This has been a weird year for Broncos fans, especially after the extreme predictability of the last three seasons. Before, we used to know exactly how every game was going to play out: Peyton Manning would throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns, the team would score 30-plus points and the Broncos would win.
That was the formula. Every week. But now, not so much, and it’s been a harsh transition.
In the span of six months, the Broncos went from one of the most explosive and unstoppable offenses in NFL history to a unit that could hardly muster 20 points; despite having an elite defense to comfort them, Broncos fans did not take this well.
I think we could all feel the anger and frustration begin to reach a boiling point after the Colts loss, but when Denver fell to the Chiefs a week later, it all came apart. It was total anarchy in Broncos Country; nobody within a 100-mile radius of Dove Valley was safe from the wrath of angry fans. The levels of controversy, rumor and conspiracy surrounding the franchise were (and, at times, continue to be) absurd, and yet, in the moment, it was easy to fall victim.
This season has been a whirlwind, and the fact that through it all the Denver Broncos are still 9-2 is probably the most amazing part.
Looking back, it’s hard for me to put together the scenario in which the Broncos reached the point they’re currently at, and looking forward isn’t much easier.
But it’s more fun that way, isn’t it?
Let’s put on our prognosticating hats and take a look at three of the biggest question marks the Broncos still face as they head down the homestretch of a memorable season:
