The Denver Broncos have had an up-and-down, back-and-forth 2023 season. At times things have looked quite bleak while at other times, the excitement has been a long time coming. One thing that does seem to be clear is that the team is headed in the right direction.
As the Broncos prepare for a Christmas Eve battle with the New England Patriots, fans inside Broncos Country will watch that game and then look forward to enjoying the Christmas holiday the following day.
What should fans be asking Santa Claus to leave underneath the tree this year? Here are three things that should be on the wish list that would also carry over into the 2024 season.
Broncos fans should ask Santa for a playoff berth
This is the most immediate and most obvious wish, but it would bring with it the right kind of momentum and hope for the future.
Now some may ask, why wouldn't you just wish for the Super Bowl? Well, wishes should be realistic and sometimes a small wish can turn into a big reality. The Broncos need to start by qualifying for the postseason, something that has not happened since the 2015 season.
The team is on the cusp of doing it, but it will have to win all three of its final games and get some help to get in. It's all completely possible, but it starts by beating the Patriots on Sunday.
Once in the playoffs, the Broncos would have their hands full as the AFC has been a wild conference this year, but teams like the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins would be difficult to defeat. However, making the playoffs, even if they were to get smashed in the first round, would be a terrific accomplishment for a team that started the season 1-5.
Building toward the future is what this season was really all about in Sean Payton's first year as head coach and the team has done that. A playoff berth would cap it off.