The Broncos have earned a third chance to prove they’re a contender

The Broncos have proven one thing this season: They aren’t a bad team.

When the bottom feeders of the NFL have been on their schedule, Denver has come out victorious. They started the season 3-0, knocking off the Giants, Jaguars and Jets in successive weeks. And on Sunday, when the league’s worst team was on the docket, the Broncos dominated the Lions.

That’s not something to be dismissed. It’s a meaningful step on the road back to respectability.

Escaping the class of teams languishing at the bottom of the standings is important. It’s breaking the cycle of losing week after week.

The next step, however, will be more difficult. Proving that they are good will be tougher for the Broncos.

They’ve already had a couple of chances this season to do just that, but have failed miserably. In previous chances to show that they were a true contender, Denver has fallen flat on their face.

After their 3-0 start, the Broncos went on to lose four-straight games. The Ravens, Steelers, Raiders and Browns turned a winning record into a losing one in less than a month.

Denver scratched and clawed their way back into contention, however. After a win over the Chargers in Week 12, they were in prime position to quiet the doubters.

The NFL flexed their showdown with the Chiefs to primetime. On “Sunday Night Football,” the Broncos had a chance to move atop the AFC West.

It didn’t happen. Kansas City dominated the game, cruising to a 22-9 win for their 12th-straight victory over Denver.

But here they are again. A chance to prove that they are a contender and not a pretender is in front of the Broncos.

That’s what Sunday’s win over the hapless Lions gave them. Taking care of business against a bad team put the opportunity back on the table.

Sitting at 7-6 with four games to go, Denver is squarely “in the hunt.” They’re on the graphic at the end of every NFL game, one of the teams vying for one of the seven postseason spots in the AFC.

Do they belong? Right now, that’s open for debate. But the final four games of the season will answer the question once and for all.

If the Broncos can win three of their final four games, finishing the season 10-7, they’d have a great chance at making the playoffs. With games against the Bengals, Raiders, Chargers and Chiefs on the schedule – all of whom are in the postseason chase, as well – a trio of victories will most likely be enough for Denver to extend their season.

That’s a tall order. But it would answer the critics. It would shut up the naysayers.

Anything short of that finish, however, will prove that the Broncos really aren’t a good team. It’ll show that they aren’t ready to contend yet.

A 2-2 finish would push Denver above .500. That’d be a moral victory, given that the Broncos haven’t had a winning record since 2016. But it’d arguably be a bad thing.

At 9-8, the team would be tempted to bring back Vic Fangio. Despite three seasons without a playoff berth, the head coach could survive if he gets to nine wins.

It could also lead them to believe that Teddy Bridgewater is the answer. After 10 consecutive quarterbacks have failed to reach .500, they might retain the first signal caller since Trevor Siemian to win more than he loses.

Anything short of 2-2, however, will be a failure. Going 1-3 or 0-4 down the stretch will be proof that the Broncos are a mirage. It’ll show that they’re a paper tiger. It’ll demonstrate that they’re a fraud.

Which way will it go? The next four weeks will provide the answer.

For the third time this season, Denver has a chance to silence the critics. On their first two chances, they laid an egg. Perhaps the third time is the charm.

Will the Broncos finally answer the bell? We’re fixing to find out.

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