Broncos' Next Three Games Will Reveal Something Important

The Denver Broncos face a fierce three-game gauntlet, and how they navigate it will reveal much.

Sep 22, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) looks on against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

After the first eight weeks of the season, the Denver Broncos have a winning record at 5-3, two games above the .500 mark. It's the first time since Week 4 of the 2021 season that the Broncos have been two games above the .500 mark.

In that eight-game stretch, the Broncos have faced four teams relevant in the playoff hunt, though two of them (Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks) may need to win their division to advance. The other two (Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Chargers) are more likely to make the playoffs, with the former in the divisional hunt.

The Broncos have four wins over opponents that wouldn't be considered good teams at this point (New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers), but they're still in a good position for a playoff run.

The Broncos now enter a three-game stretch that will likely reveal whether they're a legitimate playoff contender or if they've simply overachieved. All three teams next on the schedule are in the playoff hunt

Let's examine each teams and see what challenges they bring.

Baltimore Ravens | 5-3

Dec 4, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) drops back to pass during the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at M&T Bank Stadium. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Ravens started off the season 0-2, including a loss to the Raiders, but then won five straight. However, they came up short against the Cleveland Browns this past week.

The Browns game could have been a win, though, had Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton not dropped what would have been a game-sealing interception. The Ravens certainly know they let a game get away from them and will be looking to get back on track.

The last time the Broncos beat the Ravens was in 2015 at Mile High. The last time the Broncos beat the Ravens in Baltimore was 2012 — meaning Denver hasn't won in Baltimore in more than a decade.

The Ravens have one of the best offenses in the NFL with Lamar Jackson. Their defense is good but not great and their special teams is below average.

Still, this will be a good measuring stick for the Broncos, though it may be a bigger one for the defense. When it comes to the offense — particularly Bo Nix — the Broncos need to avoid the slow starts they had earlier in the season for a chance to win.

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Kansas City Chiefs | 8-0

Oct 29, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) scrambles away from Denver Broncos defensive end Zach Allen (99) in the first quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

At the halfway point of the season, the Chiefs are the only undefeated team in the NFL, seeking to become the first-ever team to win three straight Super Bowls, and they may have a team that can do that.

The Chiefs rank in the top 10 in all three phases of the game, but the defense is the best of their three units. With that said, Patrick Mahomes and the offense are getting the job done despite injuries to key players, and the special teams is effective.

Fans will recall that the Broncos snapped their losing streak against the Chiefs last season. After losing the first 2023 matchup 19-8 (thanks mostly to a poor offensive showing by the Broncos), Denver won the rematch 24-9 due to great defense and the offense doing enough to get the job done.

This year, though, if the Broncos really want to prove they can match up with the Chiefs, they need to show it in Week 10 at Arrowhead Stadium because the teams won't meet again until Week 18 at Mile High, at which point Kansas City might be in position to rest its starters.

The Broncos will have to put their best foot forward in Week 10 in all phases of the game if they want to silence any critics.

Atlanta Falcons | 5-3

Sep 29, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) throws a pass against the New Orleans Saints in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

With the win over the Panthers, the Broncos are now 3-0 against the NFC South. The Falcons game at home gives the Broncos a chance to sweep the division.

The Falcons aren't a top team but they are doing good things on offense with Kirk Cousins at the helm. The Falcons have won four of their last five games, with the only loss being a low-scoring game against the Seahawks in Week 7.

The Falcons' defense, while improved from last year, is a league-average unit. The same holds true with the special teams. On paper, this should be a winnable game, but a win won't happen if the Broncos make too many mistakes.

Most of all, the Broncos have lost their last three meetings with the Falcons. The Broncos haven't beaten Atlanta since November 16, 2008, in Mike Shanahan's final season as head coach. Surprisingly, among the next three games, this may be the biggest monkey the Broncos need to get off their back.

Bottom Line

If the Broncos are to expect a realistic shot at the playoffs, they need to win at least one of the next three games. If they manage to win two of the three, though, they would not only improve their playoff odds but get more analysts to take them seriously.

And while Nix has looked good the past two games, we need to see whether he can remain poised against teams that have more talent on defense. This is particularly true against the Ravens and Falcons.

It's hard to see the Broncos sweeping all three games — although, if that happened, it would be a shock if they didn't make the playoffs.

But if the Broncos can win the Falcons game — on paper, they have a good shot — and keep it close against the Ravens and Chiefs, while Nix keeps improving despite what the box score shows (particularly in the first half), fans will know the team is still trending in the right direction.

Dominating games is great, but,when playing a bad team, a good team should dominate. When it comes to playing better teams, a team must either win or keep it close to show it's truly a good team.

We'll see whether the Broncos can do that.

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