The NFL had another chaotic week from three Thanksgiving games to inconsistent officiating.
Plus, for the first time in the history of the NFL RedZone, a fire alarm went off during the final minutes of the broadcast. Scott Hanson briefly evacuated but did return to broadcast while the alarm was blaring.
With all the chaos this season, one team continues to thrive. That team is the Denver Broncos.
Russell Wilson Bounce-Back Season
Last Season he took an L and bounced back in a huge way. In the 2023 season through Week 11, Russell Wilson has passed for 2,199 yards with a passer rating of 103.4. He beat the bathroom allegations from last season with 20 touchdowns to only four interceptions. Last season, Wilson passed for 3,524 yards with 16 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. In 2023, he has cut his interception numbers in half along with adding more touchdowns than last season. In addition, he has 266 rushing yards.
Receivers Are Cooking
Wilson’s favorite target is Courtland Sutton. In the Broncos’ most recent game, Sutton had three receptions for 63 yards. However, Wilson does spread the ball around. Against Cleveland, tight end Adam Trautman shined with a cool touchdown where he made a sideline grab and kept his leg in bounds. The fact that Denver’s offense beat one of the best defenses in the league is amazing for Broncos Country.
TOUCHDOWN STANDS‼️
Russ to Trautman for 6⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/GdYarU9lKe
— Let's Talk Broncos Podcast (@TheLTBPodcast) November 26, 2023
Quality Of Opponents
The Broncos are tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for the longest active winning streak (five games). If you look at the opponents that Denver has defeated, four of five (Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, and Clevland Browns) are either at a .500 winning percentage or higher. The only exception is Green Bay; the Packers are very close to an even record at 5-6. There is a realistic world where the Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers make the playoffs, a Grossi Perna Show dream.
Lockdown Defense
Denver has been playing excellent defense. Justin Simmons leads the team with three interceptions, Nik Bonitto has seven sacks on the year, and Alex Singleton leads the team in tackles with 63. Denver’s defense has a +8 turnover differential, which is fourth in the league, and they also rank first in fumbles. This defense is very opportunistic, which leads to more opportunities for their offense to cook and win games.
Playoff Picture
Currently, the Broncos are the AFC’s No. 9 seed behind the Houston Texans. The season is not over there are still seven weeks to decide Denver’s fate. The Broncos’ schedule is full of winnable games.
Next, Denver plays the Texans in a crucial game with major playoff implications. Then, they take on the Los Angeles Chargers in a divisional game where anything can happen. That clash is followed by the Detroit Lions, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Chargers again, and Las Vegas Raiders. Looking at that schedule, there are many winnable games for Denver. They have a realistic shot to make the playoffs for the first time since 2015 when they won the Super Bowl.
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