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What are your expectations for the season?


DiehardBronxFan

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So, after 150+ pages of “What to do at Quarterback”, a thread that seemed to become redundant at about page 10, and before we kick off the season with a thrashing of the Giants, I thought I’d start a quick thread to get everyone’s thoughts on your expectations for the team this year.  What do you expect our record to be? Will we make the playoffs?  If so, how far will we go? Will the coaches make it through the season?  What will be the biggest surprises? The biggest disappointments?  Step up and get it on record now!

As for me…

I was disappointed that Drew wasn’t named the starter, as that would have provided at least SOME hope for the future.  With Teddy, we’re still in the hunt for our QBOTF.  Having said that, I’m higher on TB than others, and I think this is the perfect situation for him. I actually think he will be better fir this team, this year, than Drew would have been. That said, my expectations for the 2021 Denver Broncos:

10-7. Wild-card spot comes down to a tie-breaker.  I’ll say yes, just because I’m a homer😜

With a top 3 defense, they go on the road and pull off an upset in the wildcard round, but come down to earth and bow out in the 2nd round.

Both Judy and Sutton get 1000 yards.  Judy makes the Pro -Bowl

Defense is top 3.  
PS2 is DROY

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Well, I agree with the 10-7 mark, seems very achievable with the schedule. If we lose the opener though things get very dicey for Fangio, could easily see him being the first coach fired this year.

Jeudy should have a breakout year, Sutton will rebound too, we should have one of the best receiving corps in the league if Bridgewater can just be competent. 

Interested to see out ILB's, the potential is there and we've really been lacking there IMO, feels like they'll determine how potent this defense can become.

 

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49 minutes ago, Cutler06 said:

Well, I agree with the 10-7 mark, seems very achievable with the schedule. If we lose the opener though things get very dicey for Fangio, could easily see him being the first coach fired this year.

Jeudy should have a breakout year, Sutton will rebound too, we should have one of the best receiving corps in the league if Bridgewater can just be competent. 

Interested to see out ILB's, the potential is there and we've really been lacking there IMO, feels like they'll determine how potent this defense can become.

 

9W seems like the absolute floor barring cataclysmic injuries or bottom-5 QB play.   The reason why I pushed hard on QB this year is partly due to the roster depth we finally enjoy and the talent on the O roster outside of QB, and Fangio’s ability to get the most of our D.  
 

But the schedule is also a huge reason.   NFC East with Detroit, JAX & NYJ as our 3 4th place opponents, it’s hard to think we can’t get to 9-10W.   Give us top 10 QB play and we’d be able to hang with KC/LAC this year.    But give us just OK, league-average play and we should get to 10-7, even 11-6 possible.    But make no mistake - the schedule inflates our regular season ceiling - we’re not going far in any playoff scenario.   

Our first 6 games will tell the tale - BAL is the only game we’ll be a significant home dog and @PIT could be a winnable game if the PIT OL losses / Ben’s decline are legit.  4-2 is the absolute lowest record we can have there, the schedule gets really tough after that.   5-1 and the 10+ W & clear playoffs scenario comes into play.   3-3 or worse and the playoff hopes are likely gone.   
 

Lot of reasons to be hopeful this year as the team build is moving along - just the biggest Q remains the oldest one.   

Edited by Broncofan
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I think the team is better. And the schedule is weaker. But I’m not as convinced as some that’s going to translate into a lot more wins.

I was just listening to Altitude Radio say “maybe” we can win the Super Bowl, that we have a “good chance” to unseat the Chiefs in the AFCW and that Teddy B is a “180 from every QB we’ve had since Peyton.” 

What I see with Teddy is a veteran journeyman. Same I saw with Keenum and Flacco. Only difference is the latter two have won playoffs games and Flacco has a ring. 

I see largely the same team as last year sans a few new pieces in the secondary, an identical coaching staff to the one that led us to a 5-11 record and a less dynamic QB.

I see offensive weapons who have talent but who also either have never really produced big numbers (Fant, Jeudy, Hamler), are coming off injury (Sutton, Albert O) or who are totally unproven (Williams). 

Bradley Chubb doesn’t appear fully healthy and doesn’t even have the sense to take 5 minutes to go to the kiosk at King Soopers and get his license plates renewed, creating an unwanted and unnecessary distraction the week the season begins. 

Von is a future Hall of Famer and an all-time great, Mt Rushmore Bronco. But he hasn’t produced since 2018.

I’m not convinced we’ve solved the problem at ILB, and we play five games against Travis Kelce, Darren Waller and Mark Andrews. 

It would be surprising to see Pat Shurmur abandon the 11 personnel he has always used as a play caller and rely on the running game. Our offense is limited by a QB against whom teams can play short area and tight zone coverage and keep base or nickel personnel on the field to help contain whatever semblance of a running game Shurmur can create. 

I see a HC who doesn’t watch the offense, can’t manage timeouts, doesn’t know when to kick, punt or go for it on 4th down (unless he’s trying to give his hand-picked QB a chance to “win” the job) and is nothing more than a DC who has a corner offense, a bigger paycheck and daily media responsibilities.

I think some of the apparently weaker teams on our schedule will be better than expected. Peter Schrager is well-connected in NYC and he said yesterday on GMFB he thinks the Giants are being criminally overlooked. The Jets now have a real coaching staff and a QB/OC marriage that looks made in heaven. The Jags have a real QB for the first time since Mark Brunell and we never do well going to the east coast and playing morning games. A 3-0 start is far from guaranteed.

The WFT Has an elite defense and a proven HC. The Cowboys are a playoff team with a healthy Dak, more and more proven weapons than we have and a new DC who is a marked upgrade. The Ravens are a Super Bowl contender, the Steelers have an elite HC and a HOF QB, the 2021 Browns are not your father’s Browns. Cincy is very young but there is  ton of talent on offense. 

Okay, the Lions and Eagles are both patsies. We will win both of those, especially considering they are at home. 

As I said, I see a better team but one with fatal flaws and a schedule that might prove more difficult than it does at initial glance. 

I say we finish 7-10 and that’s assuming better than average health. Wins against the Jags, Jets, Lions, Bengals, Eagles, Raiders (1) and Chargers (1). 

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Wow.  I really do feel sorry for you.  When you got presents for Christmas, did you complain about the wrapping lol?

You did nothing but look at the “negative side” of the Broncos situation, and nothing but the “positive side” of everyone of our opponents.  Steelers have a HOF QB?  Sure. Who is completely broken down.  Jets have a great QB? Sure, who will be playing in his 3 rd game, on the road.  Giants are criminally under-rated?  What a joke. I live here.  Why is Drew Lock the worst QB in the League, while Daniel Jones is “up and coming”,when Jones was every bit as bad as Lock? Because ESPN HAS to make the NY teams sound relevant and interesting for their ratings.  If the Broncos don’t get at least one fumble and 1 INT off of Jones this week, I’ll be stunned.

Broncos are not a great team.  Still too many question marks, and TB is a caretaker, at best.  But if there is one team in the league that is being criminally under-rated this year, it’s the Broncos.  

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42 minutes ago, DiehardBronxFan said:

Wow.  I really do feel sorry for you.  When you got presents for Christmas, did you complain about the wrapping lol?

You did nothing but look at the “negative side” of the Broncos situation, and nothing but the “positive side” of everyone of our opponents.  Steelers have a HOF QB?  Sure. Who is completely broken down.  Jets have a great QB? Sure, who will be playing in his 3 rd game, on the road.  Giants are criminally under-rated?  What a joke. I live here.  Why is Drew Lock the worst QB in the League, while Daniel Jones is “up and coming”,when Jones was every bit as bad as Lock? Because ESPN HAS to make the NY teams sound relevant and interesting for their ratings.  If the Broncos don’t get at least one fumble and 1 INT off of Jones this week, I’ll be stunned.

Broncos are not a great team.  Still too many question marks, and TB is a caretaker, at best.  But if there is one team in the league that is being criminally under-rated this year, it’s the Broncos.  

There’s no reason to take shots at me. If you read the first lines I  was saying people are overrating the Broncos in calling us SB contenders and being able to unseat the Chiefs.

I said the team was better than last year but questions remain and the schedule is tougher than it looks on paper. I outlined my reasoning on both. 

I consider myself an honest fan. I always have. Everyone wants to don orange-hued glasses this time of year and, while I am enthusiastic for the season to come, I’m not going to delude myself into saying we’re a super bowl team as I’ve seen too much football to see this team as it stands now and make an honest conclusion otherwise. 

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1 hour ago, DiehardBronxFan said:

Wow.  I really do feel sorry for you.  When you got presents for Christmas, did you complain about the wrapping lol?

You did nothing but look at the “negative side” of the Broncos situation, and nothing but the “positive side” of everyone of our opponents.  Steelers have a HOF QB?  Sure. Who is completely broken down.  Jets have a great QB? Sure, who will be playing in his 3 rd game, on the road.  Giants are criminally under-rated?  What a joke. I live here.  Why is Drew Lock the worst QB in the League, while Daniel Jones is “up and coming”,when Jones was every bit as bad as Lock? Because ESPN HAS to make the NY teams sound relevant and interesting for their ratings.  If the Broncos don’t get at least one fumble and 1 INT off of Jones this week, I’ll be stunned.

Broncos are not a great team.  Still too many question marks, and TB is a caretaker, at best.  But if there is one team in the league that is being criminally under-rated this year, it’s the Broncos.  

Re the bold - because Jones is a starter.  He is what they are hanging their hats and future on.  Drew is on the sidelines waiting for his chance.  I have a feeling it will come but then there will be so much pressure on him to make good that he'll just screw up.  Basically they have a starting qb with promise albeit there are those who argue against how much promise.  We will be looking for our qbotf.  I see 9-10 wins but I'm being optomistic.  I can see as few as six. 

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5 hours ago, anewdawn said:

Re the bold - because Jones is a starter.  He is what they are hanging their hats and future on.  Drew is on the sidelines waiting for his chance.  I have a feeling it will come but then there will be so much pressure on him to make good that he'll just screw up.  Basically they have a starting qb with promise albeit there are those who argue against how much promise.  We will be looking for our qbotf.  I see 9-10 wins but I'm being optomistic.  I can see as few as six. 

That’s the point.. Jones is a starter, and he is every bit as bad as our 2nd string.  But he gets all sorts of leeway from the media.  Why?  East Coast bias and the need to gin ratings.

The Broncos have warts - but all but the top few teams in the league do. The only way this team wins only 6 games is if they have another massive wave of injuries.  Bolles and Massie missing significant time would be a disaster ( might survive one or the other, but not both).  But  with this Defense, this schedule, and the sheer number of weapons on offense, the team finishes no worse than .500 (8.5 games lol) if reasonably healthy. 
 

it will all start with a better than expected performance against the Giants (27-16).  The teal test that will tell us whether they are a .500 team, or a Playoff team, will be weeks 4 and 5.

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This team is going to be a less successful version of 2015. I see the defense being elite, top 5. I see the offense being a slightly better version of what we saw with Trevor Siemian. They scored 20ppg last year on average, I see that number becoming 23-24ppg.

I see a ton of close games in the 4th quarter and its all going to come down to if the offense can execute scoring drives inside 5 MIN remaining. If they do that, I see the Broncos winning 9-10 games and being in the 'In The Hunt' production graphic for the last 5 weeks of the season. If its more of the same and the Broncos cannot execute in the 4th quarter on offense--I see a 6-7 win season like in years past.

When we look back on this season the entire narrative will be how well/poor the Broncos executed on offense in the 4th quarter. Do they make winning plays in the 4th quarter, or losing plays.

Edited by AkronsWitness
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On 9/8/2021 at 11:24 PM, DiehardBronxFan said:

That’s the point.. Jones is a starter, and he is every bit as bad as our 2nd string.  But he gets all sorts of leeway from the media.  Why?  East Coast bias and the need to gin ratings.

The Broncos have warts - but all but the top few teams in the league do. The only way this team wins only 6 games is if they have another massive wave of injuries.  Bolles and Massie missing significant time would be a disaster ( might survive one or the other, but not both).  But  with this Defense, this schedule, and the sheer number of weapons on offense, the team finishes no worse than .500 (8.5 games lol) if reasonably healthy. 
 

it will all start with a better than expected performance against the Giants (27-16).  The teal test that will tell us whether they are a .500 team, or a Playoff team, will be weeks 4 and 5.

Re the bold.  He gets all kind of leeway because everyone is still hoping he pans out.  I really liked him coming out of the draft but yeah he has his issues.  I think this is his last year though - he either gets it together so that he sticks around or they move on.  I think his leeway is about to expire if he falters again.  Getting back to this thread I always liked TB.  I thought the year he got injured he was going to make a huge step forward.   But things have changed since that year.  I really like our offence (except for qb) and like everyone else here I am so hoping TB can step up.  It would truly be awesome but I am not sold on it.  I think after 6-7 games we will have a good idea of what we have.  

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