If the Denver Broncos are going to extend their three-game winning streak into a five-game winning streak, the quarterback plights of their next two opponents could be a contributing factor.
The Cleveland Browns announced Thursday that quarterback Deshaun Watson is undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. With Watson sidelined, the Browns are turning to backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
Unless something changes between now and Week 12 and Cleveland makes another QB change to P.J. Walker, the Broncos will presumably host a Thompson-Robinson-led offense in two weeks.
First things first, though, Denver will first host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football in Week 11. The Vikings, of course, lost starting quarterback Kirk Cousins to a season-ending Achilles injury three weeks ago.
After the Cousins injury, Minnesota traded for Josh Dobbs, who is 2-0 with the Vikings, scoring five touchdowns during that span. Dobbs is hot right now, so he’ll presumably prove to be a biggest test than Thompson-Robinson, but he was still a fallback option for Minnesota.
So over the next two weeks, the Broncos are set to face a pair of backup quarterbacks. If Denver can manage to win those two games, the team would be 6-5 going into a crucial road game against the suddenly-hot Houston Texans in Week 13. Buckle up, Broncos Country. The playoff hunt is on.
