DENVER -- As risky as it is to draw conclusions from season-opening games, it's hard not to be awed by what the Denver Broncos did to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night. It wasn't just the 49-27 final score or Peyton Manning's tying an NFL record with seven touchdown passes. It was the ease with which Denver rolled past the Ravens. It's as if the Broncos merely were waiting for the right time to show the world why they are the class of the AFC this season.
You can write it down now: The Broncos will be playing in this year's Super Bowl. That's obvious because they just whipped the Ravens without even having a team that was functioning at its best. Their offense lost its starting center to a season-ending knee injury in training camp. Their defense was missing its two best players -- linebacker Von Miller and cornerback Champ Bailey. The Broncos essentially had several reasons to struggle in their season opener. They played as if they could afford to suffer a few more setbacks before really understanding the sting of adversity.
This startling debut reinforces the same message the Broncos have been preaching since the end of last season: that a championship is the only way this season will be considered a success. "We're really confident in our personnel," said tight end Julius Thomas, who finished with five receptions for 110 yards and two touchdowns. "We know we have a lot of guys who can get the job done, and we showed that tonight."
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