There are a number of new faces in the Mile High City. And it could be very interesting season for the Denver Broncos as they look to end their losing ways.
It’s been a rough few years since the Denver Broncos walked away with the franchise’s third Super Bowl title in 2015. The team hasn’t returned to the playoffs since, the club has finished with a losing record five straight years and in the AFC West basement three times over that span.
The team’s newest head coach is former Green Bay Packers’ offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. General manager George Paton gave up draft picks and quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant and defensive end Shelby Harris to pry nine-time Pro Bowl signal-caller Russell Wilson away from the Seattle Seahawks. Newcomer Randy Gregory hopes to bolster the pass rush.
How will it all play out in 2022? Here are three things to keep an eye on.
3. Broncos bold prediction: Javonte Williams totals 1,700-plus yards from scrimmage
He comes off a solid rookie year and appears primed for a strong second NFL campaign. Javonte Williams played in all 17 games for the Denver Broncos a season ago but made only one start. He and Melvin Gordon each totaled 203 carries, the former running for 918 yards and eight scores while Williams finished with 903 yards on the ground and four touchdowns.
The latter also finished fourth on the club with 43 receptions, good for 316 yards and three TDs. All told, the 2021 second-round pick from the University of North Carolina led the Broncos with 1,219 yards from scrimmage. And this season, the 5-foot-10, 220-pound performer will average 100-plus yards from scrimmage and lead the team in total touchdowns.
2. Broncos bold prediction: 13-game losing streak to Chiefs is snapped
The last time the team from the Mile High City made a postseason appearance was back in 2015. Led by Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning and one of the best defensive unit of this current century, the franchise hoisted its third Lombardi Trophy by capturing Super Bowl 50.
Coincidentally 2015 also happens to be the last time the Denver Broncos came away with a victory over their divisional rivals from Kansas City. It was on a Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium when Gary Kubiak’s team scored two touchdowns in the final 36 seconds to escape with a 31-24 win.
Since then, the Chiefs have not only defeated the Broncos an impressive 13 consecutive times, six of those triumphs have come at Denver. But it’s also worth noting that prior to Kansas City’s current winning streak in this longtime AFC West rivalry, the Broncos prevailed in seven straight meetings.
As for the teams’ first meeting in 2020, it comes in Week 14 on a Sunday night in the Mile High City. The rematch takes place three weeks later at Arrowhead Stadium. And it says here that Andy Reid’s team will be looking to avoid a sweep in Week 17.
1. Broncos bold prediction: Denver posts first winning season since 2016, but…
There was a time not so long ago and in this very galaxy that the Denver Broncos were winning five straight AFC West titles – the first four under head coach John Fox and the last under Gary Kubiak in 2015.
Fox led the team to an appearance in Super Bowl XLVIII where the highest-scoring team for a single season was manhandled by the Seattle Seahawks. In ‘15, Denver’s defense paved the way for another Super Sunday appearance and the club stifled the Carolina Panthers.
The following year, the team would get off to a 4-0 start. But Kubiak’s team dropped seven of its final 12 games and missed the playoffs with a 9-7 mark. The past five seasons has seen the Broncos finish with a losing record. The franchise owns a combined 30-51 record over that span and has lost 10 or more games four times.
There’s too much talent on this team at the moment for the club not to be successful. Nathaniel Hackett has a star quarterback in Russell Wilson and there are standouts on both sides of the ball.
But it also may take some time for everything to gel. The Broncos may stumble out of the gate a bit and could be a dangerous team down the stretch. Look for this club to get back to some winning ways but fall short of the playoffs.