It’s finally coming to an end Broncos Country. 2020 has been a huge letdown.
Ultimately, the conversation will turn to the draft, and looking ahead to 2021. For most of us, that conversation has already arrived. But it’s not a conversation we want to have.
The thing is, what’s best for the future of the Broncos, and what fans generally hope for aren’t really lined up. That’s right, we have hit that time of year where arguments about whether or not the Broncos should win or lose in Week 17 have popped up.
Let me be clear, I have always been a, “You win every game” guy. And when it comes to the Raiders, losing is never an option. NEVER.
But, after 4 straight losing seasons, and double digit losses in 3 of the last 4 years, and no playoff appearances since 2015, the tune is changing.
Don’t get me wrong, like I told Ian St. Clair on the MHR Radio Podcast, I will be rooting for the Broncos to beat the Raiders in the final game of the season. My heart will take over. I can’t help it.
However, I know what’s best for this team. It is not winning a meaningless game (all games have meaning!) at the end of a lost season. My head knows that the highest draft pick possible gives the Broncos the best chance at finding franchise-changing player.
Heading into the final week, Denver’s draft scenarios put them at anywhere from 5th to 15th. That’s a big spread, and takes the Broncos from a potentially franchise altering player to a guy who could be good, but who would be less likely to turn the team around.
Give me the highest pick possible. That’s what consecutive years of losing will do to a lifelong fan who has never experienced this level of ineptitude.
I don’t like it anymore than you do, but it’s the truth. Draft value is all we have left to hope for. Unfortunately, that means a loss is better for the Broncos than a win.
And I hear the argument about momentum. The problem with momentum is that you don’t get to pop it in the freezer and defrost it the following year. How did the momentum from the final stretch in 2019 help the Broncos in 2020? It didn’t. You can’t pack it up and take it with you. There are too many variables that change from year to year.
I’ll be watching, cheering, and hoping for Drew Lock to have a big game. I want Jerry Jeudy to bounce back and have a great game. I hate the Raiders and Denver should never lose to them.
But...