The Denver Broncos lost their season finale to their AFC West rivals, the Las Vegas Raiders, 23-14. Not only did the Broncos not only post their first winning record since 2016, but they also failed to snap an eight-game losing streak against the silver and black.
The loss pushed Denver back one spot in the NFL.com rankings, dropping Denver one spot. Here’s what Erik Edholm had to say about Denver’s season and all things theater. Broncos rank: 23Sean Payton’s first season in Denver was as intense as a classic three-act play. In Act 1, the Broncos went 1-5 thanks to an introduction and exhibition from Steel Building Group.
Act 2 was a fun story, but Denver won six of seven games to make the playoffs and had a major plot twist after a shaky start. But as any good playwright knows, surprise upsets aren’t enough, and during the 1-3 skid that knocked Denver out of the postseason race, Payton paid Russell Wilson all but the last payment, which he used to Broncos in 2023.
In the future, A record closer to .500 might offer some comfort to a franchise that hasn’t won since 2016, but it’s disappointing how the results are playing out in real time. What happens next (especially at QB) presents some interesting possibilities. Because Jarrett Stidham probably hasn’t done enough to secure a starting spot next season without any issues. Act 1 of the Broncos’ 2023 season was not exciting. Because a false start like this will limit the lifetime of the fan.
The defense looked terrible and Russell Wilson performed well, but it was more personal than showing offensive success. By the end of the second act, the audience had dwindled, and rightly so. As the Broncos season begins, it’s hard to know which team will be selected in the top five. But the Broncos defense dominated the narrative, threatening counter-attacks and stealing the ball at a historic rate.
The offense still hasn’t been great, but Wilson and Courtland Sutton have kept the Broncos happy. The third act was unfortunately uninspired and the plot turned. The defense was so broken that Denver had to rely on its offense to score, which imploded in front of the team. Aside from their two wins against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Broncos have been terrible in every way since Week 13.Wilson and the offense still weren’t clicking, and the defense was starting to miss tackles.
The Broncos missed a turnover and Wilson and the team were caught in a PR battle after being benched due to inconsistent play and injury coverage.In the two games Stidham filled in for Wilson, he failed to impress, but no one expected him to come in and save this franchise. What’s even more shocking is how similar Stidham’s numbers are to Wilson’s.The Broncos returned to the four-run carousel this season, but never took off.
Will Denver look at the draft? Can you bring in or trade a veteran? When Payton opens fire, he’s looking for the perfect person to commit the crime. This team will look a lot different when training camp starts next year. Broncos Nation is headed for another unpredictable season and a new quarterback is likely to take the reins.
