The NFL schedule shows that the Broncos are no longer relevant
May 12, 2021, 6:05 PM | Updated: May 13, 2021, 6:37 am
The Broncos have entered the same category as the Bengals, Jaguars, Lions and other perennial cellar dwellers in the NFL. They’re an afterthought, a team that the football world doesn’t pay much attention to on a weekly basis.
This became the harsh reality when the league revealed the 2021 schedule for each team on Wednesday night. Denver wasn’t featured prominently in any way, shape or form.
For the first time in 29 years, the Broncos won’t be appearing on “Monday Night Football.” That’s a streak that started during the 1992 season.
Denver also isn’t scheduled to appear on “Sunday Night Football.” They aren’t one of the three Thanksgiving games. And they aren’t a part of any other holiday lineups.
Instead, the Broncos have a bunch of Sunday afternoon tilts. They’ll appear in primetime just once, taking on the Browns on Thursday, Oct. 21.
Every team in the league appears on “Thursday Night Football” at least once. It’s how fans have gotten stuck watching the Jaguars-Titans, Bengals-Browns and other dreadful matchups in years past.
Receiving the bare minimum of national exposure is a statement. It’s the league telling the Broncos that they don’t matter. It’s the NFL putting them in a group that includes the Bengals, Falcons, Jaguars, Jets, Lions, Panthers and Texnans. At least not now.
And it’s for good reason. Denver hasn’t made the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50, becoming the first championship team in league history to miss the postseason during the five seasons after winning a title. They’ve also posted four-consecutive losing seasons, going 23-41 during that stretch.
The Broncos have been bad. But they’ve also been boring.
Last year, Denver ranked 28th in points scored, averaging just 20.2 per game. In today’s NFL, that’s dreadfully inadequate.
There isn’t much reason to believe any of this will change. While Broncos Country may be optimistic, the impartial folks in the NFL office aren’t looking through orange-colored glasses. They see the problems.
Vic Fangio returns for his third year as the team’s head coach. He’s 12-20 at the helm.
His top assistants also return. Pat Shurmur is back for season two as the Broncos offensive coordinator, Ed Donatell will run the defense and Tom McMahon will guide a special teams unit that has been painfully bad in recent years.
In terms of personnel, the Broncos made some moves during the offseason. Most of them, however, were retaining players who have been a part of the past losing seasons. Von Miller, Justin Simmons and Shelby Harris will all return, which is good news for fans, but doesn’t move the needle nationally.
Denver did sign cornerbacks Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller, while also drafting Patrick Surtain II. So their defense figures to be stout. But that anemic offense still needs help.
The Broncos tried to acquire Matthew Stafford. They were interested in Deshaun Watson. And they passed on Justin Fields and Mac Jones in the draft.
Thus, Drew Lock returns as the incumbent starter at quarterback. He’ll be challenged by Teddy Bridgewater, who has turned into a journeyman in recent years.
Neither of those options is inspiring. And they certainly don’t attract a television audience.
That’s why the Broncos have been relegated to the kids table. They’re no longer one of the NFL’s elite franchises.
How do they change that fact? Well, being bad and boring got them there, so the opposite can get them off the league’s naughty list.
Make a splashy deal for a quarterback. Aaron Rodgers would certainly make the Broncos a relevant team.
And win some games. Last year’s playoff teams are all featured in primetime games this season.
The Broncos are no longer relevant. And they have no one to blame but themselves.
