The Denver Broncos have had a rather interesting, and honestly disappointing, start to the 2022 season. With the acquisition of quarterback Russell Wilson and the hiring of offensive-minded head coach Nathaniel Hackett, the Broncos' offense was supposed to take off.
While the Broncos look good on paper, they've had an incredibly difficult time actually living up to expectations. Not many fans or analysts predicted that Wilson would be one of the worst-performing quarterbacks in the league so far. But here we are entering Week 7, and Wilson is pretty banged up. He is banged up enough that Hackett decided to have him sit out during their upcoming game against the New York Jets.
Next man up to throw the rock for the Broncos? That would be Brett Rypien. Will Rypien and the Broncos be able to get a win? Or will the offense continue to struggle and will the Broncos face their third consecutive loss? Let's discuss some Broncos Week 7 predictions.
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The Broncos' defense will have a multi-turnover game
Week after week, the Broncos defense has been desperately trying to bail out the stagnant offense. That is probably one of the most frustrating things about the team currently. They've had all their games within reach and winnable, but find some embarrassing and disappointing ways to lose. The defense truly has tried its hardest and is currently one of the best in the league, but they can only do so much.
The Jets are off to a pretty hot start to the season so far. Sitting at 4-2, they've knocked off teams that were supposed to beat them. It should be noted that the Jets are winning in spite of quarterback Zach Wilson. Wilson hasn't been playing lights-out football, and has actually had two consecutive games without a touchdown. Right now, the Jets are heavily relying on Breece Hall and their run game. If the Broncos find a way to minimize the damage by the run, the Jets will be forced to rely on Wilson's arm. Hall will most likely not be stopped, but ideally, the Broncos will keep him somewhat contained. If Wilson is tasked with using his arm, the Broncos' secondary could come away with a pick or two during the game.
The offense will actually move with Rypien
In no way is this prediction suggesting Rypien is better than Wilson for the Broncos long term. It's just that given the current situation, one quarterback is seriously hurting and the other is perfectly healthy. Throwing an injured Wilson into this game would likely do more damage than it would help. Plus, Wilson's injuries are likely impacting his performance.
The bold prediction here is that the offense will actually move with Rypien. This will just further confuse Broncos fans, and unfortunately for Wilson, his recent contract extension will be seriously questioned. Now if Rypien manages to have a good game, fans should not automatically assume he is the quarterback of the future. Instead, take things on a week-by-week basis. If Wilson needs to heal more and Rypien can manage the offense fine in his absence, that's good! Might as well let Wilson get healthy.
Realistic prediction? Rypien will perform fine. Not an abysmal performance, yet not great enough to take the starting quarterback duties from Wilson. Perhaps a two-touchdown, two-interception game?