The Denver Broncos have endured years of being a limp and underwhelming franchise, as a potential 5-3 start would be their best in quite some time. The Denver Broncos can absolutely lose this game against the Carolina Panthers, but all signs are pointing to them being able to take care of business against the worst team in football who is also quite injured.
The Broncos are on the cusp of starting 5-3, which could put them on pace for 9-11 wins in the 2024 NFL Season. It would be quite the start, as getting to 5-3 would also keep them in a playoff spot, which is where they sit now.
Well, when was the last time the Denver Broncos started with this good of a record through their first eight games? Let's do some digging to figure that out, as it might surprise you...
When was the last time the Broncos started at least 5-3 through their first eight games?
Here are the team's eight-game records since getting to at least 5-3:
2023: 3-5
2022: 3-5
2021: 4-4
2020: 3-5
2019: 2-6
2018: 3-5
2017: 3-5
2016: 6-2
The Denver Broncos have never won more than four of their first eight games since the 2016 season, the first year after their Super Bowl 50 victory. At that point, most of the team's 2015 defense still remained, and Denver was getting some just-barely-good-enough QB play from Trevor Siemian of all people.
Well, as you can see, the Broncos either won two, three, or four games through their first eight in every year from 2017 on. It's good though that they were never quite bad enough to go 1-7 across their first eight. Denver hopes to send Carolina to that record on Sunday.
The Broncos clearly had an affinity for starting 3-5, as they did that five times since 2017. Fortunately, Denver won't be worse than 4-4 through their first eight in the 2024 NFL Season, but the obvious hope is 5-3.
Denver getting to 5-3 would put them in a very good spot to make the postseason, but the team does have to play the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs in Weeks 9 and 10, which could easily drop them to 5-5.
It's both depressing and encouraging to look at the recent seasons in Broncos' history, as it shows just how incompetent the franchise waa but also shows how far they have come over the last season and a half.