What is the key to the Broncos schedule?

We got a great glimpse of what 2017 holds for the Denver Broncos. We have a good idea of what it will take to make a return trip to the NFL playoffs.

We knew it was the toughest schedule, but it’s not as tough as it seems, and I stand by that. As I said, no doubt some possible speed bumps exist, but every team has them. In the history of the NFL, not one team has had a perfect schedule. There are aspects teams like and hate, and the Broncos are no different.

On Friday’s The Afternoon Drive, Eric Goodman and Les Shapiro chatted with Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post and all were in agreement the key to getting back to the playoffs is a fast start. When you look at the schedule and see four of the first six games are at home and the season finishes with four of six games on the road, you see why they come to that.

But until all of the pieces are in place for Denver and the team even steps on the field for practice in a new system with new coaches, it’s hard to know what the key is. Come a week from now, perhaps will have more clarity on that front, yet even then we’re still about three months from training camp. That holds true for every team in the NFL.

The other aspect to consider is how the season plays out and whether a team finds the sweet spot. When a team gets in a groove, it doesn’t matter where they play, and with the Broncos defense that’s a definite possibility. Get the answer at left tackle and an improved running game, it won’t matter how the schedule ends. There’s too much we don’t know, but we’re getting closer to finding out.