Things finally seem to be trending in the right direction in Broncos Country, with Russell Wilson now installed as the quarterback and Nathaniel Hackett in place as the team’s head coach, and that trend is fueling plenty of positive speculation.
The latest dose comes from Adam Schein, of NFL.com and SiriusXM, who lists the Denver Broncos as the league’s third-most likely team to snap a playoff drought spanning at least three seasons.
“Denver’s a proud franchise, and this six-year drought is the Broncos’ longest playoff-free stretch since the 1970s,” Schein wrote. “But Russell Wilson changes everything. The nine-time Pro Bowler gives this team credence, juice, hope and a totally new culture. Quarterback play in Denver has been flat-out inept since Peyton Manning retired. That’s a long time ago.”
Schein also lauded the selection of Hackett as the team’s latest head coach.
“While he didn’t call plays in Green Bay, Hackett showed his capability in that role during previous stops in Jacksonville and Buffalo,” Schein reasoned. “This is the guy who helped Blake Bortles get a three-year, $54 million extension, after all. Hackett and Wilson are poised to take this young offensive core to the next level. I’m especially enamored with Javonte Williams at running back. This tackle-breaking machine is about to break out in a major way in Year 2.”
The only teams the Broncos trail on Schein’s list are the Chargers, who lead the list thanks to Justin Herbert’s rapid rise to becoming one of the league’s most elite quarterbacks, and the Miami Dolphins, who make the list thanks to the hiring of Mike McDaniel and their offensive overhaul.
While that might disappoint some Broncos fans, Schein ultimately predicts the Broncos finish the season as, ‘a 10-win team — at minimum,’ which has to feel like a win.
If the defense can continue to produce without Vic Fangio, Schein will probably be proven right.
