Previewing Broncos' Remaining Opponents Down the Stretch

It seems like it wasn't long ago when Denver Broncos fans were calling for heads to roll after starting the season at 0-3. To make matters worse, the Broncos' defense made two mediocre opponents look good and made a good offense look like the world-beater of the decade.

But the Broncos entered the bye week with back-to-back victories, including an upset over the Kansas City Chiefs. The Broncos' defense, which gave up 70 points to the Miami Dolphins in Week 3, gave up just nine in Week 8 and forced five turnovers.

After the Dolphins game, I tweeted that the Broncos would be lucky to win three games all season. And here the Broncos are with three wins to their credit, which means my tweet isn't aging well.

But while I still believe the Broncos need to rebuild, there's a real chance they will finish with at least six wins — and the way things are going for their opponents, it's not out of the question that this team could finish with a winning record.

Setting aside questions about whether or not a winning record is the best thing for the Broncos, let's preview their upcoming opponents and determine what we can expect from them.

Week 10: Buffalo Bills

The Bills entered the season as a Super Bowl contender but, in recent weeks, have looked anything but that. Buffalo was off to a good start defensively, but in their last five games, the defense has regressed, and the offense hasn't done enough to make up for it each week.

What's troubling for the Bills is that they have as many turnovers on offense as they have forced on defense through nine games, with 14 on each side of the ball.

Given that the Bills' defense is reeling, the Broncos should be able to move the ball on offense. However, that means the Broncos need to finish drives. The Broncos weren't always able to achieve that vs. a very good Chiefs' defense in Week 8, but they had some success in the red zone. The Bills are a different story, however.

While the Bills have struggled on offense and the Broncos' defense has improved, that doesn't mean fans can take it for granted that the defense can make up for offensive ineptitude. If the Broncos don't finish enough drives against Buffalo, that's cause for concern.

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Week 11: Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings are in contention for the NFC North title again, though they haven't had the fortune of always winning close games like they did last year. The Vikings started the season 0-3 but, to their credit, they have won five of their last six.

The offense suffered a setback after Kirk Cousins was lost for the season to a torn Achilles tendon. Still, the Vikings managed to have a decent outing on offense against the Atlanta Falcons this past week.

As for the Vikings' defense, it hasn't been good, save for games against AFC North rivals Green Bay and Chicago. As with the Bills, the Broncos' offense needs to prove it can finish drives. The Broncos' defense may be able to limit what the Vikings can do, but the offense needs to play complementary football here.

Week 12: Cleveland Browns

Like the Broncos, the Browns made headlines with a blockbuster trade for who they assumed would be their franchise quarterback. However, not all has gone according to plan as DeShaun Watson has struggled.

While there are still questions about Russell Wilson, the Browns' concerns with Watson are greater for two reasons. First, Watson is in his prime years (or, at least, he's supposed to be). Second, he got every dollar guaranteed in his five-year contract.

On defense, it's a different story, because the Browns are one of the best defensive teams in the NFL. Thus, it's understandable if the Broncos don't get much done on offense. It's here that the defense needs to capitalize if Watson continues to struggle in the games leading into this matchup.

Week 13: Houston Texans

If you haven't heard by now, the Texans have almost certainly found their franchise quarterback. C.J. Stroud is having a strong rookie season and, this past week, set the record for most passing yards by a rookie quarterback.

The Texans offense has been good for the most part, so this is a game in which Broncos fans shouldn't expect the defense to shut the Texans offense down. However, if the defense does have a good outing, Broncos fans can feel pretty good.

As for the Texans' defense, it has been good but not great. The Broncos will need to get production from the offense here, because they can't count on the defense to carry the load, given the way Stroud has played in most games.

Weeks 14 & 17: Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers broke their playoff drought last year and were expected to take the next step this year. That hasn't quite materialized, though.

The Chargers' offense has been fine — the offense can move the ball well and score. The defense, though, hasn't been getting it done against the majority of the teams the Chargers have faced.

I joke about how it seems a split with the Chargers is a sure thing for the Broncos. I won't be surprised if it happens again.

If so, expect both games to see the Broncos move the ball well, but the Chargers make enough plays on offense for one win while Denver makes enough stops on defense to win the other.

Week 15: Detroit Lions

The Lions are leading the NFC North and have looked the part of a top playoff contender at times. However, they took one on the chin against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7.

The Lions have been a steady performer on offense and their defense has shown it can be a quality unit. Credit has to go to head coach Dan Campbell for getting the most out of the roster.

Of all the games against NFC North opponents, this one doesn't look like a win for Denver. A lot can happen between now and Week 15, though, so we'll have a better idea once we get to this point.

Week 16: New England Patriots

Remember the days when the Patriots had a Super Bowl dynasty and the Broncos found their path to the Super Bowl went through them? Safe to say that's not the case this season.

The Patriots are 2-7 after Week 9 and they have a lot of problems. They have a bad offense, a mediocre defense, and their special teams isn't good. And, yes, it's fair to ask whether Bill Belichick should be on the hot seat.

At one point, it looked like this game might have been about draft position. That may not look like the case now, but the Broncos can't take anything for granted. But if they do win multiple games leading up to this one, I would imagine fans would expect nothing less than a win here.

Week 18: Las Vegas Raiders

Remember that season opener against the Raiders? The Broncos' offense looked good enough, but the defense couldn't force a single punt. And that came even though the Broncos' defense did enough to contain Josh Jacobs, who has had a field day against them in recent seasons and is undefeated vs. Denver.

Since that time, the Raiders' offense has looked awful, the defense hasn't been much better, and head coach Josh McDaniels and his hand-picked GM Dave Ziegler have been fired. The Raiders did win big over the New York Giants in Week 9, but that doesn't mean they've turned things around.

If the Raiders continue to struggle, Broncos fans will certainly not be happy if the defense fails to force a punt again — unless, of course, it happens because the Broncos forced a turnover on all but the final Raiders drive of the game that happened to end on a failed fourth-down conversion.

Seriously, if the Broncos truly are an improved team in the second half, then they should be able to avenge their opening-week loss. If they aren't an improved team, at the very least, we should hope the defense gets more stops in Raiders territory and doesn't force the offense to carry the load.

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