According to the math, the Broncos would have a 64% chance of making the playoffs if they win this weekend and a 21% chance if they lose. This is the biggest game the Broncos have probably played since 2016. This is as close to a must-win as it can be. CJ Stroud might be the toughest QB they have faced in this stretch. Yes, they did play Allen and Mahomes but they have had their issues this season and have not played up to par and as a result, did not strike any fear in me when facing them. Stroud, on the other hand, continues to impress in his rookie season and seems to be getting better week by week which is unusual as most rookies that play well usually hit the rookie wall by now. Who knows Stroud still might hit the wall but there is no indication he will, especially after torching a good Jaguars defense that, like the Broncos, is very opportunistic and forces a lot of turnovers.
It has been a rough couple of years for Broncos and Texans fans. The Texans, have been in full tank mode since Deshaun left and have not won more than 4 games in a season since 2019. The hiring of DeMeco Ryans has provided dividends for this team and I give him a lot of credit for how he has developed Stroud in his rookie year allowing him to play through mistakes. The level of trust he has shown this rookie QB is certainly a big reason for Stroud's early success. The Texans also have good young talent around them including Tank Dell, Nico Collins, and Devin Singletary. If they can get a veteran to add to the mix, they will be unstoppable for years to come.
For the Broncos, we know how hard it has been since Manning left. They have been unable to find a QB and we have had to sit through all those QB carousel graphics for 7 straight years. They also have not had much stability in the HC position as they have gone through 4 coaches since 2016. Now, it feels like they finally have stability in both positions. With Russ's resurgence and Sean Payton calling the shots, the team is now in the best position they have been to make the playoffs since 2016.
On Sunday, this is being looked at as a marque matchup, and if it were not for the 49ers and Eagles, this may have very well been the game of the week. Despite whatever happens on Sunday, both teams should be proud of where they are right now given where they were just a year ago and hopefully, these teams can become prominent AFC threats for years to come and challenge KC at the top of the conference. With all that said, I got the Broncos winning this game 27-24 and sitting pretty at 7-5. Should be a good one!
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