The Broncos should say hello to the bye
“Since I’m not a blind follower of the Denver Broncos, I needed my faith to be renewed a wee bit by a game like this. And that faith was refilled like sweet berry wine in a golden chalice as they grabbed firm control of the division and sat down in the driver seat of the entire AFC.”
No one is particularly honest when it comes to recalling their sports predictions. It’s not that they’ll deny they made a prediction that didn’t come true, they’ll just decline to remind you they were wrong. That’s human nature and it’s definitely the nature of the sports fan to have a short memory – when it comes to being off the mark.
But if someone hits on a prediction, you can’t avoid the deluge of preening, self congratulatory proclamations of “I told you guys” and “I called it weeks ago”. That is the common refrain when someone is right, but it’s strange how no one pipes up when they were wrong.
I was certainly wrong about the outcome of the Broncos – Colts game back in week seven. I thought for sure the Broncos would slaughter the upstart Colts in an emotional affair pitting Peyton Manning against his former team. I definitely had that one wrong. And I was also wrong about the Broncos – Patriots game even though I did tell someone it would be close like, “just by a field goal”. I told you. I just happened to tell you the wrong team would win by a field goal.
What I may also be wrong about is the Denver Broncos chances at winning a Super Bowl this year. As the team entered last Sunday’s matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, I figured they’d win the game, but my vision of the team going on to win a championship felt diminished. New England gashed the defense and allowed for a miraculous comeback – even by Tom Brady’s standards – and if the Broncos lost to the Chiefs the following week, it would mean dark times for this team of sweetness and light.
But the Broncos, with a depleted defense, not only handled the Chiefs, they pretty much throttled them far more than anyone expected during a December visit to Arrowhead. Usually a house of horrors for the Broncos at any time of year, this game was merely a definitive statement game that wasn’t even as close as the score indicated.
Since I’m not a blind follower of the Denver Broncos, I needed my faith to be renewed a wee bit by a game like this. And that faith was refilled like sweet berry wine in a golden chalice as they grabbed firm control of the division and sat down in the driver seat of the entire AFC. All they have to do now is put on the seat belt and hit the gas. And that, my rowdy Bronco friends, is the only thing that matters at this point for the Denver Broncos: Getting the first seed in the AFC.
The Broncos will need it. If they don’t get it, there are just too many injuries and old necks and gimpy ankles to pull this off. They need the rest and that rest will come during the first week of the playoffs. If they don’t get the first round bye (and home field advantage throughout the playoffs), I can’t possibly see the magic continuing. Many will argue that the time off last season left the team flat and unprepared for the Baltimore Ravens. But this team is different from last year’s version and they will come back after the first round bye refreshed and ready to go. Last season they may have needed to play that first week to get into a groove, but this year’s team – a rested team – will be ready to answer the bell.
If they do get that week off, expect them to go far in the playoffs. But for the remainder of the season, the main focus of this team should be getting that week off. Like a common worker of any walk of life putting in some OT to get that extra day off after Christmas, the Broncos too should be game planning to get that extra time off after the holidays. For the first time in weeks, I feel great about the Broncos chances of winning the Super Bowl. They just have to get there first and a little rest will go a long way. And if that’s how it all goes down, for once in your life, you’ll be happy to hear “I told you so”.
