Broncos Bucked the Odds All Season When the ‘Experts’ Repeatedly Said it Couldn’t Be Done
So many people said it couldn't be done, yet the Denver Broncos bucked the odds all season long and proved the naysayers wrong all the way to the Super Bowl.
Before the season started, there were only a very few experts who thought the Broncos would be a Super Bowl contender. After a less- than- stellar pre-season, there were even fewer experts giving Denver even the slightest of chances to not only get to the Super Bowl but to win it.
As the season wore on, despite the fact that they were piling up wins, the Broncos seemed to vanish from most Super Bowl discussions. The offense was "struggling" while the defense time and time again rose to the occasion to propel the horses to victory.
Whether it was playing the New England Patriots during the regular season or the AFC Championship, the Pittsburgh Steelers, or the Carolina Panthers in the Super Bowl, the naysaysers said it couldn't and wouldn't be done.
Sure, it's been a difficult season- 14 games decided by 7 points or less- but let's just take a quick peak at the scoreboard at 0:00 of the Fourth quarter in the final game of the season. Broncos 24 Panthers 10. 'Nuff said.
I have to say, I am proud of the fact that before the season I picked Denver to win the 2016 Super Bowl, and that in the days before the big game I stuck with my gut. Honestly, I can't say that I was 100% confident, but something deep inside told me Super Bowl 50 belonged to Big Orange.
Let this be a lesson to us all. When people tell you it can't be done, remember the little train that said "I think I can, I think I can" but more importantly think of the Denver Broncos who are now saying to the 'experts.' "We did it, we did it!"
Here's a look at what the "experts" had to say this past season.
- 1
GREG GABRIEL - National Football Post
July 26, 2015"The Broncos have won the division title the last four years and it may be tough to repeat in 2015. Peyton Manning isn’t getting any younger and the loss of left tackle Ryan Clady could be huge in keeping Manning on his feet.
Kansas City and San Diego are improving and it wouldn’t shock me to see one of those teams win the division."
- 2
NEIL GREENBERG - Washington Post
October 18, 2015THE DENVER BRONCOS ARE UNDEFEATED. BUT, THERE DEMISE IS NOW AT HAND
"The Denver Broncos are now 6-0 after beating the Cleveland Browns 26-23 in overtime. But there are reasons on both sides of the ball to think this team is heading downhill over the remainder of the season.
But this defense isn’t as good as it looked, because the Broncos haven’t played anyone formidable.
Plus, when examined in the historical context, their performance may not be enough to get them to playoffs, let alone a Super Bowl.
This isn’t to say the Broncos won’t make the playoffs, but they still have the Packers, Patriots, Steelers and Bengals on their schedule, and the game against Pittsburgh is late enough (Week 15) it should feature a healthy Ben Roethlisberger under center. All those teams are better and more balanced than this undefeated Denver squad, and all could defeat the Broncos in the weeks to come."
- 3
MARK SCHLERETH - ESPN
January 16, 2016 (Before the Pittsburgh Playoff Game)"The Broncos have a bunch of guys playing up front that really shouldn't be playing,” Schlereth continued. “They should be backups or street free agents looking for work, is really where they should be. But those guys are playing. That's what they have right now and you kind of just got to go with what you got and that's all they got."
- 4
KEVIN DUFFY - MassLive.com
January 23, 2016 (Before AFC Championship Game vs New England)"Patriots 30, Broncos 17. A blowout on the road wouldn't be unprecedented. Since the 1999-00 season, seven road teams have won by double-digits in conference championship games. The bet here is that Denver keeps this game relatively close before the Pats put it out of reach late.
The Broncos will need to force several turnovers and get consistent production out of the running game to have a chance. And even if they can check off both of those boxes, this is still an uphill climb. The Patriots are the better team, plain and simple. The better team usually wins if it doesn't beat itself, and that's something New England rarely does."
- 5
STEVE REED - AP Sports Writer
Before the Super BowlThe Denver Broncos and their top defense haven't seen anything quite like Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers, the No. 1 scoring offense in the league.
The Panthers (17-1) are on a roll, jumping on playoff opponents early. The primary question on Sunday might not be whether they'll win the franchise's first Vince Lombardi Trophy, but if they'll hand the Broncos another Super Bowl blowout.
Prediction: Panthers 31, Broncos 18
- 6
HEATH EVANS - Writer NFL.com
February 4, 2016If anybody has watched the last two games for both teams, I don't know how anybody could pick the Broncos to win this game.(Super Bowl) If both teams play equally well, the Broncos will lose. There is always a chance they could win because of injuries, defensive scores and other factors, but I don't see that happening.
- 7
ZANE MATHEWS - KOOL 107.9
September 9, 2015I like the Broncos ..... in the championship game. Nobody is talking about Denver right now because they don’t look very good. But, they will be better in November and December.
Here it is…..on February 7, 2016, Peyton Manning wins the final game of his Hall of Fame career as the Broncos beat the
Cowboys.
PREDICTION: Denver 31Dallas24And this one, just three days before the big game.
I will stick with the Super Bowl Prediction I made before the season started – Broncos win 31-24. February 4, 2016