Kiz: Let me be the first to admit: 1) I didn’t believe the Broncos would go unbeaten through six games; 2) The defense is even more spectacular than I imagined, and 3) I tried to warn apountry that Peyton Manning would be pedestrian at age 39, but never thought he would do a Kirk Cousins impersonation. Now here’s where it gets juicy. There are four other undefeated NFL teams, and Denver has three of them on its schedule.
Renck: The Broncos are tiring of the criticism that they are the NFL’s worst best team. The upcoming schedule creates a proving ground. Win two of three against the remaining undefeated clubs, and there will be no doubt about Denver’s veracity. However, they will not beat those teams with their current imbalance offensively.
Kiz: Bungling NFL commissioner Roger Goodell did the Broncos no favors. Deflategate took what could have been a Super Bowl hangover for the Patriots and turned quarterback Tom Brady into a monster bent on devouring any doubts regarding his greatness. I do not think New England is unbeatable. Denver has the defense to beat Brady on any given Sunday. That Sunday could well be Nov. 29, when the Pats visit Denver. I view that game as almost a must win for the Broncos. Why? Manning needs home-field advantage against Brady in the playoffs to survive and advance.
Renck: There’s no doubt that homefield matters in the Patriots-Broncos rivalry. The Broncos can beat anyone at home. They feed off the crowd, and the defense makes life even more miserable for quarterbacks. This is where it gets interesting. If Denver ever figures out its running game, they would be suited to give the Patriots a game on the road because of their defense. Of course, that’s a huge if.
Kiz: Right now, the Broncos are not as good as Green Bay. They won’t beat Aaron Rodgers in Denver without the benefit of being plus-2 in turnovers, although I acknowledge Aqib Talib and his mates might be able to supply those necessary takeaways. Denver is a better team than either Carolina or Cincinnati. In fact, it’s not the undefeated Bengals that worry me as playoff competition in the AFC. It’s twice-beaten Pittsburgh, when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returns to health.
Renck: The Bengals are legit, but haven’t won a playoff game since 1991. The Steelers are sneaky. No one wants to face them in the playoffs with a healthy Roethlisberger and Le’Veon Bell. You’re right, Kiz, about the turnover margin. Denver can’t keep giving the ball away. It will compromise the defense against good teams. Getting homefield throughout the playoffs is ambitious, but not impossible because of home games against New England and Cincinnati. Everything is tied to the offense becoming more effective.
