SI’s Bedard: ‘Don’t go nuts’ over Broncos last place prediction

With its future Hall of Fame quarterback now on the clock counting the days until induction, the future under center now in Houston and a variety of offseason transactions, it wouldn’t be a total shock should the Denver Broncos take a step back in 2016.

But going from Super Bowl 50 winners to the bottom of the AFC West? It’s not likely many Broncos fans were ready for that Sports Illustrated prediction.

“I wouldn’t go nuts about the last place stuff,” SI’s Greg Bedard told 104.3 The Fan’s Sandy Clough Thursday.

“First of all, they’re tied for last place and they’re two games out of first place, so I wouldn’t go nuts over saying that I picked the Broncos to be in last place.”

The magazine’s most recent issue had the Broncos finishing tied for last in the division with the Oakland Raiders at 9-7, and grabbing the cellar on tie breakers.

Bedard said the prediction more shows the strength and competitiveness of the division itself (all four teams finish above .500 and within two games of each other) than a drop off for the Broncos.

“They’re in an extremely tough division. Two games separate first place and last place. I think it’s going to be a dog fight to the end,” Bedard said.

However, climbing that Super Bowl mountain two years in a row is tough sledding, Bedard said. If Denver were to win it in 2016, they’d be the first team to do so since the 2004 and 2005 New England Patriots.

“… It’s extremely difficult to climb the mountain again,” Bedard said. “All the work, all the effort on the part of the players, the coaches, everybody. Offseason workouts. In-season workouts. Is everybody doing the exact same or more than they did last season to climb the mountain? Usually that is not the case. And usually teams that go to the Super Bowl, win the Super Bowl, they take a step back, and there’s a reason for that.”

A repeat of champions has happened just eight times, and only three times in the past 25 years.

Follow 104.3 The Fan digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @johnnyhart7.