The Denver Broncos have hit their bye week and are facing many questions following a 17-point home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
At 5-5, the Broncos are still very much in the thick of the AFC playoff race, especially since there is no team in the AFC West running away with things. They are just one game behind the Kansas City Chiefs, who lead the division.
Even though that is the case, there can’t be too much optimism from the fanbase surrounding the team’s current level of play. Despite a blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys, the Broncos were embarrassed by the Eagles and had a four-game losing streak not long ago.
The team comes to a serious crossroads in terms of the 2021 season as it relates to ending their five-year playoff drought. The Broncos have seven games remaining in the regular season and in order to qualify for the postseason, they will likely need to win a minimum of four of those games.
Looking at the team’s remaining schedule, these three games are going to be pivotal in that push toward the playoffs. If they can win these three games, their playoff aspirations could look really good. Losing two or three of them would likely sink the team.
Week 12 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Coming right out of their bye week, the Broncos draw a divisional rival and one that has played at a high level this season.
The Chargers are in that playoff race as well and it is likely that both the Broncos and Chargers won’t each make the playoffs. That makes this a game the Broncos must find a way to win for a couple of reasons.
For one, the game takes place at home. The Broncos have won seven of the last eight games played against the Chargers in Denver dating back to 2014.
In addition, the Broncos will have come off the bye week, meaning they should have had some time to rest, recharge and prepare for the opponent. The Chargers on the other hand play a Sunday night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, making it a bit of a short week for them.
The Broncos will have no excuse to lose this game even though the Chargers may be the better team overall. They have them at home following a week off and for those reasons, they need to get this win.
If they don’t, the other two games on this list might not mean a thing as it would be hard evidence that this is just not a playoff team.
Week 15 vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Another home game for the Broncos against another team right in the middle of that playoff race.
The Bengals have been an up-and-down team this season but after a dominant win over the Baltimore Ravens earlier in the year, they actually looked like they might be the best team in the AFC.
With the combination of Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, they pose a threat against any defense and they have found a way to win close games rather than lose them. So, it looks like this may not be the Bengals that we have known for…. well forever.
Like the Broncos, the Bengals also play in a very competitive division but they have big wins over the Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers and they went into overtime against, and probably should have beaten, the Green Bay Packers.
They certainly have the talent to beat the Broncos, so Denver needs to be up for this game and prepared to play, something that has been difficult for this particular coaching regime.
Sandwiched in between this game and the aforementioned battle with the Chargers are games against the Chiefs and Detroit Lions. Even if the Broncos were to lose to the Chiefs but win the other three games, they would be sitting at 8-6, in prime position for a playoff run to finish the season.
The Bengals are on the come up but they are still young and probably at least a year away from being a serious contender. If the Broncos can’t beat them in Denver, it would be a serious blow to any playoff hopes.
Week 16 at Las Vegas Raiders
It’s the day after Christmas and the Broncos will be in Vegas to battle the Raiders, a team that seems to have their number as of late.
Like the Chargers, the Raiders are also right in the middle of the race for both the AFC West crown and a Wild Card. All of the teams in the AFC West won’t make the playoffs, so with the Broncos having five of their final seven games within the division, each game will obviously be huge.
The Broncos close the season with games against the Chargers and Chiefs, but this game will be pivotal because it could be an elimination game of sorts. Between now and Week 16, the Raiders face a much more difficult schedule than the Broncos.
The Raiders have also lost some of that early-season steam they had built up and there have been several off-the-field stories that have dominated their season. If the Broncos could go at least 3-1 between Weeks 12 and 15 and then beat the Raiders here, they could find their way into the postseason.
Of course, considering their recent level of play, that is wishful thinking.
But it’s not impossible. It all depends on how the team comes out after the bye week. Will they come out refocused and determined to get back into the race or will they look flat and unprepared like they did against Philadelphia and in several other games this season?
The Raiders have won three games in a row against the Broncos and five out of the last six. The Broncos’ only win over them in that time span came by one point.
That needs to come to an end the day after Christmas.
If the Broncos could hit the 9-win plateau with two games remaining in the season, they could take a lot of pressure off themselves and be in a good spot to make the playoffs, with a chance to do so even if they lost in Weeks 17 and 18 and finished the season 9-8.
Of course, the level of play will have to be so much better than what we saw this past week for any of this to even matter.