Denver Broncos 2021 Schedule Prediction

By: Adamo Marinelli

August 25, 2021

     Football season is finally back. With the NFL preseason well underway, it is time to predict how the Denver Broncos will do this season. 

     The Broncos’ roster has plenty of talent at a number of positions such as at linebacker, cornerback, secondary, and at wide receiver. The major storyline this offseason has been can they find a number one quarterback to propel this roster to a playoff spot?

     Both Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater are competing for the starting quarterback spot. Despite Drew Lock’s fantastic performance in the preseason opener in Minnesota, head coach Vic Fangio believes both QBs are still “even-steven.” To be fair, Bridgewater had a great game against Seattle in the Broncos' second preseason game.

     Which one of these two quarterbacks will get the starting job and whether either of these two quarterbacks will have a stellar season is still to be determined.

     The Broncos have the fifth easiest schedule in 2021, with their opponents recording a .471 winning percentage. Whether that translates to wins is not guaranteed, however.

     The Broncos play all their division rivals - the Kansas City Chiefs, the Los Angeles Chargers, and Las Vegas Raiders - twice, all four teams in the NFC East and the AFC North, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the New York Jets, and the Detroit Lions. 

     The ceiling for the Broncos is 12-5. The floor for the Broncos is 6-11. I have them going 11-6 and making the playoffs as a wildcard team.

     I predict that in the coming days, the Broncos’ management will select Drew Lock as the starting quarterback. Bridgewater was brought in as the competition for Lock to motivate him to improve his game enough to earn the starting job. If Lock cannot live up to the hype, Bridgewater is there as a very reliable backup.

     In week one, they have a favourable matchup against a New York Giants team with Daniel Jones at the helm. His performance at QB has been questionable at best and the Broncos’ defense will have a field day. Lock will do just enough on offense - by playing mistake-free football and relying on the stellar group of wide receivers he has - to get the win. Broncos start 1-0.

      In week two, the Broncos visit the number one pick, Trevor Lawrence, in Jacksonville. The Broncos’ explosive pass rush and lock-down secondary will wreak havoc on Lawrence and the Jaguars and the Broncos will come away with a win. Jerry Jeudy, K.J Hamler, and Javonte Williams will all score a TD. They improve to 2-0.

     The Broncos’ home-opener will be a week three tilt with the Jets. As long as Lock plays smart, simple football and doesn’t make mistakes by forcing balls downfield, the Broncos should come away with an easy win in front of their raucous crowd. Their defense records six sacks. They improve to 3-0.

      The Broncos' defense is very good, but against high octane offenses, you can’t only rely on your defense. Lamar Jackson’s dangerous running attack will be hard to contain and Lock will be unable to keep up with Jackson and the Ravens offense. The Broncos lose a close game and fall to 3-1.

     In week five, the Broncos are in for a tough test against the Steelers on the road. QB Ben Roethlisberger looked decent last year despite coming off surgery. The fact he had to throw the ball 50 times a game because the Steelers’ run game was non-existent didn’t help, but their offensive line has gotten better, they drafted Najee Harris to solve their backfield issues and their defense is still dangerous. The Broncos get down early, cannot complete the comeback. 3-2. 

     In week six, the Broncos will play their first divisional game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Lock finished with an atrocious 1-5 record against divisional rivals in 2020. Three of the five losses were in one-score games. Lock must limit his turnovers and be more accurate with his deep balls to win close games. He has been improving his game in both ways this offseason and Lock will make enough plays to get the win. Broncos improve to 4-2.

     In week seven, the Broncos will visit Cleveland for a Thursday night tilt. The Browns have one of the best rushing attacks in the league with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt and the Broncos will be tired after a short week. Mayfield gets rid of the ball quickly, not allowing the Broncos’ pass rush to settle in. Cleveland gets a much-needed win. Broncos fall to 4-3.

     In week eight, the Broncos will host the Washington Football team. Both teams have excellent defenses up front and in the secondary. However, Ryan Fitzpatrick is the more experienced of the two quarterbacks and a last-minute drive in the fourth quarter leads the Football team to an upset win. The Broncos now sit at .500, with a record of 4-4.

     In week nine, the Broncos visit Jerry World to take on the Cowboys. Both offenses have a plethora of weapons at the skill positions and great offensive lines to work with. Dak Prescott is miles above Drew Lock at quarterback, but the Broncos' defense - especially the secondary - is much better than their opponents. They cause numerous turnovers, and Lock plays it simple, does not turn it over, and consistently gets it to the open man. The Broncos get the win and improve to 5-4.

     In week 10, the Broncos will host the Eagles. The Eagles have a new head coach, a new young quarterback, and have several weak spots on their roster. They have definitely seen some improvement in training camp, but they are projected to be one of the worst teams in the league. Barring any injuries, the Broncos should come away with an easy win. 6-4.

     In week 11, the Broncos have their bye week. They have five of their six division games remaining and at 6-4, they control their destiny to get into the playoffs and win the division.

     In week 12, they played host to Justin Herbert and the Chargers. The Chargers will be a threat in the AFC this season with their great QB play and improving defense. The Broncos' defense is also one of the best in the AFC and top 10 in the NFL and with improved QB play from Drew Lock, he will lead the Broncos to a comeback win over the Chargers. Broncos improve to 7-4.

     In week 13, the Broncos will visit Mahomes and the Chiefs in Kansas City. The Broncos have lost 11 straight games against the Chiefs but they have been keeping the last few games close. Like their second meeting in 2020, the Broncos will keep the Chiefs from scoring inside the red zone but an interception from Lock late in the game will seal a 22-18 win for the Chiefs. Broncos fall to 7-5.

     In week 14, the Broncos will play host to the Detroit Lions. No disrespect to Jared Goff, but he is a downgrade to Matt Stafford. The Lions have a new head coach that has an interesting approach to the game, but with their roster, they will finish close to the bottom of the NFC. The Broncos’ defense will shut down the Lions' offense and their offense will overpower the Lions' defense. The Broncos win big, improving to 8-5.

     In week 15, the Bengals will come to town. Joe Burrow is back and they drafted a very talented wide receiver, Ja’Marr Chase. However, they did not address their offensive line enough and that’s what got Burrow hurt last season. The Broncos’ pass rush will overwhelm the Bengals’ offensive line and they will come away with a win in a close defensive game. Broncos improve to 9-5. 

     In week 16, the Broncos will visit the desert to play the Raiders in Las Vegas. This will be an extremely close game as both teams will be fighting for their playoff lives, but the Broncos will win a back-and-forth offensive game in overtime to improve to 10-5 thanks to a huge four-touchdown game from Drew Lock. 

     In week 17, the Broncos will visit the Chargers in Los Angeles. The Chargers fell to the Broncos in Denver on week 12, but to help secure a playoff spot in a tight AFC West and a tight AFC, the Chargers led by Justin Herbert’s five total touchdowns beat the Broncos by double digits. They fall to 10-6.

     In week 18, the Broncos will host the Chiefs in their regular-season opener. The Chiefs will likely have the AFC West and maybe even the number one seed locked up and will be resting for the playoffs. The Broncos capitalize and come away with a win to snap their long losing streak against the Chiefs and finish 11-6, with a 4-2 record in their division.

     At 11-6, they earn the sixth seed in the AFC and will play on the road against the third seed in the AFC, likely the winner of the AFC South. A playoff win would be a great way to cap off the year, but I see the Broncos losing in the wild card game.

     Lock has played well in the preseason games and at training camp and has made tremendous strides to his game. He has limited mistakes and turnovers, remained calmer in the pocket, and gotten more accurate with his deep ball. With all the talent Denver has offensively, Lock should excel. I believe he will finish with 3800 yards, 31 TDs, and 11 INTs. 

     With Bridgewater as the starter, the season may go better for the Broncos or it may go worse. The Broncos have to see what they have in Lock, which is why I believe he will be the starting QB and Bridgewater stays as the backup. 

     The season is set to start in less than three weeks. Only time will tell who the Broncos decide to start at QB and how the season will go.

Ottawa Redblacks vs Edmonton Elks Post Game Recap

      The Ottawa Redblacks’ offense did not click very well, however, placekicker Lewis Ward and the entire defense, specifically cornerback Abdul Kanneh – who recorded two interceptions and an incredible pick-six – propelled the Redblacks to a win to start the year.

      A game that many anticipated to be an offensive showdown between two talented QBs ended up being a close, back-and-forth defensive showdown. 

      The Elks started with a long meticulous opening drive that resulted in a 12-yard chip shot field goal to take a 3-0 lead just over five minutes into the game.

      The Redblacks evened the score with a 52-yard field goal from Ward after using their run game to move down the field. The first quarter ended with several two and outs from both teams and the teams tied 3-3. 

     The first half was more or less the same, with both defenses getting constant pressure on the opposing quarterback. The first half ended 9-6 in favour of the Elks with both teams exchanging field goals. The Elks scored a last-second field goal to take the lead at halftime.

     The Elks’ offense moved well in between the 20-yard lines, but could not score any touchdowns.

     The Redblacks offense could not get anything going all game long. Matt Nichols threw for only 71 yards, completing 12/20 passes. His shoulder was likely not 100 percent healthy, after being listed as questionable for the game two days earlier.

      A play that swung momentum for both teams happened in the second quarter. 

     After a crucial stop for the Redblacks on defense, Devonte Dedmon received a punt. He lateraled it to Ryan Davis, who after receiving a block, ran it all the way back for a touchdown. 

     After a lengthy video review, the call on the field was overturned and the lateral was ruled a forward pass. It was a close call, but the right one.

      This play would have put the Redblacks up 10-3, but instead, the game stayed 3-3.

      Trevor Harris threw for 333 yards and completed 75 percent of his passes but his three interceptions were the difference in this game. 

      Midway through the fourth quarter with the Redblacks down 12-9, Harris threw a pass that if it was caught, would have put the Elks into the red zone with a chance to seal the game. 

     The pass bobbled off his receiver’s hands and into the hands of Abdul Kanneh who took it 102 yards for a game-changing pick-six. 

     It resulted in the only touchdown in the entire game and the winning score for the Redblacks. 

     With the Redblacks leading the game 16-12, the Elks were driving down the field with less than one minute to go in the game. With seven seconds left, at the Redblacks’ 17-yard line Trevor Harris had one more chance to win the game. He completed a pass to fullback James Tuck who ran all the way to the one-yard line before being tackled by – you guessed it – Abdul Kanneh.

     Kanneh finished the game with two huge interceptions. Defensive back Randall Evans also recorded one interception. 

     The Redblacks defense was phenomenal. They not only created turnovers – they recorded three interceptions – but they also wreaked havoc on the opposing QB, registering three sacks, two things they did not do a lot of in 2019. That is a good sign for a young, improving team. 

     Ward was automatic all night long, finishing a perfect 3-3 on field goals. He hit two field goals over 50 yards. 

     It was not the best game for Paul LaPolice and his crew, but defense does win championships. If defensive coordinator Mike Benevides’ unit can play like this all year long, the Redblacks could contend not only for the playoffs but even for the Grey Cup. 

     However, their offense cannot be this stagnant all season long. Nichols’ shoulder needs to fully recover so he can be more efficient, accurate and so he can move the ball downfield more. Also, the run game needs to be effective enough to make the opposing secondaries play closer to the line of scrimmage to open the game up downfield for Nichols. The Redblacks have weapons at receiver, they need to use them more often.

      With their bye week underway, they will have some time to address the offense to make it be more effective while preparing for their next game, a tough road game against the West Division leading Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Toronto Raptors’ 2021 Draft Recap

Adamo Marinelli

August 10th, 2021

     Two weeks ago, the Toronto Raptors welcomed three new names onto their team in the 2021 NBA draft. Coming into the offseason after a lackluster 27-45 season, the Raptors’ biggest needs were a true center, some big men who could play on-ball defense, and some athletic, playmaking guards. In the latest draft, they got just that.

     With the fourth overall pick, the Raptors selected Scottie Barnes, a physical power forward from Florida State University. This pick was a bit of a shocker with Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs still on the board, but Barnes has a lot of upside.

     With Kyle Lowry extremely likely to leave the Raptors at the time of the draft, selecting Suggs would have made a lot of sense. He can shoot well from three and from the field, defend on the perimeter, and set up his teammates with his crisp, accurate passes. 

     GM Bobby Webster in his pre-draft press conference said he would rather take a prospect who he thinks could be the better player in the near future rather than the best player available in the present. 

     So, the Raptors selected Barnes with the fourth pick. Allegedly, part of the reason why was Suggs’ underwhelming workout with the Raptors compared to Barnes’ excellent workout with the team and how well he fit into the scheme. 

     This does not mean Suggs is not talented. He is very skilled and will help his team win. 

     Barnes was a little bit of a reach, but he has tremendous talent and upside. At 6’9”, 225 lbs, with a 7’2” wingspan, he possesses an elite playmaking ability, excellent ball-handling skills and is also versatile on defense. He can guard the paint with his length, play on-ball defenders and get off screens to defend the perimeter with his speed and agility.

     He is an efficient scorer in the paint. His perimeter and midrange shooting could use a bit of work, but he played extremely well in the Raptors’ first few summer league games. 

     The Raptors clearly saw something in Barnes that convinced them he’d be one of their franchise cornerstones. He will be a weapon in a league that is transitioning into a more positionless, but big wing league.

     Raptors’ GM Bobby Webster said that in a league that is becoming more positionless with guys taking on more and multiple roles, you can never have too many big, two-way wings. It appears the Raptors may be moving away from small ball lineups by putting Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Barnes on the floor all together.

     With the 46th overall pick, the Raptors selected Canadian Dalano Banton, a point guard from the University of Nebraska. He was born in Rexdale, a small neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario.

     With Lowry now a member of the Miami Heat, Banton will be a huge addition to the Raptors’ backcourt rotation. Goran Dragic, Malachi Flynn, and Banton will likely come off the bench and Fred Van Vleet and Gary Trent Jr. will start at the one and two spots respectively.

     Banton is athletic and agile, is a good floor general, can always find an open teammate with his strong, accurate passes, is a great playmaker and rebounder, is physical, a good on-ball defender, and not afraid to force turnovers, get steals, and blocks. 

     Despite his talents, his shooting from the field and especially from three needs some improvement, he struggles to hit contested shots, he is unselfish to the point where he sometimes passes up open looks and he can sometimes be careless with the ball on offense.

     He is not perfect but has a lot of potential. After a few seasons with the Raptors 905 and learning from the veterans on the team and coaching staff, he can blossom into a starter.

     With the 47th overall pick, the Raptors selected David Johnson, a PG/SG from Louisville.

     Johnson is a versatile option who can play at the number one and the number two spots. He excels near the paint on offense and defense using his length to block and disrupt shots and his 6’4”, 200 lb frame with a 6’10” wingspan allows him to be a scoring threat near the basket, in the low post. He is speedy for his size, has an excellent bounce, and is very creative with the ball in his hands.

     However, he lacks the quickness to beat defenders off the dribble and put pressure on defenses consistently or create much separation. He also takes too many highly contested mid-range shots which lowers his efficiency. He is also a bit slow off screens and defenses can beat him with a small, speedy lineup. 

     Despite this, however, like Banton, with a few years in the Raptors’ development camp, he can be a big asset to this team’s backcourt.

     The Raptors addressed most of their needs in the draft, by getting a big man who could play on-ball defense and set up his teammates and some agile, versatile guards who can defend, score and make plays with their creativity and high basketball IQ. 

     They did not draft a true center, but drafted Barnes, and acquired Precious Achiuwa in the Lowry sign and trade. They also signed Khem Birch and could still pursue a center later in free agency. Overall, the Raptors’ draft earns a B+.

     The Raptors' next summer league game is tomorrow against the Golden State Warriors. Will Barnes have another legendary performance worthy of a starting roster spot? Will Banton and Johnson earn roster spots? Only time will tell.