Mile High Sports
The Broncos are 5-3 at basically halfway through the season, which is a solid record in terms of Denver’s playoff hopes.
If the season ended today, the Broncos would be in as the No. 5 seed, ahead of the Ravens.
But with nine games to go, and a tough schedule in front of them, Denver has a lot of work to do in order to make the postseason for the first time since 2015.
For many Broncos players, this Sunday’s game is the biggest they’ve played at the NFL level.
That’s true for rookies like Bo Nix, Troy Franklin and Devaugn Vele, but also veterans like Garett Bolles, Nik Bonitto, and even Patrick Surtain II.
Look, there haven’t been many big games in the Mile High City since 2016, the last time Denver’s playoff hopes were high. And Denver is the third-youngest team in the league this year. Meanwhile, the Ravens played in the AFC Championship Game in January and are considered one of the best teams in the NFL right now.
This week, the 5-3 Broncos fly to Baltimore to face the 5-3 Ravens, a game big enough to feature Jim Nantz and Tony Romo on the call.
And this game isn’t just huge because CBS’s top announcers are calling it. This contest is massive in terms of playoff implications.
Currently, the Broncos have a 55% chance of making the playoffs per NFL.com. But if they win, that improves to 74%. And a loss drops Denver’s playoff hopes to a 48% chance.
For the Ravens, they are sitting in better position, with an 87% chance right now, and that improves to a near-lock at 92% with a win.
When the game kicks off at 11 a.m. MDT on Sunday, it’ll bring together the No. 2 offense of the Ravens vs. the No. 3 defense in Denver. Baltimore scores 30.3 points per game, while the Broncos allow only 15.0 PPG.
It’s the immovable object vs. the unstoppable force, even in terms of yards per play.
The irresistible force meets the immovable object pic.twitter.com/wxnQk12iHR
— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) October 29, 2024
Lamar Jackson, the AFC’s Offensive Player of the Month, is a dynamic threat. He has a great arm, and can take off for needed yards on the ground seemingly whenever he wants. In the month of October alone, he threw for 12 touchdowns and only one interception. Plus, the Ravens just traded for Diontae Johnson to add to his receiver room, and Derrick Henry has scored in every game this year but one.
For Denver’s defense, this presents their toughest test all year long.
Bo Nix has been on fire, just like Jackson.
Nix won AFC Rookie of the Month of October, throwing for 870...
