The Denver Broncos head to South Beach 0-2 after dropping their first two games of the year at home. The Broncos' offense has shined so far, but the defensive side of the ball has struggled, and their struggles hit a head in the second half of their loss to the Commanders. The Broncos desperately need to pull out a win on Sunday in Miami and avoid dropping to 0-3, a mark that seems almost impossible to come back from.
With that being said, here are three best case scenarios for the Broncos in Week 3.
3 best-case scenarios for the Denver Broncos vs. Dolphins
1) Win
*Sigh*, the Broncos are 0-2 and do not seem to be heading toward a playoff spot, or even just a winning season. The Broncos have lost two games so far by a combined three points, but their overall losing efforts feel much worse than an average defeat of 1.5 points. The Broncos offense has been one of the more consistent units in football so far but has shown no ability to break out big plays in three of their four halves of football, not counting the Brandon Johnson Hail Mary as a drawn-up and expected big play.
Russell Wilson is currently sitting in the top-10 quarterbacks in football by QBR, but his two turnovers in the second half of week two more than contributed to the offense's downfalls late in the game, and ultimately a losing effort.
The Broncos' defense only allowed 17 points in week one, but they did not sack the Raiders and allowed their 17 points in 7 drives, a not-great rate of points allowed. The Broncos then struggled again in the second half of week two. However, their first half was a strong one: they were consistently in the backfield, limiting the run game, and getting pressure on the Commanders offensive line and young quarterback Sam Howell, resulting in some negative plays out of Washington.
However, this would last only a quarter, as the Washington offense exploded in the second half, and ultimately went on to knock off the Broncos in a stunning, and disheartening, comeback victory that might have changed the trajectory of the Broncos' season. The best thing the Broncos can do in week three is win.
2) Defense Keeps The Explosive Dolphins Contained
The Broncos are going to have their hands full on Sunday. The Broncos struggled to contend with the Commanders' receiving core during the second half last week, and the defense as a whole has struggled to convert three-and-outs and get opposing offenses off the field.
The Broncos have struggled in that facet with Jimmy G and Howell, and will now face Tua and the Dolphins. The Dolphins also trot out wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, arguably the best one-two receiver combination in the National Football League.
To put it lightly, the Broncos secondary has struggled so far. Their safeties are banged up, Kareem Jackson has struggled with penalties and discipline early on, and almost every corner not named Pat Surtain has been questionable, at best, in coverage. With Caden Sterns out for the year, Damarri Mathis struggling, Riley Moss yet to appear in a game, and the secondary facing another huge task this week, it is fair to worry about the Broncos' defense. However, they can go a long way in calming some fears about their performance with a strong showing against the Dolphins offense.
3) Overall Consistency
The Broncos need to play a complete game on Sunday, going the distance in all 60 minutes. They've shown bits and pieces and some inconsistency, but have yet to put together a full game. Until they do so, it's hard to imagine that the Broncos are going to amount to much of anything this year.
The defense is showing serious cracks, the offense has shown some strong signs but then stalled out, and the special teams have felt hit or miss through their first two games. If the Broncos want to see one added to the win column, they need to play a complete game, especially against a Miami team that figures to be one of the better units in football this year.
If the Broncos can't do that, expect another loss, but this one far uglier than the ones before. Until they play a complete game, the Broncos are looking towards the 2024 season and the 2024 draft with their own first-round pick for the first time since the Russell Wilson trade, back in 2022.