The Denver Broncos have struggled through a season full of roller coasters and now, after a crazy, topsy-turvy season, the Broncos see potentially their streak of division titles at risk as they face the Cincinnati Bengals in a Monday Night Football showdown.
7-0 And Once Again A Top Contender
Early on, even without good play from star quarterback Peyton Manning, the Denver Broncos were seen as top contenders in the AFC, opening their season on a 6-0 run. The Broncos beat division opponents in the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders, and also topped the Baltimore Ravens, the Detroit Lions, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Cleveland Browns.
However, disguised among the six wins was a big flaw. Denver had quite the inability to put teams away, with five of their six wins coming by means of a one-possession victory. Only their 12-point victory over the hapless Lions was a win in which the Broncos enjoyed some breathing room. The Ravens, Browns, and Raiders all stayed within six points of Denver. All three of those teams currently have losing records.
A big reason for this was the terrible play of Peyton Manning, who threw ten interceptions compared to just seven touchdowns in the first six games. However, the Broncos proceeded to dominate a fellow undefeated squad in the Green Bay Packers, enjoying a 29-10 victory, their largest margin of victory in the season. Suddenly, despite the poor play of Manning, the Broncos were 7-0 and one of 3 remaining teams with an unblemished record. They seemed to be a legitimate contender.
Back-To-Back Losses And Suddenly
The Broncos entered their Week 8 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts on a huge high, boasting a 7-0 record and facing Manning’s former squad, which was in shambles with a 3-5 record. However, the Colts’ poor record may have deceived the Broncos, who let up after a huge victory over the Packers. Fired up to play their former quarterback, the Colts’ shut the door on Denver’s then-perfect season, shocking the Broncos 27-24. It was a stinging loss but it wasn’t the end of the world for the Broncos - until next week.
Following their defeat at the hands of the Colts, the Broncos faced off against a divisional opponent in the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs had won two straight but their overall 3-5 record suggested that they might be a less than average squad.
Until they absolutely dominated Peyton Manning.
Manning, attempting to play through a foot injury that has kept sidelined since the Chiefs’ game, completed a horrendous 25% of his passes for 35 yards before exiting the game. Kansas City raced to a 22-0 lead after 3 quarters and cruised past the Broncos 29-13. Suddenly, the football world had turned their eyes away from the Broncos, declaring the once undefeated contender overrated - despite the fact that Denver still had a 3-game lead in the AFC West Division.
A Change At Quarterback Sees Denver As Threats Once Again
The foot injury to Peyton Manning proved to be serious and backup quarterback Brock Osweiler took over for the Broncos, making Denver, who already seemed to be falling apart, seem even more vulnerable to the rest of the league. They entered a matchup with the Chicago Bears. Weeks ago, this would have seemed to be a laugher, but now it wasn’t. With no Peyton Manning, plus two straight losses under their belt, there was no telling what this game would entail. However, Osweiler won his first career start, edging out the Bears 17-15. However, despite the losing streak-snapping victory, it was still hard to see the Broncos as a legitimate threat, as the victory was a very narrow win over another team with a losing record.
They entered a matchup with the 10-0 Patriots sporting an 8-2 record of their own - yet very few people gave them a chance in a home game against Tom Brady’s unbeaten squad. Yet Brock Osweiler shocked the football world when he engineered a huge comeback, rallying from a 21-7 fourth-quarter deficit to take a 24-21 lead. The Patriots tied the game - but the Broncos won in overtime, delivering a huge upset of their own, 30-24 over the previously unbeaten Patriots. Once again, the status of the Broncos had changed.
Their record had improved by just a single game from the previous week but now, just one game behind the Patriots for the best record in the AFC, the Broncos were on everyone’s radar again, and looked primed for a Super Bowl push. They fortified this belief with a solid 17-3 victory against the San Diego Chargers the following week. A Patriots loss brought both squads to a 10-2 record. The momentum had shifted. The Broncos were yet again a Super Bowl contender.
Another Losing Streak Puts Denver's Playoff Hopes On The Line
After three straight wins, the Broncos entered their game against the Oakland Raiders as huge favorites. It looked like a gimme win, given the level at which Denver had been playing. However, Derek Carr and the scrappy Oakland squad pulled out a 15-12 upset, as the Broncos lost for the third time against teams they certainly should have beaten. The Broncos fell to 10-3. THe game was not exactly a confidence booster entering a showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Steel City. However, Osweiler looked in control as he steered Denver to a 27-13 advantage - only to watch Big Ben and the Steelers come storming back to topple the Broncos 34-27. The same week, the Kansas City Chiefs won their eighth straight game and the Broncos division lead was down to one game. And they were yet to clinch a playoff berth.
The Stakes On Tonights Game
The Broncos need a win desperately Monday Night against the Bengals, whose 11-3 record is good enough for second place in the AFC. With two games remaining, their are a variety of possibilities to how this wild season will end for Denver.
- With a 2-0 record in the final two games, the Broncos will win their division, and clinch a first-round bye in the playoffs. They could even get home-field advantage - if the Patriots suffer an unlikely loss to the Miami Dolphins in the final week.
- Going 1-1 in these final two weeks could still give the Broncos a division title and a first round bye, but, depending on how the Chiefs do, they could also lose the division crown and be forced into the fifth or sixth seed. It would be the first time since 2010 that the Broncos didn't win the division. If they lose to the Bengals, the Chiefs clinch with a win. A win over the Bengals allows Denver to control their own destiny in the division.
- The worst possible solution to the end of the Broncos’ season is to lose their final two games and see the Steelers win their final game, which leaves Denver on the outside of the playoff picture, looking in.
Denver does control their own destiny - win both their remaining games, and they'll take the division title and a first round bye into the postseason. However, given the consistency of the Broncos this year, that is far from a given.
They've thrived under pressure, with wins over the Packers and the Patriots, so does that bode well for the Broncos’ chances? Or does the general inconsistency give Denver fans a big reason to worry?