2022 Predictions

[Broncofan]

With news Tyreek Hill is going to be traded - the outlook for the AFCW just changed a ton…again.   Hill literally is the lynchpin to how Mahomes makes that an aerial nightmare.  Mahomes is still elite but KC’s been very mortal when Hill’s not played.   
 

So that obviously changes the AFCW landscape.   Assuming Hill’s traded, I’d see there being no clear favorite when you match the schedules.   
 

I still say 3 AFCW teams make playoffs (with IND/AFCN team fighting it out for the 3rd WC with the AFCW 3rd place team).  
 

I’ve said we’re not legitimate contenders since 2017 started - but assuming RT added, and no major offseason / preseason injuries, I’ll go with: 

11-6 

Break the L streak with KC 

4-2 in division 

1st / 2nd place AFCW 

Jeudy / Sutton top 20 seasons 

Wilson top 6-7 season 

 

Feels good to be optimistic again lol. 

 

Edited March 23, 2022 by Broncofan

[paul-mac]

The Chiefs still win the division without Tyreek Hill imo. Mahomes is that good.

 

We will be a close second with a 4-2 division record. 11-6 overall and a wildcard.

 

Heres where I get controversial. I think only 2 AFC West teams make the playoffs. I don’t think Davante Adams will be a world beater without Rodgers, so I don’t believe he puts the Raiders over the edge.
 

The Chargers look great on paper but they’re specialists at abject failure. No team has done so little with so much for the past 20 years. Justin Herbert is great at putting up all-world numbers while losing games and I don’t really expect that to stop.

 

Kansas City 12-5

Denver 11-6

LA Chargers 9-8

Las Vegas 8-9

 

1. Bills

2. Bengals

3. Chiefs

4. Colts

5. Broncos

6. Ravens

7. Dolphins

 

- The Browns will be a year away as Watson will get a lengthy suspension

- Patriots I don’t think are very good

- Steelers don’t have a QB

- Titans I kinda expect to fall off a cliff

- Texans/Jags/Jets suck

 

I’ll say go and win in Indy in our first playoff game for seven years, but then the Bills blow us out in the divisional round. 2023 is our all in year.

[BroncoBruin]

So, I think it’s helpful to break the season down into three “groups” of games. 

1. AFC West opponents (Chargers x2, Chiefs x2, Raiders x2) 

2. Non-divisional playoff contenders (Colts, @Ravens, @Titans, 49ers, Cardinals, @Rams)

3. Bad teams we need to beat (Jets, Texans, @Jaguars, @Panthers, @Seahawks)

The bloodbath that is the AFC will be compounded by the NFC having the extra home game this year. Let’s assume 11-6 is the record that will get you in, 10-7 more likely puts you in a position where you’ll need some help at the end. The Broncos have 12 games against potential playoff teams this year. If you split those games 6-6, you would need to go 5-0 against the “bad teams”, not an easy task with three on the road. So I think 7-5 is the record they realistically need against the first two groups, it gives them wiggle room for one bad loss. More than one loss to that group of bad teams and you deserve your fate.

Breaking it down this way, there’s a high probability that they need to go 4-2 against either the AFC West or the Colts/Ravens/Titans/Cardinals/49ers/Rams group and no worse than 3-3 in either. It will not be easy to get to 11 wins. We’ll need to see a couple quality road wins against good teams. Regular season will feel almost like college football with the week to week stakes and big games. But if we get in, the team will be pretty battle tested and prepared for any tough road games. 

Love being back in the mix. 

Edited March 23, 2022 by BroncoBruin

[BullsandBroncos]

I'm going to say 10-7 and one of the last 2 wild card spots

[Broncofan]

4 hours ago, BroncoBruin said:

So, I think it’s helpful to break the season down into three “groups” of games. 

1. AFC West opponents (Chargers x2, Chiefs x2, Raiders x2) 

2. Non-divisional playoff contenders (Colts, @Ravens, @Titans, 49ers, Cardinals, @Rams)

3. Bad teams we need to beat (Jets, Texans, @Jaguars, @Panthers, @Seahawks)

The bloodbath that is the AFC will be compounded by the NFC having the extra home game this year. Let’s assume 11-6 is the record that will get you in, 10-7 more likely puts you in a position where you’ll need some help at the end. The Broncos have 12 games against potential playoff teams this year. If you split those games 6-6, you would need to go 5-0 against the “bad teams”, not an easy task with three on the road. So I think 7-5 is the record they realistically need against the first two groups, it gives them wiggle room for one bad loss. More than one loss to that group of bad teams and you deserve your fate.

Breaking it down this way, there’s a high probability that they need to go 4-2 against either the AFC West or the Colts/Ravens/Titans/Cardinals/49ers/Rams group and no worse than 3-3 in either. It will not be easy to get to 11 wins. We’ll need to see a couple quality road wins against good teams. Regular season will feel almost like college football with the week to week stakes and big games. But if we get in, the team will be pretty battle tested and prepared for any tough road games. 

Love being back in the mix. 

FWIW I see 4-2 in AFCW, and 3-3 vs. the others, and 5-0 vs. the bottom 5...except there's always 1 game that surprises in a bad way, so 11-6 feels OK to call (but 12-13W is also in the mix if a good fortune year happens, too - can't count on it, but it's the ceiling of best-case outcomes).   

It would be a lot harder path if we didn't draw NYJ/CAR as 2 of our 3 unique games (a little unlucky to draw BAL as our AFCN sole opponent, and then to be on the road, but so be it), as opposed to KC, who gets BUF/TAM/CIN as their 3 unique games, for example.   The last-place schedule really does help us out a ton this year.

Edited March 24, 2022 by Broncofan

[AKRNA]

Somewhere between 6-11 and 11-6. Neither one would surprise me. We just have way too many unknowns, like, the entire coaching staff.

[broncos67]

11-6 or 10-7, subject to change. I expect the coaching staff has some hiccups, but I also expect fresh ideas to invigorate the team. I have no doubt having Wilson around is going to motivate the hell out of people on its own.

I'd like to see how we handle the draft. Finding one meaningful contributor could tip the scales. A complete whiff probably hurts us because there's still some holes on the team.

[AnAngryAmerican]

4 hours ago, broncos67 said:

11-6 or 10-7, subject to change. I expect the coaching staff has some hiccups, but I also expect fresh ideas to invigorate the team. I have no doubt having Wilson around is going to motivate the hell out of people on its own.

Great post. This I don’t think gets talked about enough. The entire “aura” around the team this year - from the minute the news of the Wilson trade broke - is a complete 180 from the last few years. There positive energy around the club, from the front office, to the locker room, to the fanbase to even the media, that unquestionably, will translate into better on the field performance. 

Im going to say 11-6, the #5 WC berth, a win in our opening playoff game against the AFCS Champ and then get bounced in the divisional round. 

[bMiller031]

The humility and self-awareness here is refreshing

[AnAngryAmerican]

2 minutes ago, bMiller031 said:

The humility and self-awareness here is refreshing

Love it. 

Elway’s last hire - Paton - may have been the best one of his whole tenure. 

[lomaxgrUK]

17 hours ago, bMiller031 said:

The humility and self-awareness here is refreshing

I liked his quote re: Tyreek Hill too. "Until they trade the quarterback and head coach I’m not going to worry about that too much".

Whilst I think it's a bigger blow than he is letting on, it's just a smart thing to say. No need to stoke any fires.