The Denver Broncos should bench Peyton Manning and start Brock Osweiler.
That’s what overreaction Monday sounded like across airwaves in the Mile High City one day after the Broncos beat the Ravens 19-13 in Week 1. Some people seem to have forgotten the Broncos did, indeed, win the football game. Benching Manning at this point would be tremendously silly.
But that’s what fans do and that’s what makes football fun. It’s a short season so making decisions based on gut reactions is tempting.
With that in mind a lot of opponents on the Broncos remaining schedule either impressed or laid an egg in their season debuts this past weekend. Let’s take a look (Power Rankings style) at the Broncos 15 games left based on difficulty level after a wild Week 1.
No. 15 — Sun, Dec. 13 vs. Oakland 2:05 p.m.
- It was another depressing start to 2015 for Raiders fans as the Bengals blew the wheels off them on Sunday
No. 14 — Sun, Oct. 18 @ Cleveland 11:00 a.m.
- Cleveland looked awful against the Jets as Johnny Football had one magical drive then couldn’t do anything
No. 13 — Sun, Oct. 11 @ Oakland 2:25 p.m.
- Playing in the Black Hole is never fun but if Andy Dalton and company can make it look that easy so can Denver
No. 12 — Sun, Oct. 4 vs. Minnesota 2:25 p.m.
- The Vikings were one of Week 1’s most underwhelming teams and reminded us all they’re still the Vikings
No. 11 — Sun, Nov. 22 @ Chicago 11:00 a.m.
- John Foxy Fox and the Bears actually hung with Green Bay but the ol’ ball coach is in for a long year in Chicago
No. 10 — Sun, Jan. 3 vs. San Diego 2:25 p.m.
- It’s kind of crazy this is only the tenth hardest game, showing how difficult Denver’s remaining slate is
No. 9 — Mon, Dec. 28 vs. Cincinnati 6:30 p.m.
- This is a revenge game for the Broncos as Monday night in Cincy last year didn’t go as well as hoped
No. 8 — Sun, Sep. 27 @ Detroit 6:30 p.m.
- A game that’s less than two weeks away should be a shootout, but can the Broncos offense keep up?
No. 7 — Sun, Nov. 15 vs. Kansas City 2:25 p.m
- The Chiefs looked good in Week 1 so this game may be awful important, although Thursday will give us a big clue
No. 6 — Sun, Dec. 6 @ San Diego 2:05 p.m.
- In possibly the final Broncos road game ever in San Diego, Chargers fans are hopeful a lot is on the line
No. 5 — Thu, Sep. 17 @ Kansas City 6:25 p.m.
- Imagine the panic meter if the Broncos go into KC Thursday night and lay a giant egg? Yikes
No. 4 — Sun, Dec. 20 @ Pittsburgh 2:25 p.m.
- The Steelers didn’t have Le’Veon Bell or Martavis Bryant and managed to hang with the champs last Thursday
No. 3 — Sun, Nov. 8 @ Indianapolis 2:25 p.m.
- They may have looked bad against Buffalo but counting the Colts out now would be really dumb
No. 2 — Sun, Nov. 1 vs. Green Bay 6:30 p.m.
- In what some are hoping is a Super Bowl preview this may be the most juiced game of the year other than…
No. 1 — Sun, Nov. 29 vs. New England 6:30 p.m.
- … This game which very well could be for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Isn’t it nice to finally play the Pats here?