The Teddy Bridgewater era in Denver can be judged in four games

The Denver Broncos have chosen Teddy Bridgewater as their starting quarterback. This was a move that didn’t sit well with Broncos fans who wanted Drew Lock instead. The competition was close, but the team has to win early and win often in order for the coaching staff to keep their jobs.

Bridgewater gives them the best chance to do that, so that’s why head coach Vic Fangio chose him as the starter for the 2021 season. With 17 games, and arguably the easiest schedule in the NFL, Bridgewater is going to face all different types of opponents. Looking forward to the season, one can identify which games will be most important on the schedule.

Here are the four games from the 2021 season that will define the Bridgewater era.

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Week 1 at the New York Giants

I know, I know – it’s the Giants and they’re terrible. That’s true, but things need to get off on the right foot for Bridgewater and the offense.

First and foremost, this game is on the road . Any long-time Broncos fan will tell you that the team struggles in games back East. The Broncos have to come out strong and put up a good fight against an inferior opponent.

The defense should be able to thrive against Daniel Jones and the Giants offense. Star running back Saquon Barkley (knee) is still banged up and so is their best wide receiver Kenny Golladay (hamstring). If both play, they’ll likely be less than 100 percent – which only helps the Broncos defense.

The Broncos should get the ball back in good spots on the field. Against this type of opponent, it’s time for touchdowns and not field goals. A win is a win, but style points will matter – especially for fans who wanted Lock instead of Bridgewater.

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Week 4 vs. the Baltimore Ravens

The Broncos should be 3-0 by the time they get their first – and perhaps biggest – test of the 2021 season. They are home for this game, and this is where Broncos Country can really make a difference. In order to make a run at the postseason, the Broncos will have to prove they can at least put up a fight against a powerhouse team like the Ravens.

Bridgewater is going to be tested in ways he wasn’t over the first three games. The Ravens should sell out to stop the run, and they’ve got the defense to effectively do that. Baltimore will dare the Broncos to beat them through the air, and this is where Bridgewater must make plays with his arm.

Since Bridgewater is not known as a gunslinger, the Ravens should sit on short-to-intermediate routes and force him to try and make a play over the top. Rush and cover is the name of the game when it comes to elite defenses, and the Ravens can do both. Bridgewater may not have much time, and his receivers should be well covered.

The Broncos defense is going to have trouble slowing down Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. This is a huge test for Fangio and his defense. If Jackson goes off, that means there’s even more pressure on the offense to score more points than they normally do. I don’t think the Broncos can win this game, but I’d like to see them put in a competitive performance.

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Week 7 at the Cleveland Browns

This is the only primetime game for the Broncos this year. In Week 7, they travel to play the Cleveland Browns on “Thursday Night Football.” It’s great to be under the bright lights against a fiery crowd in Cleveland, but it’s going to be on a short week with only a few days to prepare.

The Browns are where the Broncos want to be. Not that long ago, the Browns were a team with more than a dozen starting quarterbacks over recent years and they were generally a laughingstock in NFL circles. Now, it’s the Broncos who have burned through several quarterbacks over the last five years and are looking for a franchise quarterback like Browns starter Baker Mayfield.

Bridgewater is not the long-term answer for the Broncos, but he’s got this year to prove himself. Going up against a strong Browns team and beating them in primetime would mean a lot. Broncos fans are nationwide, and this is the lone time they’ll be the only game in town (or on TV) this season.

Mayfield and the Browns offense should be able to move the ball against the Broncos. I don’t think they’ll drop 35 points on Denver, but this is a game where scoring 17 points won’t cut it. That puts more pressure on Bridgewater to make plays – and not just between the 20s.

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Week 13 at the Kansas City Chiefs

Five of the six AFC West games the Broncos play will come after their Week 11 bye. The game on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs will be the Bridgewater-led Broncos Super Bowl. The last time the Broncos beat the Chiefs, it was September of 2015 and Peyton Manning was their quarterback. The Chiefs have had the Broncos number since then and they are arguably the best team in the league.

By that time, the Broncos should have momentum from easier games earlier in the season. There’s a chance after 11 games and one bye, the Broncos have a winning record. This will be a time where it’s make-or-break for Fangio and the coaching staff. Bridgewater’s experience against the Chiefs could be something that keeps them in the game – as crazy as that may sound.

Last year when starting for the Carolina Panthers, Bridgewater had his best game of the year against the Chiefs. It wasn’t garbage-time stats either, as the Panthers barely lost to the Chiefs with a final score of 33-31.

Bridgewater went 36-of-49 for 310 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also chipped in with a rushing touchdown and the game came down to the final two minutes before a victor was decided.

One wouldn’t think Bridgewater could go toe-to-toe with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but it happened – and it happened recently with an inferior Panthers roster on both offense and defense. The Broncos defense is going to have its work cut out for them, but if they can play well, Bridgewater has proven that he can play well against the Chiefs.

On the road at Arrowhead Stadium is tough, and I don’t expect the Broncos to win this game. How sweet would it be if they could actually pull it off?

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