Broncos win could cause conflicting feelings for Broncos Country

Reflecting on the Denver Broncos Week 14 victory over the New York Jets could split the fan base in half. As a lifelong member of Broncos Country I struggle with the idea of wanting the team to lose. However, the long term health of the franchise may have taken a hit.

As Ian St. Clair and I discussed on the MHR Radio post game recap, winning this game was like a bandaid on a bullet wound. It felt good, but also, not. The team looked great. Von Miller and Demaryius Thomas achieved some pretty cool milestones. The defense pitched a shutout.

There was a foreign feeling that crept in as the game started. It felt inevitable that the Broncos were going to win. Trevor Siemian marched the team down the field on their first drive. Even though the drive stalled, it looked like the Broncos were back on track. A Brandon McManus field goal kicked off the scoring, but the offense wasn’t done.

While the defense was busy bottling up the Jets offense, the Broncos offense was ready to play. After Brandon Marshall forced a Josh McCown fumble, Siemian found Demaryius Thomas on the second play for a 20 yard touchdown. It was the quintessential Siemian under throw that Thomas made a great adjustment on.

But even as the game was turning into a Broncos blowout, there was an unsettling mood. It was great to see the orange and blue look like they did at the beginning of the season. Being resigned to a high draft pick, however, tainted the win. I can see the eyes rolling, and already see the comments sections, “not a true fan,” and, “we never root for our team to lose.”

I get it. Andy Janovich pounding through the Jets defense for a touchdown was great to watch. The defense dismantling the Jets offense made Von Miller dance. It was fun. There was joy on a Sunday, but it came with a price.

The Denver Broncos are in a race for the highest possible draft pick. Winning now only serves to hamper that quest. True fans will never root for their team to lose, but the reality is that this win may have been the last thing the organization needed.

That being said, beating up the Jets was exactly what Broncos Country needed. It was a little bit of soul food in an otherwise bleak season. It was nice to get back to sack dances and touchdown celebrations for a week. And if it’s only for the week, that’s alright, too.

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