Since the Denver Broncos will officially end the season in last place in the AFC West on Saturday, they’re set up to face two other bottom teams in 2022.
The Denver Broncos unfortunately will finish the 2021 season at the bottom of the AFC West. With one game remaining, they are two games behind the Las Vegas Raiders, making it mathematically impossible to be anything better.
That being said, one new opponent has been discovered for the 2022 season. Also firmly in last place in their division are the 5-11 Carolina Panthers. Prior to this weekend’s results, it was known that the Denver Broncos would face an NFC South team that finished in the same place as them.
This matchup will be intriguing for several reasons, including the possibility of Cam Newton facing the team he lost to in Super Bowl 50. Newton is currently scheduled to hit free agency in 2022 but re-signing him might not be out of the question.
While many feel like Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware were the main reasons for Newton’s downfall, neither are on the team anymore. That actually has the potential to change, though. Miller—who was traded to the Los Angeles Rams this season—suggested that maybe he could return to the Broncos. Miller is a free agent after this year so it shouldn’t be ruled out.
Newton isn’t the only player of note on the opposing sidelines in this matchup. He’s far from the most intriguing.
Barring injury, the Broncos will have to face superstar running back Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey played in all 48 of the Panthers’ games during his first three seasons but over the last two, has played in just 10 due to injury. If McCaffrey does play, it will pose a tremendous challenge for the Broncos.
Lastly, a player who played in just three games before suffering a season-ending injury will be on the other sideline: cornerback Jaycee Horn, who Carolina selected one pick before the Broncos took Patrick Surtain II should line up on a Broncos wideout for the game.
Many believed that Surtain was going to be the pick by the Broncos in the draft, but some others felt that they could have gone with Horn if he was available. I personally would have been happy with either player but can completely see the argument for Horn. The careers of those two players are going to be fun to follow for the next 10-12+ years.
Denver Broncos: New York Jets and last-place AFC North team on the schedule
The Broncos know that they will be facing one opponent each from the AFC North and the AFC East in 2022.
Doing the math, the Ravens or the Browns will end up being that last-place team in the North and ultimately will be the Broncos’ AFC North opponent.
Denver got swept by that division this year by an average score of 20.5-12.5. Averaging 12.5 points against that division just won’t cut it.
Also on the schedule is the last-place AFC East team—the New York Jets. This season, the Broncos and Jets squared off with Denver shutting New York out 26-0. The Jets had second-overall pick, Zach Wilson, at quarterback and sacked him five times while intercepting him twice.
While the Broncos got a win over the Jets this season, it ultimately was deemed an “easy win.” This team will need to figure out how to win games that they’re “not supposed to win” in 2022 to make it into the playoffs. They cannot rely on hoping and praying they’ll win the easier games. They have to finish.
Changes are on the way for the Denver Broncos once the season is over. Hopefully, they’re changes that will guide this team into the postseason sooner rather than later.