The Denver Broncos will soon embark on a three-game stretch that might truly be the most important in the Sean Payton era. I truly do not think this is over the top at all. The Broncos have split their first two games, but it's their best two-game start since the 2021 NFL Season.
That was the last time Denver started 2-0 in a season. Anyway, the team has started 0-2 in both 2023 and 2024, so this one-game improvement is just that. However, the way in which Denver lost in Week 2 makes that loss very frustrating, as they should have escaped with a victory.
Denver now finds itself set to embark on a three-game stretch that might truly be the most important in the Sean Payton era.
Broncos' next three games will be the true litmus test for the 2025 season
Many people took notice of this stretch when the Broncos' schedule was finalized months ago, and for good reason. The Broncos are at Los Angeles in Week 3, return home for a Monday Night Football tilt against the Cincinnati Bengals, and then hit the road again for a Week 5 showdown with the Super Bowl champs, Philadelphia Eagles.
Denver typically plays their divisional games close, so their next game should be a tight one, but the Chargers did sweep the Broncos in 2024. You simply have to hope that Denver added enough talent to close the gap, and you hope further that Bo Nix took enough of a step forward to close the gap with Justin Herbert.
Week 4 got a lot more interesting, as Joe Burrow is now out for months, so the Broncos will likely face the Bengals' backup QB, Jake Browning. That game, quite obviously, becomes a must-win for the team. And in Week 5, this three-game stretch finishes up in Philadelphia, and as of now, it's not looking pretty for the Broncos in that game.
The Eagles are loaded with talent and simply might overwhelm Denver, but the Eagles do struggle to pass the ball, so there is an avenue for Denver to hang around. Ideally, you'd love to see Denver win two of their next three games and get to 3-2.
And sure, 2-3 would not be all that different, but the Broncos were seen by many as an emerging contender this year, and this is the time to show it.