The Denver Broncos will enter the 2019-20 NFL season proving to themselves and the rest of the NFL they have found their missing link. With the addition of QB Joe Flacco, the Broncos have set themselves up for a playoff berth. Last season, the team finished the year 6-10 as QB Case Keenum faltered in so many ways. His play forced John Elway to make a call to get another veteran player in as he did with Peyton Manning in 2012. Is Flacco ready to lead again?
With an offense lacking valuable leadership, players with top-notch skills became an afterthought. The ground game is good with Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman leading the attack and the receiving core of Emmanuel Sanders and Courtland Sutton could be one of the best tandems in the NFL if given the right signal-caller. The defense is set to stake a claim as one of the best with Von Miller and Bradley Chubb. This will be a season of redemption for the Denver Broncos.
Here are 5 bold predictions for the Denver Broncos for the 2019-20 season
Joe Flacco Will Make Pro Bowl
What has held Joe Flacco back the past few seasons? For the Super Bowl-winning QB, his offense while with the Baltimore Ravens has been mediocre. Now, in Denver, he gets a chance to not only redeem his legacy but the Broncos as well. Since Peyton Manning retired in 2016, the Broncos have been in search of a reliable signal-caller.
Flacco has a great core of receivers in Emmanuel Sanders and Courtland Sutton. Flacco has a career 61.7 percent completion percentage and this will work in favor of the receivers. With no QB carousel going in, the offense can settle down and go to work. Armed with a strong running game, this will allow Flacco an opportunity to relax and not force the issue. To many, Flacco has never been worth the talk of being mentioned in the elite class of QBs. He's never made a Pro Bowl but he now has the talent on offense this season to do so.
Von Miller Will Have 20 Sacks
It's no secret that Miler is a feared defender. When offensive coaches watch tapes of the Broncos' defense, it's Miller they must highlight. Last season, Miller accounted for 14.5 sacks. His job is to destroy and since coming into the league in 2011, he has sacked opposing QBs 98 times. The one year he didn't hit double-digits was in 2013 when he played in only nine games and then he still managed nine sacks. He's a force.
This season, Miller will need to turn it up just a notch. Now that he and second-year player Bradley Chubb have formed a nice bond, Miller will need to exploit that. In 2012, Miller racked up 18.5 sacks. Can he do it again? Yes. The Broncos defense will face the Oakland Raiders twice, the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, and the Detriot Lions. What that means is that Von Miller will have his shot at QBs not known for their mobility plus protected by weak offensive lines. 20 sacks may seem like overkill, but for Miller, it's right up his alley.
Broncos Will Win 10 Games
The Broncos' schedule screams playoffs. While they will get in as a Wild Card, it will be better than watching from home after finishing the 2018 season 6-10. This season, they will reverse that and finish 10-6. Playing in the AFC West will not be a cakewalk for Denver. While Kansas City is viewed as the top threat to win the Super Bowl, the Los Angeles Charges will not be a team to be overlooked as well. The Oakland Raiders, even with Antonio Brown will struggle but will Denver be able to take advantage of their non-divisional games?
There is no way they should lose to the Tennesee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Detriot Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Green Bay Packers or Indianapolis Colts. If they can slipt with the Chargers, sweep the Raiders and beat the teams mentioned above, the Broncos will have their 10 wins. The defense is too strong and with Flacco now at the helm, they have their best QB since the retirement of Manning.
Phillip Lindsay Will Rush Ror 1400 Yards
How does a RB who starts only eight games and misses one still manage to rush for 1037 yards in his rookie season? This is what fans were asking after seeing the final stats for RB Phillip Lindsay. Entering his second year, the Broncos know they have a special talent on their hands. Can he produce even more? Yes. The offense will be geared around him. Even with the addition of Joe Flacco, Lindsay will be a huge part of the team's plans moving forward. If Flacco can continue to put receivers in the right spots, this will allow Lindsay better-running lanes.
In 2018, Lindsay rushed the ball 192 times. Let's not forget, this was in limited action. If the Broncos are serious about making some noise this season, that total will need to be increased to 250+. If so, Lindsay, who averaged 5.4 yards per carry could very well eclipse 1400 yards on the ground. What the Broncos mst decide is if they will continue splitting time with Royce Freeman.
Broncos Will Have Two 1000-Yard Receivers
The Broncos receiving core has not gotten their respect. To be fair, it's not totally their fault. Case Keenum was never expected to be the savior but he also didn't put his receivers in the best position to succeed. In 2018, the top two pass catchers for Denver were Emmanuel Sanders and Courtland Sutton. Sanders finished the season with 71 receptions for 868 yards. On the other side of the field, Sutton caught 42 passes for 704 yards. What was remarkable and what should give Broncos' fans hope is that Sanders played in just 12 games while Sutton started just nine.
Both players will be an upgrade over what Flacco has had to deal with while with the Baltimore Ravens. If the offensive line and ground game can provide Flacco time in the pocket, he can find his mark. For his career, Flacco has completed 58.4 percent of his passes. Another thing to factor in is yards per catch. Sanders, just 31 averaged 12.2 yards per catch while the younger Sutton averaged 16.8.
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