Three bold predictions for the Broncos during the 2021 NFL season
Sep 8, 2021, 6:41 AM
There are so many “bold prediction” articles before the start of the regular season that it reminds me of how there’s a flurry of mock drafts before the NFL draft. Rather than fight the trend, I am going to have fun and make my own list of bold predictions for the Denver Broncos 2021 season.
The Broncos coaching staff, led by head coach Vic Fangio, are in a make-or-break season. They could use some of these following bold predictions to work out. Getting to double-digit wins seems like a must, and that’s no guarantee it will lead to a playoff berth. However, with some players playing up to (and beyond) their potential that could mean more wins this season.
Here are three bold predictions for the Broncos in 2021.
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Teddy Bridgewater throws for a career high in TDs
It’s time for Broncos fans to get on board with starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. While I don’t think he’s going to fill the air with footballs in 2021, I do think he’ll set a career high in touchdown passes. This isn’t that bold of a proclamation, as Bridgewater only has 15 touchdown passes as a career high, so I’ll make it even more “extreme” (queue the 90s music).
I believe Bridgewater can break his career high for touchdown passes by the Week 11 bye.
That seems like a reasonable goal for Bridgewater – even on a run-heavy offense. They’ll have played 10 games by that time, and half of them will be against poor teams. The Broncos begin the season with three “gimmes” against the Giants, Jets and Jaguars. In these contests, I can see Bridgewater having multiple touchdown passes.
The schedule gets tougher after those first three games, but Bridgewater needs about 1.5 touchdowns per game to reach this prediction. Bridgewater has never worked with as much talent on offense as he has here in Denver. That, along with his natural skill as a passer, will help him set career highs by the time the team gets a break in Week 11.
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Pat Surtain wins Defensive Rookie of the Year
There is no doubt that 2021 first-round pick Patrick Surtain II is a playmaker. The Broncos had a strong secondary before the draft, so that’s why some were shocked when they selected a cornerback with their first pick. Seeing Surtain on the field during training camp and the preseason, I think that kind of talk has been squelched.
Surtain has the length and speed to be a special corner in this league. Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey, a player Surtain is often compared to, admitted that he sees himself in the rookie. That’s certainly high praise, and we should get a treat watching Surtain’s career unfold just like we saw most of Bailey’s career here in the Mile High City.
This was a good defensive class, although the quarterbacks got all the attention leading up to the draft. That means Surtain has his work cut out for him – especially because he’s not yet a starter. Even as a reserve player, I think Surtain should see the field early and often.
He’s the type of player who doesn’t need a ton of snaps to make an impact. One day, I could see us talking about a “Surtain Island” where opposing quarterbacks stay away from. Simply put, that won’t happen as a rookie.
Quarterbacks will test him because he’s a rookie, and Surtain can make them pay. Add in the pressure that should aid the secondary, and you can see how Surtain could get around four interceptions and perhaps even a pick-six. Those type of splash plays could help him win Defensive Rookie of the Year.
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Von Miller bounces back
Again, I don’t think this is necessarily a “bold” prediction, but I believe Von Miller could have a bounce-back season in 2021. He is a first-ballot Hall of Fame player, but his heyday of 2015 is way back in the rearview mirror. It’s time for Miller to look forward, stay healthy and produce at the expected level.
Last year, Miller looked like a Greek god during the offseason. He had worked hard to get into the best shape of his career, but a season-ending ankle injury cut his year short before it even began. In 2019, Miller led the league in interceptions and incompletions caused by pressure, but fans focused on his low number of sacks (8.0).
So, what does a bounce back look like?
I think you can go back to the 2018 season, when Miller had 14.0 sacks even though he was constantly double-teamed by opponents. This was the only year we’ve seen him and Bradley Chubb get to work opposite of each other. Chubb is back, mostly healthy, and ready to pick up where they left off a couple of years ago. I expect Miller to get most of the attention from blockers, but he’s still capable of being a force on the edge.
Let’s say double-digit sacks are a given for Miller. Perhaps 12.0 or 14.0 or more could be the number he hits, but he’s back – perhaps for one last year with the Broncos – and I expect Miller to play at a high level in 2021.
