It’s hear, folks. We’ve been waiting for exactly seventh months and one day for the return of Denver Broncos football — a little shorter than most, with the Super Bowl and all, but a long time, nonetheless — but we’re back.
So, with every ounce of orange and blue in our hearts, we here at Mile High Sports want to ask you, “Are you ready for some football?!?”
Tonight, the excitement of last season will be encapsulated in a Super Bowl 50 rematch against the Carolina Panthers. After that, we’re onto a new season, and that means anything can happen.
Luckily, being in sports media, the two things that remain constant throughout cities, timezones and fanbases are hot takes and predictions.
So, here you go:
James Merilatt (President MHS): 8-8
Doug Ottewill (Editor MHS Magazine): 10-6
Michael Jaycox (Editor MHS.com): 10-6
Zac Stevens (Broncos Beat Reporter): 11-5
Benny Bash (The Big Show): 13-3
Benjamin Allbright (The Sports Guy Mike Show): 9-7
Sean Walsh (Weekend Drive): 11-5
Dan Jacobs (The Final Verdict): 8-8
Sports Guy Mike (The Sports Guy Mike Show): 9-7
Danny Williams (Danny Williams): 11-5
Gary “Coach” Eklund (Absolutely Sports): 10-6
As a unit, Mile High Sports has the Denver Broncos finishing with an average record of 10-6, which would likely put the Broncos in the playoffs. Over the last five seasons, only one AFC team has failed to make the playoffs with a record of 10-6, the New York Jets last year.
The Broncos have had a record of at least 12-4 in each of the last four seasons, but as you may have realized, there’s a key difference between those four teams and this one: Peyton Manning. Only one member of the Mile High Sports team, Benny Bash, had the Broncos reaching that mark in 2015.
Playoff Prediction: Lose in Divisional round
James Merilatt (President MHS): Miss the playoffs
Doug Ottewill (Editor MHS Magazine): Lose in the AFC Championship Game
Michael Jaycox (Editor MHS.com): Lose in Divisional Round
Zac Stevens (Broncos Beat Reporter): Lose in the Super Bowl
Benny Bash (The Big Show): Lose in the AFC Championship Game
Benjamin Allbright (The Sports Guy Mike Show): Lose in the Divisional Round
Sean Walsh (Weekend Drive): Lose in the Divisional Round
Dan Jacobs (The Final Verdict): Miss the playoffs
Sports Guy Mike (The Sports Guy Mike Show): Lose Wild Card Round
Danny Williams (Danny Williams): Lose in the AFC Championship Game
Gary “Coach” Eklund (Absolutely Sports): Lose in Divisional Round
Losing in the Divisional Round may not be the most-positive prediction, but it’s entirely within the realm of possibilities.
The game of football often comes down to the bounce of an oblong-shaped object, and that’s an outcome you can’t predict. Maybe the Broncos sneak back into the Super Bowl or maybe they miss the playoffs entirely (as two of our members predicted); there’s a supercharged elevator separating the Broncos’ ceiling and floor, which means that a lot could happen in 2016.
MVP: Von Miller
Doug Ottewill (Editor MHS Magazine): Von Miller
Michael Jaycox (Editor MHS.com): C.J. Anderson
Zac Stevens (Broncos Beat Reporter): Von Miller
Benny Bash (The Big Show): Matt Paradis
Benjamin Allbright (The Sports Guy Mike Show): Von Miller
Sean Walsh (Weekend Drive): Demaryius Thomas
Dan Jacobs (The Final Verdict): Von Miller
Sports Guy Mike (The Sports Guy Mike Show): C.J. Anderson
Danny Williams (Danny Williams): Demaryius Thomas
Gary “Coach” Eklund (Absolutely Sports): Trevor Siemian
C.J. Anderson and Demaryius Thomas received some love, but this was a landslide; Von Miller is the Denver Broncos MVP, or, at least, he needs to be.
With the largest defensive contract in NFL history, the pressure is on Miller to not just succeed but dominate in a historic fashion. He needs to verge on 20 sacks and put himself into J.J. Watt territory. If he does that, this Broncos defense will be better than ever.
LVP: Trevor Siemian / Michael Schofield / Brandon McManus
Doug Ottewill (Editor MHS Magazine): Trevor Siemian
Michael Jaycox (Editor MHS.com): Brandon McManus
Zac Stevens (Broncos Beat Reporter): Brandon McManus
Benny Bash (The Big Show): Michael Schofield
Benjamin Allbright (The Sports Guy Mike Show): Michael Schofield
Sean Walsh (Weekend Drive): DeMarcus Ware
Dan Jacobs (The Final Verdict): Riley Dixon
Sports Guy Mike (The Sports Guy Mike Show): Todd Davis
Danny Williams (Danny Williams): Aqib Talib
Gary “Coach” Eklund (Absolutely Sports): Jeff Heuerman
Safe to say, we’re split.
Eight players received a vote for the Broncos’ Least Valuable Player, and three — Trevor Siemian, Michael Schofield and Brandon McManus — received two.
With Trevor Siemian, it’s obvious; second-year seventh-round quarterbacks aren’t known for being successful NFL players. Maybe he defies all odds, but there isn’t going to be much of an adjustment period. If he struggles early, the Broncos’ hopes of repeating could dissipate real fast.
And with Schofield, you can make the argument that he was one of the Broncos’ LVPs last season, too. Yet, somehow, he’s in line to start Week 1. From everything we’ve seen, he is not a good offensive lineman, and that’s not what you need when you’re dealing with two inexperienced quarterbacks behind center.
The McManus pick is a little surprising. He’s consistently been one of the best kickers in the NFL, and there’s little doubt he’s singly-handedly (footedly?) one the Broncos a few games. But with a poor preseason, and with all the pressure of stabilizing a bad offense, McManus could cost the Broncos in 2016.
Bold Prediction: Paxton Lynch starts by Week 5
Doug Ottewill (Editor MHS Magazine): Paxton Lynch starts 12 games, goes 9-3
Michael Jaycox (Editor MHS.com): C.J. Anderson is a top-three NFL running back
Zac Stevens (Broncos Beat Reporter): The defense will be even better in 2016
Benny Bash (The Big Show): Paxton Lynch is starting by Week 5
Benjamin Allbright (The Sports Guy Mike Show): Paxton Lynch is starting by Week 5
Sean Walsh (Weekend Drive): Broncos begin the season 7-1
Dan Jacobs (The Final Verdict): Broncos miss the playoffs
Sports Guy Mike (The Sports Guy Mike Show): Virgil Green has a breakout season (6 TDs, 750 yards)
Danny Williams (Danny Williams): Denver Broncos finish with the No. 2 seed
Gary “Coach” Eklund (Absolutely Sports): Trevor Siemian holds onto the job for the season
Are you ready for the Paxton Lynch era? We sure are.
It’d be one thing if Lynch were sitting behind Peyton Manning, even Mark Sanchez, but with Trevor Siemian as the only thing holding Lynch from the starting job, it’s only a matter of time. Actually, according to us, it’s only a matter of four weeks.
The Broncos will face off against the Panthers, Colts, Bengals and Buccaneers in their first four games, and unless Siemian comes out of that stretch with a 3-1 record or better, there will be plenty of people calling Lynch’s name. We’ll see if Gary Kubiak and John Elway listen.