Seems like the Denver Broncos have been favored by the football cognoscenti all offseason after acquiring Russell Wilson. Enter NFL Network’s Willie McGinest
Eventually, a detractor — McGinest — defied consensus. As Peter Thiel says, “The most contrarian thing of all is not to oppose the crowd but to think for yourself.” Right? Wrong, in this case. McGinest predicts the Broncos — ahem, with Russell Wilson — go 9-8 next season.
I mean, it’s a good process, in theory, to think for yourself. But, in this small sample size, the desired outcome — ahem, a Wilson-led team hovering around .500 with a 9-8 record — won’t actualize. For reference, the Broncos, a team football pundits have considered a QB away, saw their Super Bowl odds soar to seventh-best this offseason despite having not made the playoffs since 2015.
For what it’s worth, McGinest sees the Bronco starting 3-0. That means a Josh McDaniels-like collapse during the second half of the season. That’s backed by a three-game losing streak to end the season. The three respective teams are the Los Angeles Rams, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers. That’s a valid take.
But, according to McGinest, the Broncos play most of December football with a winning record. 9-5 before the losing streak. The other five respective teams the Patriots Hall of Famer pegs the Broncos losing to next season are the Las Vegas Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Tennesee Titans, Baltimore Ravens and the aforementioned Chargers.
The Raiders, the consensus fourth-best team in the AFC West, should be considered a sweep candidate. So, that loss is not valid. Same for the A.J. Brown-less Titans and a didn’t-look-good-in-the-playoffs Derrick Henry. The Broncos flipping those games gets them to 11 wins. Very viable.
The Ravens, meanwhile, had a hell of a draft. They’re looking to get back next season. No prediction for that game, just going to enjoy it as a fan. All told, predictions aside, anything less than a double-digit win season and a playoff appearance is a disappointment in the eyes of Broncos Country. Even if it’s Wilson’s first with the team.