ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Of all the various Broncos teams who have combined to lose 15 games in a row to the Kansas City Chiefs – including the eventual Super Bowl 50 champs from the 2015 season – the current Denver club may be the least likely to end the skid.
Because of its defense.
The 2023 Broncos so far have the worst defense in team history, allowing 36.2 points per game. Denver’ all-time dubious record for points allowed is 33.8 points set by its 1963 version that finished 2-11-1.
Since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978, the Broncos’ worst defense was in 2009, when it allowed 29.4 points and finished 4-12.
The combination of a poor Denver defense and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes/Andy Reid offense would suggest an AFC West mismatch Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium.
Then again, for the first time in a while the 2023 Broncos offense has the type of production that can keep up with the Chiefs on the scoreboard. With Sean Payton calling plays for quarterback Russell Wilson the 1-4 Broncos are 10th in the league by scoring 24.2 points a game – it’s best output since 2014. The 4-1 Chiefs rank 9th in the NFL with 25.6 points.
“I think the important thing is we’ve got to create a new history,’’ Wilson said Tuesday in his weekly press conference. “We’ve got to do that with one play at a time, one moment at a time, one game at a time. Obviously, over the past however many games that we haven’t been able to win (15), like I always tell you guys every game has a history of its own. We’ve got to be able to focus on this one and go win this game.”
The Chiefs are a whopping 10.5-point favorite to make it 16 in a row against the Broncos – a skid that started in 2015, when Peyton Manning had the worst statistical day of his career (5 of 20, 35 yards, 0 TDs, 4 INT, 0.00 RTG) but recovered late in the season to help lead the team to a Super Bowl 50 title.
Broncos figure to become trade sellers, but not yet
With a 1-4 record and two of the next three games against the Chiefs, Broncos general manager Geoge Paton once again is in position to become a trade seller as the October 31 deadline approaches. Veteran edge rusher Frank Clark, who was extremely ill Tuesday and missed practice, is among the players who would be a logical trade candidate, along with one of two receivers, Courtland Sutton and/or Jerry Jeudy.
But that time is not now. (Moving Randy Gregory last week was more of a release than a trade as the Broncos got virtually nothing in return and had to eat $10.05 million of his remaining $10.89 million salary.)
“George and I talk every day, three, four times a day,’’ Sean Payton said “We're not looking to do business with any of our players. That doesn't prevent teams from calling at times. We pick the phone up but that's where it's at.
“We’ve got a good handle on this current roster and our vision for this roster a year from now -- and that’s the part about improving and getting better. But until you just said it I wouldn’t have known it was three weeks away. Three weeks seems like an eternity right now.”
Dulcich, Javonte return
After spending the past four weeks on injured reserve with a strained hamstring, top receiving tight end Greg Dulcich returned to practice Tuesday. Not only did he practice on basically a one-practice week, Dulcich has a chance to play Thursday night against the Chiefs.
“He’s close,’’ Payton said of Dulcich.
It also appears running back Javonte Williams will play after missing the game Sunday against the Jets because of a quad pull. Payton said if it was a playoff situation, Williams could have played.
“But the risk of having a setback we felt that was too much,’’ Payton said.
Roster move
The Broncos may have made the first move in activating Dulcich onto their 53-man roster by waiving receiver Michael Bandy from their practice squad. This would allow the team to waive a current player from its 53 and have room for him on their practice squad. Dulcich could then be activated from the IR to the 53.
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