The Fan’s way-too-early predictions for the Denver Broncos season
Apr 18, 2019, 9:02 AM
With the release of the Denver Broncos 2019 regular season schedule on Wednesday comes the annual tradition of making way-too-early predictions on how the club will fare in the upcoming season.
Here is where the 104.3 The Fan on-air staff lands on the Broncos changes in 2019:
Mike Pritchard – “Pritchard and Cecil”
Prediction: N/A
I’m disappointed that the Broncos don’t have more prime time games, but I believe first-time head coach Vic Fangio has a chance for a decent season.
Starting the season on the road in Oakland should be fun. Also, tough non-conference games against Chicago, Jacksonville, Tennessee, and Cleveland are at home.
The Broncos face Green Bay early on the road but against another first-time head coach. Denver might have a chance to steal that game.
Denver does have four tough road games in November and December, but the Broncos can get some early momentum and they end the regular season with back-to-back home games.
DMac – “The Drive”
Prediction: 8-8
The turning point game appears to be the Thursday night at home against Kansas City.
It’s the only real prime time game for the Broncos, and it’s against a fierce division rival. If they win that game, the playoffs are possible.
Lose that game, and the best you can hope for is 8-8.
Zach Bye – “Stokley and Zach”
Prediction: (Waiting until after the NFL Draft)
I like that the Broncos schedule has two of the first three games on the road. In the past couple years they’ve had home games early, which they typically won, and created a false identity. They’d have road games later in the season that, conversely, they didn’t win.
I like this team having to face adversity away from Mile High early in the season while also understanding that if the Broncos are in it down the stretch they’ll finish up with back-to-back home games when it matters most.
The key game for me is Week One against the Raiders. What a better way to kick off the 2019 season and the Vic Fangio era by beating your division rival in their own building on prime time.
Cecil Lammey – “Pritchard and Cecil”
Prediction: 9-7
There is a three-game stretch – weeks 7, 8, and 9 – with two games at home and versus some of the better or up-and-coming teams in the AFC – Kansas City, Indianapolis, and Cleveland. If they have designs of winning more than nine games and perhaps making the playoffs, they need to be at least 2-1 during that stretch.
