The Denver Broncos could be faced with a few nightmare scenarios as the 2024 season progresses if things do not begin to change. Denver sits at 0-2 after two tough losses to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2. If we want to look at the bright side here, both losses were within one possession with a rookie quarterback.
That should bring a bit of good news, as Denver isn't getting blown out. If the offense does begin to piece things together week to week, they could be in good shape as the season goes on and may be able to sustain a bit of a winning streak.
3 nightmares the Denver Broncos might be faced with as 2024 progresses
Sean Payton continues the odd personnel decisions
Some of the personnel decisions by Sean Payton have been baffling through two games in the 2024 NFL Season. They've given Javonte Williams way too many carries and have also not given Tyler Badie enough touches. Lil'Jordan Humphrey getting this many snaps over Marvin Mims Jr and Troy Franklin is also just confusing.
And why haven't we see tight end Donald Parham elevated yet? He's definitely the Broncos best TE at this point. There is just not a lot to like from some of his play calls and personnel decisions as a whole through two games. If this behavior continues, you'd have to wonder if Payton lost his touch as an "offensive genius" as some like to call him.
The hope is that these struggles are just due to the Broncos having below-average personnel on offense, but perhaps it's something more dire. Denver's schedule should ease up a bit in the coming weeks, so maybe the offense can get going, but it's been a rough watch thus far in the 2024 NFL Season.
Could Week 3 be when the Broncos finally get something together?
Bo Nix does not show the gradual improvement team is looking for
This might be the worst-case scenario for the team and it would turn out to be a huge nightmare. Through two games, Bo Nix has thrown zero touchdowns and four interceptions, but one of those interceptions was on the last play of the game in Week 2, so it's not like he was a horrid in-game decision.
Nix did seem a lot more comfortable in the pocket and has taken just four sacks in two games, so there is some to like. He also pushed the ball down the field a lot more in Week 2 and did break the 200-yard mark, which is another small victory. No rookie QB figures it out overnight, and I believe that seeing CJ Stroud tear it up as a rookie in 2023 really gave us a warped view on how we think rookies should play.
There is reason to believe that Nix can figure this thing out as the season goes on, but what if he doesn't? What if he sincerely isn't a franchise QB? The Broncos could be left with an extremely tough decision to make on what path forward they'd like to go in.
Defense begins to fall-off as the season goes on
We kind of saw this last year toward the end of the 2023 NFL Season. The defense figured something out mid-season and were playing like one of the best units in football. They fell apart again toward the end of the season, and it was a big reason why Denver went just 1-3 across their last four games after reviving their campaign.
Through two games in 2024, the Broncos defense has played quite well and is allowing less than 20 points per game. The defensive front is noticeably better, and the secondary is holding their own way more than they did at any point in 2023. The additions along the defensive front and the early emergece of Riley Moss seem to be helping this unit out.
However, a huge nightmare that could come true is the defense falling apart as the season goes on, but I'll add a note here;
If the defense begins to play poorly because of the offense still not being able to sustain drives, that would be expected. If the defense is playing poorly in general as the season goes on, that would be the huge issue. Vance Joseph is a good defensive coordinator and now does have better personnel to work with, so the unit should probably finish out in the top-half in 2024.
If not, I would personally have questions about whether VJ would be the right coordinator to lead the defense going forward.