Clayton: Upgrades should help Broncos regain home-field advantage
Jun 23, 2021, 5:15 PM
NFL stadium should be filled with fans this year, which is so welcomed by owners, coaches and players.
In this time of the year when everyone is doing lists, I was a little surprised by Touchdown Wire’s power rankings for stadium. Surprisingly, the Broncos rank 21st. Isn’t that low for one of the best fan bases in the league? As Touchdown Wire notes, this is a stadium that has been open since 2001 and features rocking bleachers and fans yelling in-com-plete. And the stadium is a mile above sea level.
There should be so many power advantages. I think this speaks more of the four non-playoff years in which the team compiled a 23-43 record. They are 14-18 at home over the past four years. Last year they were 2-6.
It’s not the fans who have lowered their home power rankings. It’s the team. It’s been the struggles of finding a good quarterback to replace Peyton Manning. It’s been the problems on defense last year when they gave up 27.9 points a game. So much points to the offensive problems, though.
For the season, the Broncos averaged only 20.2 points a game last year, 17.6 in 2019, 20.6 in 2018 and 18.1 in 2017. In those four seasons, the Broncos offense has ranked 24th or worse.
The improvements in the secondary, at receiver and in the backfield should get some of that home-field advantage back that has been missing for four years.
