The Denver Broncos’ upcoming matchup against the Buffalo Bills is a defining moment of their season because of the proof of progress. If the Broncos lose this game, the season should fairly be labeled a disappointment, but calling it a failure would be extreme.

The Bills are an experienced, playoff-tested, and true Super Bowl contender. A loss to them would highlight the steps needed to take for the Broncos to become an elite team in the league. With a somewhat easy schedule in the regular season, the Broncos need a signature win over the Bills to prove that they are capable to beat anyone in the league.

That’s where the disappointment comes in. The expectations entering the season weren’t sky-high, but they were higher than they’ve been in recent years after reaching the playoffs last year and getting eliminated from none other than the Bills pretty harshly, with a final score of 31-7. Which serves as a perfect metric to measure where the team has grown from last year. A loss to the Bills would suggest that the Broncos still struggle against these elite high-caliber opponents. Which is frustrating for a fan base that’s been waiting nearly a decade to return to relevance.

However, disappointment does not equal failure. Failure would mean the season lacked growth, effort, or direction, and that simply isn’t true. Even with a loss, the Broncos can point to improved structure through coaching and elite drafting, giving young players valuable experience to find a significant role in the team, with rookies like Troy Franklin, RJ Harvey, and Jahdae Barron. Bo Nix didn’t experience the typical “sophomore slump” among quarterbacks this year and solidified himself as a potential franchise quarterback for the Broncos which gives me hope for the future of where the Broncos are headed. 

If the Broncos lose this game, it will sting, and it should be disappointing. But failure would require a complete lack of progress, and this season, even with flaws, has shown that the Broncos are making progress.