Broncos can't fall into trap of assuming they will be back next year

AFC Championship Game: New England Patriots v Denver Broncos | Justin Edmonds/GettyImagesFor a second, imagine a young sports franchise that appears to be ahead of schedule after finding a new face of their franchise. Expectations were not really high on this team heading into the year, but they found a way to exceed them and go on a magical run. Their magical run came up short of where they ultimately needed to go, but still gave fans and the front office reason for incredible hope.

Now, think about how many teams and professional sports have gotten that point and failed to reach that level again. Whether it's in football, baseball, basketball, or any sport, nothing derails a franchise…