Broncos have one of the “most forgiving schedules” in NFL

Around the NFL writer Nick Shook says the Denver Broncos have the fourth-most forgiving schedules in the league for 2021

BY KENDALL VALENZUELA

May 13, 2021, 10:59 AM

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The Denver Broncos schedule was released on Wednesday and the team has the fourth-most forgiving schedules in the league.

Which teams received the most favorable draws from the NFL schedule makers? @TheNickShook includes the 49ers and Patriots among his list of squads with the most forgiving slates in 2021.https://t.co/lyOoUqgjkY pic.twitter.com/EqbSosGGPR

— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) May 13, 2021

Strength of schedule obviously isn’t a clear-cut predictor of future outcomes, but it does help fans have a little bit of hope going into the season.

Around the NFL writer Nick Shook uses a combination of recent results and the structure of schedules to determine the 10 most forgiving slates of 2021.

The Broncos finished the 2020 season at 5-11 and haven’t made the playoffs for five years. The team will only be featured in one primetime Thursday Night Football game against the Browns in 2021.

“Starting the season with two straight games on the road is never easy, but the Broncos land here because of who they’ll play to begin the campaign,” Shook wrote. “Denver gets an immediate test in the New York Giants, a team coming off an energizing offseason but one — like the Broncos — built around a third-year quarterback who still needs to prove he can become the answer under center. From there, Denver gets the rebuilding Jaguars on the road before returning home against the team that finished right above Jacksonville in the 2020 standings in the New York Jets.”

Denver plays five games against teams that finished in last place a season ago. That’s the Jaguars (Week 2), Jets (Week 3), Eagles (Week 10), Lions (Week 14) and Bengals (Week 15).

During a 10-week stretch, Denver plays eight teams that were .500 or below in 2020. Shook writes that Denver’s toughest stretch comes between Week 4 and Week 7.

“A tough stretch awaits Vic Fangio’s team in October (Baltimore, at Pittsburgh, Las Vegas and at Cleveland on Thursday Night Football), but then there are three straight games against teams from the NFC East (the worst division in football last season), followed by a well-timed bye in Week 11,” Shook wrote. “That should give the Broncos a necessary break before gearing up for a final stretch that includes five divisional matchups and consecutive home games against Detroit and Cincinnati, both last-place teams in 2020. The ideal start (in terms of opponents) and an opportunity to string together some wins before the final stretch makes this one of the most forgiving schedules.”

The Broncos’ schedule should set them up nicely for a potential winning season — the first winning season since 2016.