Clayton: Can the Broncos buck the trend of home teams getting upset?
Sep 22, 2021, 8:23 AM
After two road wins over beatable teams, the Broncos finally get their home-opener Sunday. They play the New York Jets and should be able to win and get off to a 3-0 start.
They are roughly two-touchdown favorites. First-round pick Zach Wilson is struggling with interceptions and turnovers. Injuries have totally damaged the team.
What’s interesting about the start to the season is that even though fans are in the stands, home-field advantage hasn’t emerged yet. After the Green Bay Packers came back in the second half Monday night to beat a bad Detroit Lions team, home teams are 16-16. That’s stunning.
Look at the start of the season. The Las Vegas Raiders go to Pittsburgh and beat the Steelers. The Tennessee Titans, following a bad home loss to Arizona, had a come-from-behind win in Seattle. The list goes on and on.
After the Jets game, the Broncos have important home games against the Ravens and the Raiders. They have some interesting road games coming up against Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
Often, home teams get off to a slow start in the home games. Last year, there were no preseason games. This year, coaches kept out starters more than ever before. It’s been hard to get traction on good starts.
What will be interesting is to see the reaction of the Broncos fans. Denver is one of seven teams to start 2-0. There should be a playoff buzz to the team.