Ty Walden
Record: 12-4, AFC West Champs, #2 Seed in AFC
The Denver Broncos will end up with the same record as last year. With Peyton Manning retired and Brock “Brett” Osweiler leaving to play for the Houston Texans, the Broncos are in a bind at the quarterback position.
The team currently has Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian. And I won’t be surprised if they have a third one by the end of this year’s draft.
Because of this, I think the defense will be relied on this season and will step up to the challenge. The four losses I see here are on the road against the Bengals, Raiders, and Chiefs. The only home loss of the season will be late against the Patriots.
I also think, like last year, it will come down to the final game of the regular season between the Broncos and Raiders for the division title. Oakland has improved, which is difficult for me to say.
One of the games I am really looking forward to is the Houston game when Osweiler returns. Will he be able to handle the defense that won him a Super Bowl in primetime? But it will be something to keep an eye on.
Having a bye on Week 11 really helps because the team will be refreshed and mentally prepared for a run towards the postseason. One thing that could irk some fans is the fact that the Broncos play four games at 11 AM MST due to the four road games out on the east coast.
This is a really balanced schedule, and once I see how the roster shapes up, the 12-4 record could change, but we will leave it at that for now.
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