A schedule is the who and when. The plan is the what.
The Broncos better have a coordinated attack so detailed that it does not belong on Signal chat. The NFL releases the schedule on Wednesday, and it will do Denver no favors.
Not saying it’s sketchy, but if it were a convenience store, the bathroom key would have a baton attached.
As a result of their playoff berth and facing the NFC East, the Broncos’ projected schedule ranks seventh toughest according to Pro Football & Sports Network.
And you wonder why there were screams to add more offense in the draft? Seven of Denver’s 14 opponents posted winning records last season (Chiefs, Chargers, Bengals, Packers, Texans, Eagles and Commanders) and an eighth (Colts) finished 8-9.
Coach Sean Payton has ironed out several wrinkles over the past two seasons, overhauling the roster while establishing a winning culture. The Broncos need not apologize after ending their eight-year playoff drought, but they got fat on the NFC South.
Payton treated those familiar teams like a chew toy, routing the Bucs, Saints, Panthers and Falcons. But within the 10-7 uprising, there was a concerning statistic that must reverse this season.
The Broncos went 1-6 in one-score games, including the first two games and the heart-in-a-blender loss at Kansas City. Only the Giants were worse in this category.
So when the dates get assigned to the opponents, enjoy. Book flights and hotels. And also remember, with a deep breath, that when it comes to playing well against better teams, there is no app for that.
Free Freeland: No one has embraced pitching in Colorado more than former Thomas Jefferson prep star Kyle Freeland. But it is time to free Freeland. Dating to last season, the left-hander is winless in his last 11 starts with a 6.51 ERA. Opponents are hitting .332 against him. He has roughly $28.1 million remaining on his contract this season and next. Is it possible to eat $20 million and parole him to another team for a few prospects? He deserves better than pitching with a defense that would make Walter Matthau blush.
John Doe? Right: A fan sued the NFL for $100 million over Shedeur Sanders’ slide in the draft, citing “emotional distress and trauma.” It was filed under John Doe. But it’s OK, Mel Kiper Jr. We know it’s you.
Dog whistle: No admission is necessary. Our eyes tell us the story. The NBA has decided to have its referees swallow the whistle in the playoffs. It has helped spawn a streak of jaw-dropping upsets, but the game barely resembles the regular-season product. The Rockets and Timberwolves have hugged Steph Curry, before his hamstring injury, like he was a soldier returning from duty. The Thunder have employed the Bad Boy Pistons strategy that if they foul on every play, refs won’t call everything. Hard to blame them when it’s effective. Last year, when Minnesota knocked out Denver, it was through the beautiful play of Anthony Edwards. When the Nuggets are getting beat by the Thunder, it feels like Lu Dort, Jaylin Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren are cheating.
Chicago Pope: Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, is from Chicago. And he is a White Sox fan. So we know he is familiar with pain and suffering.
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Originally Published: May 9, 2025 at 4:34 PM MDT
