Steps the Broncos Must Take to End Their Eight-Year Playoff Drought
It has been a long time coming for the Denver Broncos to return to playoff contention, as they currently hold the second-longest playoff drought in the NFL at eight seasons, with only the Jets having a longer drought at 13 seasons. The Broncos last made the playoffs during the 2015-16 season, when Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning led the team to their third Super Bowl title, defeating the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50. Since then, the Broncos have struggled mightily to find the right successor to Manning, with 12 different quarterbacks starting for the team after his retirement. The continued instability at the quarterback position, combined with a revolving door of head coaches, has kept the Broncos from finding consistent success in the regular season.
However, entering this season under veteran head coach Sean Payton in his second year, the Broncos had renewed hope after former quarterback Russell Wilson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers this past offseason, following a two-year stint in which Wilson struggled to find success under previous head coach Nathaniel Hackett in 2022 and with Payton last season. This ultimately led to Wilson being benched toward the end of the season. As a result, the Broncos were once again in the market for a starting quarterback, and general manager George Paton turned to the NFL Draft this past April in search of Wilson’s replacement. The Broncos ultimately selected former Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick. After a five-year college career split between the Auburn Tigers and the Ducks, Nix entered this season with the goal of becoming the long-term solution at quarterback for the Broncos.
To begin the season, Nix experienced the typical rookie struggles that most quarterbacks fresh out of college face as they adjust to the NFL. As a result, the Broncos got off to a 0-2 start, with Nix throwing four interceptions and no passing touchdowns in his first two NFL starts. However, since then, Nix and the Broncos have seen a rapid improvement in production, as Nix has become more comfortable in the pocket. He has recorded two or more passing touchdowns in five of the Broncos' past nine games. Nix’s rookie success culminated in the Broncos’ most recent victory against the Atlanta Falcons at home. The Broncos dominated, blowing out Atlanta 38-6, and Nix had the best game of his NFL career, completing 28 of 33 passes for 307 yards, four touchdowns, and a season-high passer rating of 145.0.
With the success of the Broncos’ offense and Nix, the team has found itself in the hunt to end its eight-year playoff drought. Following their blowout win against the Falcons, the Broncos are currently holding the final Wild Card spot in the AFC with a 6-5 record. If they have aspirations of securing a playoff spot in the final six games of the regular season, they will face fellow AFC playoff contenders, including the Colts, Chargers, Bengals, and Chiefs. To finish the regular season strong and reach the playoffs, the Broncos will need Nix to continue improving each week, showcasing better decision-making and enhanced accuracy on deep throws compared to the start of the season. In addition, they will need consistency from the offense, which has been prone to up-and-down performances, having dropped two straight games to the Ravens and Chiefs before Sunday’s victory. The Broncos’ defense, which has allowed the third-fewest points per game at 16.6, recorded the most sacks with 39, and allowed the fourth-fewest total yards per game at 289.4, must continue to be the team’s anchor. By limiting opposing offenses, as shown against the Falcons, the defense will help set the offense up for success. If the Broncos can accomplish these tasks, they will be in a great position to contend for a Wild Card spot down the stretch.
