The Denver Broncos lost in the Divisional Round of the playoffs on Sunday in a tough game against Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts. The Broncos looked like one of the best teams early in the season, especially after several key offseason acquisitions on the defensive side of the ball. But they faded towards the end of the year, and a once high-powered offense looked merely average against the Colts defense. With Peyton Manning nearing retirement, the Broncos’ championship window may have closed.
The Broncos organization made several key upgrades on defense that allowed them to be an intimidating unit with talent at all three levels. They had an impressive cornerback tandem, great pass-rushers and a strong run defense. They played well against Luck and company but were unable to get stops at key moments and got very little help from the offense.
Even though the Broncos focused mainly on their defense in the offseason, the team still revolves around Manning. He has premier weapons at the wide receiver and tight end positions and is the main reason why teams fear playing the Broncos. As the season went on, Manning’s play declined, but the offense was still able to rely on the running game to pull out key victories and get a first-round bye in the playoffs. Unfortunately, dropped passes and big plays from the Colts defense resulted in a poor effort from the Broncos offense on Sunday, and as a result they are now out of the playoffs.
The team will have big decisions to make about the futures of Julius Thomas and Demaryius Thomas, their two playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. They will likely have to throw big money at those two players to retain them, possibly hurting their ability to improve other parts of the roster. Manning’s future is unknown, as is the future of coach John Fox. The Broncos team that we see on the field next year may be entirely different than this year’s version, and it is unclear whether they will remain the elite team they have become since Manning’s arrival.
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