The Denver Broncos are ready to return from their bye week and sit at 3-6 heading into the second half of their 2019 season. Fans are still riding high after a win over the Cleveland Browns, which featured a new quarterback in Brandon Allen.
Several questions remain for the rest of this season, including how many more games the team will win. But before we get into that part, let’s look at some of the other key questions.
How much longer should Allen hold onto the starting job? Much of that answer likely lies within what the team decides to do with Drew Lock. Will the second-round pick play at all this season?
Will the offensive line, specifically Garett Bolles, ever start to play at a consistent level, or will this unit again be one of the big question marks going into next season?
When are the quarterback and offensive line spots not going to be big question marks for this team? How many games can the team win with those question marks the rest of this season?
Going over the team’s remaining schedule, we attempt to answer that final question.
Week 11 at Minnesota Vikings
Despite the Broncos being well-rested coming off the bye week, they have to travel to Minnesota to face a surging Vikings team.
Minnesota has a stout rushing attack and a good defense. This looks and feels like an unlikely win for the Broncos.
Prediction: Vikings 24, Broncos 13
Record: 3-7
Week 12 at Buffalo Bills
The Bills are a tough team to figure out. They looked like a sure-fire playoff team until they lost to the struggling Browns last week, but they still present a tough matchup at home.
This is one of those games that the Broncos could pull out, but winning games in Buffalo, particularly in late November, is no easy task.
Prediction: Bills 16, Broncos 14
Record: 3-8
Week 13 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
The Broncos already beat the Chargers once this season in arguably the most complete game they have played this year, but can they really pull off the season sweep?
The Chargers have underachieved mightily this season but they are still in the division race and have more talent than the Broncos. However, they don’t seem like a team that is playing with much inspiration this season and the Broncos might be ready to knock them out for good in Week 13.
Prediction: Broncos 24, Chargers 21
Record: 4-8
Week 14 at Houston Texans
The Texans are the better team, but this is one of those games that will make no sense and be much closer than most people think. That happens pretty much every week in the NFL.
However, since the Texans have Deshaun Watson and the Broncos don’t, Houston will come out victorious.
Prediction: Texans 27, Broncos 24
Record: 4-9
Week 15 at Kansas City Chiefs
The Broncos knocked Patrick Mahomes out early in the first matchup between the two teams this season and they still lost by 24 points. Now, Mahomes is back and the Chiefs are extremely tough to stop as a result.
The Chiefs’ defense can be had, though and that gives the Broncos a puncher’s chance. But by this time, the Chiefs should be locked in and focused on playing their best football before postseason play starts.
Kansas City rolls.
Prediction: Chiefs 31, Broncos 16
Record: 4-10
Week 16 vs. Detroit Lions
The Lions seem to have an issue at quarterback with Matthew Stafford sitting out of their last game due to fractures in his back. He could be on the field by the time this game rolls around, but both teams will be out of playoff contention by this point.
Because of that, the Broncos will rally for the home crowd to get the win.
Prediction: Broncos 20, Lions 12
Record: 5-10
Week 17 vs. Oakland Raiders
The Broncos started the season with a loss to the Raiders, will they finish the season the same way?
The Raiders could be fighting for a playoff spot in this game, which could put the Broncos in the role of spoiler. It’s possible that Lock could even be the team’s starting quarterback in this game.
All of that is hard to predict, but it would give the fans at least something to hold onto heading into next season if they can finish this horrendous campaign with back-to-back victories.
The Broncos fight and claw for a win over their arch-rivals in their last game the Oakland Raiders (they will move to Las Vegas in 2020).
Prediction: Broncos 31, Raiders 27
Final record: 6-10
