When the Denver Broncos look back on the 2022 season, they’ll probably point to their Week 5 loss to the Indianapolis Colts as a major turning point – and not for the better.
During their 12-9 loss to the Colts last night, the Broncos lost two key starters to season-ending injuries. Longtime starting left tackle Garett Bolles suffered a broken leg while starting cornerback Ronald Darby tore his ACL. Both are now done for the season.
Bolles has been the Broncos’ starting left tackle for six years and earned All-Pro honors in 2020. Darby is in his second year with the team and has been a solid starter throughout the league since his 2015 rookie season.
The injuries to Bolles and Darby will likely loom large for the Broncos as we near the second half of the season. But in the short term, the Broncos have even more injuries that might hurt them.
Inside linebacker Josey Jewell is now week-to-week with a wrist sprain, while linebacker Baron Browning is day-to-day with a wrist injury of his own.
The Denver Broncos are now 2-3 but could easily be 0-5 were it not for their defense.
In their wins over the Houston Texans and San Francisco 49ers, the Broncos only outscored them 27-19. They have the No. 4 defense in the NFL, but their offense is in the bottom two.
Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett is going to have his work cut out for him down the stretch, even against some of the easier opponents on their schedule.
Will these injuries tank the Broncos’ season?