Renck: The fake games are over. Time for real impressions. The Broncos enter Week 1 with a new quarterback, a dramatically reshaped roster and the insatiable hunger that comes from being young and overlooked. Now that the roster is set, did coach Sean Payton morph into Gordon Ramsay and create a culinary masterpiece, or will the Broncos once again be devoured by superior opponents? Sean, what do you think? Will the Broncos win more than their sportsbook over-under total of 5.5 victories or fall below into an abyss that nets them a top-five pick?

Keeler: Ramsay? Sunshine Sean’s been as chummy as Bobby Flay lately, my friend. Mind you, he also hasn’t lost a game in eight and a half months, so let’s see what happens once the seas get choppy. That said, Payton’s a high-floor coach with a resume that doesn’t do tank jobs. I believe in the back of the baseball card. Or football card, in this case. Which is why I believe Payton cajoles, twists and drags this roster to seven wins — at the worst.

Renck: Maybe I spent too much time in the sun this weekend, leaving me with fever dreams of adequacy, but I believe the Broncos trip the over. My prediction before camp was six victories with a wink, wink. Now? Give me six with conviction. Bo Nix might as well be Bo the Builder as the Broncos’ construction project takes shape. I think the Broncos were better after the cuts. Losing Tim Patrick hurts, but it means more targets for Courtland Sutton, and Jaleel McLaughlin will emerge as the third-down back to replace Samaje Perine. It’s not like they broke up Don “Air” Coryell’s 1970s Chargers. Denver has plenty of weapons to flirt with mediocrity.

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Bubble? What bubble? Bo Nix and Tim Patrick are a match made in Mile High Heaven.

Don’t overthink this one, Sean Payton. Nothing about a rookie quarterback is a sure thing, so you surround him with as many sure things as possible. Nix needs friends. Has a Broncos quarterback since 2020 had better friends than Patrick’s two hands?

“You get any butterflies running around Empower for the first time in forever?” I asked the Broncos’ veteran receiver Sunday night after Denver stomped what was essentially the Packers’ bench, 27-2.

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Renck: The rookie quarterback has given the Broncos reason to Bo-lieve. Bo Nix has shown he is ready to start. But is this team ready to win? Nix in coach Sean Payton’s scheme provides confidence, but for the Broncos to shock the AFC their top players must shine. The list starts with former All-Pro Patrick Surtain II. We know who will be QB1, but for their CB1 to ascend to another level, he needs CB2 to be functional. So, Sean, the question is simple: Can Riley Moss play well enough for teams to challenge Surtain?

Keeler: Hey, I’ll admit it — when Packers backup QB Sean Clifford went right after Moss on the opening drive of the game, I held my breath for as long as that bad boy was in the air. Then I remembered it was Sean Clifford, and exhaled right about the time the ball got overthrown. Two things still worry me about that play in particular, though: One, Green Bay wideout Malik Heath found some separation on Moss, and Heath ain’t a burner — he reportedly ran a 4.64-second 40 at the combine last year. Two, Patrick Mahomes is very, very much not Sean Clifford.

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