As the Broncos lick their wounds from a 37-12 beatdown in which they turned the ball over five times, they head into a game on Sunday against a surprisingly hot Dolphins team with a young quarterback who is playing well.
Not to be a downer, but as Joe Rowles and I talked on this week’s episode of Cover 2 Broncos, given Denver’s schedule over the next seven games, it’s quite possible the Broncos don’t win another game this year.
Even if they do, there’s sure to continue to be bumps along the way as the offense works to find any semblance of a rhythm.
With that, I have decided I am tired of being upset, mad, (insert adjective of choice here), and disappointed every Sunday.
Joe and I talked about utilizing these last seven games to learn as much about this team as possible, and find little things to watch for that bring enjoyment and some encouraging signs for next year.
So on that note, here are the things I’ll be watching for on Sunday and learnings we can take from the games so far to continue to watch for the rest of the season.
Bryce Callahan
This guy has been an absolute beast both in the slot and on the outside, and has been a joy to watch on Sunday. Last week, he came up big with three passes defensed and stuck with the Raiders speedsters down the sideline.
He is definitely a success story for the team this year, as many fans had written him off as a busted free agent signing when he didn’t play last year. Callahan is a steady veteran that looks to be a good pickup for Denver, and should play a big part in this defense heading into next year.
Garrett Bolles
If anything good came out of this year, Garrett Bolles finally putting together the season we all hoped for when he was drafted is definitely it. Bolles has played 100% of the offensive snaps, and continues to look solid holding down the left tackle spot. I don’t see how Denver doesn’t offer him a deal this offseason given his play thus far. I’ll for sure be keeping an eye on Bolles down the stretch to see if his play continues to hold up.
Young Weapons
Regardless of the dumpster fire that is this offense right now, Jerry Jeudy is just fun to watch. If I could have a camera angle of just Jeudy juking defensive backs out of their jocks at the top of his routes, I would watch just that all game. KJ Hamler also continues to look tough over the middle, even if he has yet to really break out into a deep threat yet and show off his speed.
The offense has struggled mightily, but I think Denver’s young receiving corps (including the tight ends) has shown enough this year to give a preview of what’s possible in the offense once Sutton comes back, and the quarterback and offensive line work out their issues.
I’m going to continue to keep an eye on the rookies to hopefully see them continue to step up and answer the call over these last seven games.
What about you, Broncos Country? What are you watching for/how are you planning on getting through the next seven games? What bright spots have we found this season that I missed?