Denver's Week 3 matchup figures to be the biggest test for the Broncos for most of the season, and it has massive playoff implications already. With the Chiefs at a staggering 0-2 to start the season, the AFC West is the most open that it has been in almost a decade.
The race now sits between the Broncos and the Chargers to see who can grab the strongest hold on the division, and a 3-0 Chargers team with at least a season split against both Denver and Kansas City already secured would become the overwhelming favorite to win the division.
Needless to say, this is a massive game for the Broncos. With much on the line, especially after Week 2's debacle, a few Broncos have extra sets of eyes on them and need a big game. If they can't turn one in, some uncomfortable conversations might need to be had.
Broncos' worst-case scenario in Week 3 vs. Chargers includes more LB struggles
The Alex Singleton comeback story is great for human interest and the strength of a player's spirit and determination. So far, it has been rough in terms of quality of play and production on the field. With Dre Greenlaw and Drew Sanders still sidelined, Denver needs quality play from Alex Singleton more than ever.
If he struggles again in Week 3, Vance Joseph and the Broncos will need to pivot, whether that is giving more playing time to Levelle Bailey or looking outside the organization for support. For good, bad, or indifferent, Week 3 could be make or break for Singleton, and the Broncos badly need it to be make and not break.
On the special teams side of the ball, Darren Rizzi might be under more pressure than any other special teams coordinator in the game. The Broncos threw away their game against the Colts by leveraging the center on a field goal attempt that not even the kicker's grandmother thought was going in. The week before, Denver allowed a 71-yard return before the half that set the Titans up with three free points and had serious potential to cost the Broncos the game for a while.
If Denver opens the season with three games with three massive special teams blunders, Rizzi might be consulting at a college sometime before the Holidays. His hire seemed to be one that was well respected and looked upon kindly throughout the league, but one could argue that his team is off to a worse start than Vance Joseph's defense in 2023, and expecting a Josephian turnaround would be irresponsible and wishful thinking. Rizzi desperately needs a strong special teams showing.