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The end of the 2021 season left much to be desired for Denver Broncos fans. Another season of mediocre quarterback play had come and gone. Since the retirement of Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, the franchise has been through a myriad of quarterbacks. General manager George Paton knew this trend needed to come to an end.
During the 2022 offseason, Paton conducted a massive trade that ended with the Broncos acquiring Russell Wilson. The Broncos sent multiple early-round draft picks to the Seattle Seahawks, as well as Drew Lock, Shelby Harris, and Noah Fant. Lock never really turned into the franchise quarterback that the Broncos hoped for. The team abandoned the Lock project and traded him for a quarterback who has established himself as one of the best at his position.
With the acquisition of a proven quarterback, there seems to be a new sense of optimism floating around Broncos Country. On May 12th the Broncos released their schedule with a hilarious video including Manning and Wilson. Let's take a look at some of the matchups that Broncos fans should get excited about!
5 Games Denver Broncos Fans Should Get Super Excited For in 2022
Week 1: Broncos @ Seahawks
The NFL schedule makers really wanted to come out of the gates quick with the excitement on this one. In Week 1 of the NFL season, Wilson will return to the place he spent his entire career in, Seattle. There is no doubt Wilson's return will be an emotional event. Wilson helped bring a Super Bowl championship to the city of Seattle after, ironically, defeating the Broncos in Super Bowl 48.
This matchup may potentially involve Drew Lock, that is if he wins the quarterback battle against Geno Smith. If Lock does win the job, he too has the chance to go up against his former team. Both Wilson and Lock would love to get the chance to beat their former team, so there is no doubt this matchup has the potential to be intense. To add even more intensity, the game will be televised during primetime on Monday Night Football.
This game will no doubt be fun to watch. Which quarterback will get the win against their former team?
Weeks 4 and 11: Broncos vs. Raiders
The Broncos have been firmly situated in the cellar of the AFC West since the retirement of Manning. Each loss the Broncos have versus a division rival becomes more and more sickening. The Broncos vs. Raiders rivalry is a long and vicious one, with many classic games in history involving bouts with their division foe.
Both teams are sporting great offensive weapons. So, the games in the upcoming season between the two have the potential to be high-scoring ones. Darren Waller vs. Albert Okwuegbunam, Courtland Sutton vs. Davante Adams, Jerry Jeudy vs. Hunter Renfrow, Javonte Williams vs. Josh Jacobs.
With the acquisition of Wilson, it's time for the Broncos to properly utilize their offensive weapons and finally get back into the win column against the Raiders.
Week 16: Broncos @ Rams
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Last season, the Los Angeles Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl 56. The Rams will still be toting a high-powered offense heading into the 2022 season. A matchup against the reigning Super Bowl champs ought to be fun. This game comes later in the season, so let's hope the Broncos will still have a relatively healthy roster by then.
The Rams play in the NFC West which is the same division Wilson played in with the Seahawks. Wilson is definitely familiar with the Rams, as he has played them twice a year for his entire career. But Wilson is now on a whole new team with a completely different coaching staff and roster. The Broncos will have their hands full defensively trying to cover Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson, so this game could end up being an offensive shootout.
Weeks 15 and 17: Broncos vs. Chiefs
Here is another division battle that deserves a spot on the list. The Broncos have struggled against the Kansas City Chiefs for the past few seasons. In fact, the last time they beat the Chiefs was in 2015. To put that into perspective, the Broncos would go on to win the Super Bowl that season, and that championship feels like it was won forever ago! A Broncos win over the Chiefs is long overdue.
Since November 2015, the Broncos have never scored more than 27 points against the Chiefs. The Chiefs meanwhile have not scored below 21 points when going against the Broncos. Each divisional loss becomes more painful, especially since it has trekked into the “consecutive losses” category.
Hopefully, Broncos fans will no longer feel like any game against the Chiefs is an automatic loss this season. With Wilson throwing the ball to talented weapons, aided by offensive-minded head coach Nathaniel Hackett, the Broncos have their best chance in years to finally beat the Chiefs.
Week 3: Broncos vs 49ers
There are a lot of Broncos ties to the 49ers. San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan is the son of legendary Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan. John Lynch played safety for the Broncos and is a part of the Broncos' Ring of Fame, is the 49ers' general manager. Shanahan also has current and former assistant coaches that have once worked for the Broncos as well.
The last time the two played one another in the regular season was in 2018 when Case Keenum and the Broncos lost 20-14. No one is really sure what the 49ers will do at quarterback this upcoming season. They might roll with Jimmy Garoppolo again, or they might end up letting Trey Lance run the show. Regardless of who is throwing the ball, the 49ers are still running a highly efficient offense thanks to Shanahan. The 49ers are also touting a do-it-all playmaker in Deebo Samuel, who could give the Broncos fits if he isn't properly defended.
This will be the third game of the season, so most of the NFL teams will still be getting their bearings and finding their identity. With the Broncos having a new quarterback and coaching staff, don't be upset if it takes the Broncos a bit to get things running smoothly. But they could also come out of the gates firing on all cylinders. After all, Wilson has already been getting acclimated with his new weapons.
