The Denver Broncos took one on the chin on Monday night.
Getting shellacked 31-10 by the Kansas City Chiefs in the season opener was not on the bingo cards of anyone in Broncos Country, but here we are. The Broncos didn't do anything well in the game and were jumped on from the opening kickoff by a hungry Chiefs squad.
The Broncos watched as Kenneth Walker piled up a career-high 173 yards on the ground. The offense was inept, the play-calling debut of Davis Webb was a complete letdown and the team was historically bad at making tackles.
All of that is concerning; however, it's not even the biggest reason for concern. Sorry, Broncos fans, but there is good reason to be concerned.
Broncos should be in panic mode after Week 1
Head coach Sean Payton described the humbling defeat as a "slap in the face."
That it was, but it is just one game. The Broncos will need to have a short memory and get on to the next one. But therein lies the reason why this loss, more specifically the way the team lost, is so concerning. That would be the upcoming schedule.
Broncos fans talked about it as soon as the schedule was released. The first six games appeared to be a brutal stretch. That becomes even more emphasized by this defeat. For those who haven't already gone and looked, here are the team's next seven games:
Jacksonville, though it was against the Cleveland Browns, looked terrific in Week 1. Add in the fact that they came into Denver last season and snapped the Broncos' 11-game winning streak, and this is not an opponent the team is going to be happy to see.
If the Broncos drop that game, they will be faced with having to overcome a Rams team that laid an egg in Week 1 as well. After that, the San Francisco 49ers, who easily beat the Rams in Week 1, are up next. The Chargers always give the Broncos trouble, and the Seahawks are the defending champs.
As you can see, nothing is going to come easily.
The Broncos could quickly see their promising season start to turn into a nightmare while having to run this gauntlet.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Why there is good reason for Broncos to be in panic mode already
