Colorado sports fans have experienced highs and lows in 2016. The year started with celebrating a Super Bowl 50 victory, but they haven’t had much to cheer for since.
Tad Boyle still was hasn’t solved the riddle of taking a team deep in the NCAA tournament. The Buffs were bounced in the first round once again.
The merciful end finally came for the two chief occupants of the Pepsi Center. Last night the Nuggets finished their season with a loss against the playoff-bound Portland Trail Blazers. For the third-straight season, the Nuggets are on the outside looking in come playoff time – but they aren’t alone.
For the second season in a row, the Colorado Avalanche missed the playoffs. Patrick Roy’s squad finished sixth in the Central Division and five points out of the final Wild Card spot.
As for the team at 20th and Blake, rookie Trevor Story has been electrifying, but the same old problems plague the Rockies. As a staff the Colorado Rockies have posted a cumulative ERA of 7.84, a league worst.
If the perils of the Avalanche, Nuggets and Rockies weren’t enough, there are major question marks now surrounding the defending Super Bowl champs. The Broncos’ top two quarterbacks aren’t returning, Brandon Marshall may hold out and they are nowhere near close to coming to terms with Von Miller on a long-term contract. That said, under the guidance of Wade Phillips, Denver is still likely to have one of the best defenses in the league.
These factors lead to an interesting question: What is more likely to happen? The Denver Broncos missing the playoffs for the first time in six years or the Avalanche, Nuggets or Rockies making playoffs?
Let’s start with team closest to cracking the postseason.
Colorado Avalanche
The final two weeks of the season can only be described as a complete failure for the Avalanche. With a spot in the playoffs firmly within their grasp, Colorado went 1-9. The head coach called out one of his star players and fans are actively wondering if this core needs to be deconstructed. Which begs the question, is Colorado in a decline? It’s crazy to think that’s true, but Joe Sakic has major questions marks up and down the rosters. He needs to shore up the blue line, decide if Semyon Varlamov has a future in Colorado and whether or not Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog are centerpieces to build around. Pile on a head coach that will be facing a make-or-break season.
Those are the questions of a team on the precipice of a complete rebuild, not a team on the brink of the playoffs.
Chances of making the playoffs: 35%
Denver Nuggets
Mike Malone’s squad is hovering dangerously close to mediocrity. The Nuggets have nice young pieces in Nikola Jokic, Gary Harris, Jusuf Nurkic and Kenneth Faried, as well as a potential superstar in Emmanuel Mudiay. Does that make them a contender? No, but that isn’t the question.
With the return of Wilson Chandler and the addition of a lottery pick, the Nuggets can easily compete for the No. 8 seed.
Chances of making the playoffs: 50%
Colorado Rockies
There isn’t a GM in baseball that wouldn’t fawn over the idea of fielding Colorado’s everyday lineup – Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story, Charlie Blackmon, DJ LeMahieu, Carlos Gonzalez and Gerardo Parra. They may have a young core and be undisciplined at the plate, but they can hit and field with the best of them.
Colorado’s pitching staff is a whole different story. Their starters will have trouble eating up innings all season and the bullpen is full of gas cans.
The amount of talent on the field will once again be dwarfed by the lack of talent on the mound.
Chances of making the playoffs: (Hahahahaha, sorry) 0%
Denver Broncos
Mark Sanchez is the quarterback, yikes. But, is that honestly going to be any worse than the production Denver got from the quarterback position last season? No. If the offense can manage to not turn over the ball and be opportunistic when the situations present themselves, there’s no reason to think Denver can’t compete for another AFC West title.
Andy Reid and Alex Smith are a duo destined to underachieve. The Raiders have made strides in the last couple of years but Mark Davis is still running the team. And no one is worried but the Chargers.
Behind a defense that’s second-to-none, Denver will surely find itself in the thick of the AFC playoff hunt.
Chances of missing the playoffs: 25%
Folks complain a lot around here about the amount of coverage the Denver Broncos get in the media. Maybe they should take a step back and realize that’s because, of the top four professional sports teams, they are by far the most consistent franchise. No one can ever question the Broncos’ desire to field a winner.
As the Rockies kick off their season and the Nuggets and Avalanche finish theirs, it’s hard to see light at the end of any of their tunnels. All three are missing the essential building blocks to consistently compete. The Nuggets and the Avalanche may be close to turning a corner, but when it comes to postseason play in this town there’s only one team that has what it takes. In all likelihood the 2016-17 sporting calendar will look eerily similar to 2015-16.
