It feels so strange to say this, but it feels like the Broncos are a good QB away from being a great team.

Denver is 5-0, and it’s been all defense. Of course, this 5 game win streak has come against the Ravens, Chiefs, Lions, Vikings, and Raiders. Not exactly murderers row, but the fact that each game has been a lowish scoring slugfest for most of the match is just so weird. This is not the same team from two years ago or even the start of last year. It’s just so strange. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Peyton Manning led team that isn’t an offensive threat first and foremost. This is a scrappy defensive team that keeps managing to win games. I can’t help when I watch the Broncos but feel like if they had the Peyton of two years ago they could be the toast of the AFC and even make the current Patriots juggernaut nervous.

Watching Peyton now is just the most depressing thing. It just feels wrong. He looks so old, so beat. His throws have no velocity. The amazing brain is still there, but his body just isn’t anymore. It’s like when you have a family pet that you’ve loved for years and they are just barely hanging on, and you can’t bring yourself to end the suffering because just maybe they will get better and be okay for a while. I don’t even remember feeling this depressed watching Brett Favre’s final season. Peyton is a legend and seeing him go out this way is such a bummer. This has to be it for him. He can’t last after this season.

Honestly the weird part is they still might make the playoffs easily. The rest of their schedule:
@Browns
Packers
@ Colts
Chiefs
@ Bears
Pats
@ Chargers
Raiders
@ Steelers
Bengals
Chargers

The only obvious losses I see there are the Packers and Patriots. The Bengals and Steelers are probable losses, I’m reluctant to say surefire losses due to being so late in the schedule when things can change. The Chargers have a good chance to steal one, but the Chiefs are toast, the Raiders aren’t good, the Bears aren’t good, the Colts aren’t good, and the Browns are probably not good. This is still Denver’s division to lose.