After the 3-1 Denver Broncos fell to the 1-3 Pittsburgh Steelers, the AFC West team is no longer looking like a playoff contender.
The past several season have not been kind to Broncos fans: the team started 0-4 in 2019, then 0-3 in 2020.
Since Peyton Manning’s departure, the Broncos haven’t neared the ranks of Super Bowl contender. What once was the NFL’s most formidable defense hasn’t been able to hold off NFL offenses, especially not in the AFC West with the recent emergence of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Still, 2021 offered a hopeful glimpse at a different future, one where the Broncos just might win their division since 2015. But after a brutal loss to the Steelers at Heinz Field, the Broncos come away with a team that could let their three-win lead unravel in the coming weeks.
Broncos are more pretender than contender after Steelers loss
The Broncos’ first three wins were against the New York Giants, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the New York Jets, which are three of the NFL’s worst teams in 2021.
The Broncos only managed one touchdown in Week 4, losing 23-7 to the Baltimore Ravens, and managed only one better against the Steelers this Sunday.
The Broncos are missing both Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler, a deficit that doesn’t look to improve anytime soon since the wideouts are both on IR.
Vaunted linebacker Bradley Chubb is also on IR, which severely affects the Broncos’ pass rush duo of Chubb and Von Miller. On Oct. 10, the team listed six players as “Out” and one on IR.
While the Broncos have been coping with notable absences like Jeudy and Chubb, the blame also falls on head coach Vic Fangio.
everyone gets hung up on ‘TEDDY VS DREW’ or ‘OL PROBLEMS’ etc….and completely miss the fact that they do not have the right coaches in place. If you were to do Power Rankings on HC and OC #Broncos would rank near the bottom in both categories. @1043TheFan
— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) October 10, 2021
The conclusion after the Ravens and Steelers dominated the Broncos is this: the team is dealing with serious deficiencies that make them less competitive than their 3-1 record indicates, and coaching decisions compound the injury losses already felt on the roster. Unlike their AFC West counterparts, the Broncos have yet to land their true franchise quarterback, a factor that significantly limits their ability to make or last in the postseason.
According to Thomas Hall with Mile High Huddle, a loss at Heinz Field drastically decreases the Broncos’ playoff odds.
“When looking at the Broncos’ specific scenario, it gets even worse. If the Broncos lose at Heinz Field, the probability of the postseason plummets to a measly .38. That is not a good bet.”
Sitting at 3-2, it looks as if the Broncos may finish last in the division after all.
