This is the most exciting Denver Broncos team since Super Bowl 50

The Denver Broncos are back.

For the first time in a long time, it’s safe to write that sentence.

Sure, they had a shot at the playoffs a couple of years ago with Vic Fangio and Drew Lock, but did anyone really think that duo was capable of going to the postseason? Or making any real noise? If you did, you might want to take off your orange and blue glasses.

But this year is different. In fact, this is the most exciting Broncos team since Super Bowl 50. And there’s two big reasons why in Sean Payton and Russell Wilson.

Both men have reached the mountaintop and understand what it takes to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. I’m not saying this 5-5 Denver team should start planning any parades, but they’re certainly relevant. And the playoffs don’t just feel like a dream, they now feel like the expectation.

That’s what a four-game winning streak will do, with victories against top-5 QBs in the NFL in the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. And even though the wins against the Packers and Vikings were unnecessarily dramatic, the Broncos proved they’ve learned how to pull out close games.

That’s remarkable for it to happen during the course of the season. Usually that process takes a full offseason or longer. Instead, after gagging games against the Raiders and Commanders, Denver showed they used those lessons and implemented them in a matter of months. It’s a huge credit to Payton’s leadership, Wilson’s unwavering belief and the entire roster for not quitting.

Sure, Peyton Manning, Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware and a slew of other stars aren’t walking through that door anytime soon, but the Broncos have some exciting pieces.

Courtland Sutton is one of the best stories in the NFL, finally recovering from his 2020 ACL tear and catching eight touchdown passes in 10 games. Javonte Williams had an even more remarkable comeback, looking like himself just 13 months after shredding his knee.

Safety Justin Simmons remains one of the most under-appreciated players in the league, no one can do squat against Pat Surtain II and the Broncos might have future stars in P.J. Locke and Ja’Quan McMillian. Both have created big turnovers in recent weeks, and McMillian’s nose for the football is incredible.

Yes, the suspension of Kareem Jackson on Monday afternoon hurts, but this Denver team has proven they’re better when going younger. Moving on from Randy Gregory and Frank Clark was absolutely the right decision, and there’s going to be some hard conversations it might be time to do the same with Jackson.

Of their seven remaining games, only a trip to Detroit looks a like a gauntlet. And heck, the Lions almost lost the Bears this past weekend and the Broncos went on the road and beat Buffalo. It’s a week-to-week league, and anything can happen.

As we sit here on Nov. 21, the Broncos are relevant. That’s a huge step in the right direction for a team that’s been out of it more times than not by the time we eat Thanksgiving dinner over the last eight years. I’ll toast to that.

Because for as fun as the Avalanche and Nuggets are, it’s hard to really care about games before Christmas in either the NHL or NBA. This is a football town, and it’s so much more exciting in Broncos Country when we’re tracking the standings as opposed to draft position.

It might not result in a Super Bowl this year, but it will result in every game likely mattering all the way until Week 18 in Las Vegas. And hopefully, if we’re lucky, a playoff contest or two beyond that.

Denver’s third world championship was incredible, but it’s been miserable ever since. Finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel is a great feeling. That’s a huge credit to this organization, salvaging a season that almost certainly looked lost.