas Raiders (Sunday, Oct. 2)
Given how daunting the schedule gets later, Denver needs to come out of the gate and win as many games as possible. The Broncos should beat the Seahawks in Seattle in Week 1, as well as the Houston Texans the following week in their home opener. While Denver has the slight edge at home in Week 3 vs. the San Francisco 49ers, what about at the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4?
Regardless of if the Broncos are 2-1 or 3-0 heading into their road date with the Silver and Black, this is an early-season measuring stick game for Denver. If they can beat their bitter division rival on the road, then it bodes well for the Broncos’ chances of reaching the postseason. Should they drop this one at Allegiant Stadium, winning the home date in late November becomes paramount.
Ultimately, the Raiders should have one of the better offenses in the AFC this season. It will test the Denver defense, which has seen better days. If not for Wilson, the Broncos would have very little chance of winning this game, especially coming off the emotional high of a San Francisco win. Wilson must outplay Derek Carr in what may be the biggest game of the week being called on CBS.
A 4-0 start would go a long way towards the Broncos being a team that can reach the Super Bowl.