The Denver Broncos superfan Brandon Perna of ThatsGoodSports would tell you that the 2022 Broncos were a bad team, and that might be putting it lightly. In some aspects, however, 2023 started out even worse for the team that has now pushed eight seasons without a return to the postseason following their Super Bowl 50 triumph. The team started 1-5, a stretch where they gave up 33 points a game, and Russell Wilson had moments where he played the worst he’s ever had.
And yet, following their Week 6 Thursday Night loss to Kansas City, things suddenly turned around as the Broncos went on a five-game winning streak to enter December with a 6-5 record. They reversed course again, however, to finish 2023 with an 8-9 record.
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What Went Right
Denver’s midseason winning streak deserves high praise, especially considering the opponents they took down along the way. In subsequent order, Denver took down four eventual playoff teams: the Packers, Chiefs (aided by an illness-fueled bad game for Patrick Mahomes), Bills, and Browns. And in those four contests, they gave up only 80 points to those teams, for an average of 16 points a game. Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph really came into his own in this stretch, especially after many called for his firing after the Week 3 disaster in Miami.
What Went Wrong
Denver couldn’t hold it together in some pivotal late-game situations, losing just enough games late in the going that blocked a return to the playoffs. In just their first two games alone, Denver lost by a combined three points, where Week 2 against Washington saw a 2-point try that would have sent the teams to overtime fell short. Another pair of close losses would occur later in the year against the Texans and Patriots.
If two of these losses fell the other way, Denver could have slipped into a Wild Card with a 10-7 record, potentially giving Kansas City an even bigger scare than the now Super Bowl-bound Chiefs experienced in December.
Team Award Winners
MVP – Courtland Sutton
The sixth-year man from Texas A&M had himself a career year touchdown-wise in 2023. On 59 receptions, Sutton hauled in 10 touchdowns, four better than his previous high of six in 2019, to go along with 772 receptions. However, Sutton’s best day was during the game Denver fans would like to forget, as he hauled in eight passes for 91 yards and a score during the 70-20 loss Denver suffered in Week 3.
Rookie of the Year – Marvin Mims Jr.
The Oklahoma rookie had himself a reasonably solid first year in Denver, as his special teams abilities earned him a Pro Bowl nod and an appearance on the All-Pro second team. He only hauled in 22 passes all season and one touchdown through the air, but he added in a 99-yard kick return touchdown in Week 3 and aided in turning Denver’s special teams around.
Mims does need to take the next step as a pass catcher going forward, no matter who starts under center for Denver, but the future is bright for him.
Best Offseason Addition – Samaje Perine
Perine spent most of the year behind Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin but was still very serviceable in the time he did get to spend in the backfield. He caught 50 balls and was always a receiving threat in the backfield when Denver needed him to be. He will probably remain behind Williams and McLaughlin in 2024 but as a very serviceable RB3.
Biggest Surprise – Russell Wilson
Wilson experienced the worst season of his career in 2022 and entered 2023 needing to turn things around to silence the critics. For the most part, Wilson did have a bounceback kind of season, throwing ten more touchdown passes than he did in 2022 and cutting back on his interceptions. Despite his turnaround, it still wasn’t enough to get Denver back to the postseason.
Biggest Disappointment – Jerry Jeudy
Jeudy was Denver’s round 1 selection in 2020, but his 2023 production would belie this fact. He has been the subject of trade rumors for the past few seasons, and while no such trade ever came together, 2023 saw Jeudy only haul in 54 passes for 758 yards and two touchdowns for the entire season. Jeudy did not haul in more than six catches in any one contest.
One Burning Question
Is it time to move on from Russell Wilson?
Denver benched Wilson for the final two games of 2023, leaving observers wondering if Denver was indeed preparing to move on from the signal-caller they gave up a significant haul for. This offseason has just begun, but Wilson is also 35 and will turn 36 during the 2024 season, and his decline will only continue further. Possessing the 12th pick in the draft leaves Denver potentially needing another draft day trade involving significant assets if they are to attempt to get in range for a future signal-caller.
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