30 Questions: Surviving fury on the road

This season the Broncos will travel to Kansas City, Detroit, Oakland, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Chicago, San Diego, and Pittsburgh. The Broncos road schedule in 2015 will regularly test the team, with tilts against last season’s division winners Pittsburgh and Indianapolis, Wild Card winner Detroit and the franchises of the AFC West.

Last season the Broncos went 4-4 on the road, but losses in St. Louis and Cincinnati near the end of the season proved to be representative of a bigger problem, as the Broncos ultimately fell at home to Indianapolis in the divisional round.

This season, if the Broncos want to consider themselves true contenders, they’ll need to demonstrate an ability to win on the road.

So, how many wins will the Broncos pick up away from home?

The toughest road match-ups for Denver will likely be the games in Detroit, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh.

The Broncos travel to Detroit in Week 3 to take on Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, and the Lions. The Lions went 11-5 last season and earned a Wild Card berth, going 7-1 in the “Motor City.” With Stafford, “Megatron,” and Golden Tate, the Lions have an explosive offense that rivals the Broncos ability to score points, as well as a stout defense that held opponents to fewer than 18 points per game last season.

The Colts host the Broncos Week 9. Since Indianapolis drafted Andrew Luck with the first pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Colts have gone 19-5 at home, good for a .792 winning percentage. Included in the 24 games is quarterback Peyton Manning’s return to Indianapolis in 2013, which yielded an emotional loss for Manning and the Broncos. Since being cut by Indianapolis over three years ago, Manning has had some of his worst games against the Colts, and a return to “the house that Peyton built” is bound to get emotional yet again.

If Manning can’t keep his emotions under control, the Broncos could find themselves with a loss to the Colts for the third season in a row.

The Broncos travel to Heinz Field to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15. Pittsburgh won the AFC North last season with an 11-5 record, going 6-2 on their home field. Pittsburgh has a high-octane offense led by a trio of playmakers in quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, running back Le’Veon Bell and wide receiver Antonio Brown. Last season, Pittsburgh finished second in the league in total offense. They are a dangerous team, always looking to make a big play.

If Denver wants to win in Pittsburgh, they’ll need to make a mess that can’t be cleaned up by any Terrible Towel.

Every season, the Broncos face the other three franchises of the AFC West in their respective stadiums. Since Manning took over as the Denver quarterback, the Broncos have not lost to an AFC West opponent on the road. The Raiders, Chargers, and Chiefs should each provide an excellent test, but if the Broncos can keep the tradition alive, there will be no losing out west.

Games in Cleveland and Chicago should be victories, but it is the NFL, and “any given Sunday” means exactly what it sounds like. Chicago will be especially motivated with John Fox and Adam Gase now patrolling the sidelines. And Cleveland come before the bye week and the Packers, which makes for a classic trap scenario.