Denver Broncos: 10 wins – 7 losses, third in AFC West, 7th in AFC
They had been promised hell, here they are at the gates of Paradise. At the end of a year of reconstruction full of twists and turns, the Denver Broncos are the surprise team of this AFC. Despite a dead money record of 91 million dollars over the season, Denver let itself be carried away by its iron defense and its rookie quarterback. By reaching the playoffs for the first time in 9 years (and their victory in the Super Bowl), Sean Payton's men have already succeeded in their bet. They will be able to play with panache without having anything to lose.
How did they get there?
After a sluggish start to the season marked by two inaugural defeats against the Seahawks and the Steelers, Denver's offensive machine finally got going. First during a surprise victory on the Tampa lawn (26-7). Then for several weeks with river victories against the Raiders, Saints and Panthers.
Building on this series of 5 victories in 6 games, Sean Payton's team was able to capitalize on its strengths in order to win the other matches within its reach. Browns, Raiders, Falcons and Colts thus fell against the men of Colorado, before a final victory against the replacements of the Chiefs definitively validated their ticket for the playoffs.
The key player: Patrick Surtain II (CB)
Bookmakers' favorite for the title of best defender of the year, the fourth-year cornerback is the soul of the Broncos defense. Capable of making any WR disappear in a game, “Pat” is also the best cornerback in the league and will undoubtedly be a real poison for every quarterback who will have to face him.
The solution? Simply avoid it. Joe Burrow led by example in the clash two weeks ago with Tee Higgins that made life hell for Riley Moss. If the latter cannot return to his pre-injury level, Denver could have problems.
Why are they going to go through with it?
There's no doubt that Denver's defense is his calling card. With Vance Joseph fetishizing putting pressure on the opposing quarterback, Zach Allen, Jonathon Cooper and especially Nik Bonitto had their best season. Performances which are reflected in the statistics of the entire team since Denver has just broken its record for sacks in a season (64). A boon for linebackers and other defensive backs who then just have to pick up the debris. Overall, the defense ranks among the best in the league in all areas, and it is third best in points conceded per game (18.3).
On the other side of the field, the offensive squad led by Bo Nix gained strength throughout the season. Led by his quarterback, Courtland Sutton surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the second time in his career, while Marvin Mims Jr. became a devastatingly useful Swiss Army knife. The offensive line is also to be commended since it only allowed 24 sacks throughout the season, an impeccable average of 1.4 sacks conceded per game.
Finally, the Broncos wouldn't be here without their coaching staff. From Sean Payton to Vance Joseph to Ben Kotwica, each coach knew how to make the most of the elements at his disposal. Winner of the Super Bowl in February 2010, the head coach is surely the greatest reason for hope for the Broncos. It's up to him to show them the way.
Why won't they go?
If this team exudes real freshness, it nevertheless has the flaws of its qualities. The group is indeed young and very inexperienced at this stage of the competition (with a few rare exceptions). A youth which also weighed throughout the season since they only collected two victories against teams with a positive record (Buccaneers and Chiefs). Under these conditions, it seems utopian to think that they will be able to overcome all the serious obstacles of the AFC.
But the biggest obstacle to the rest of their journey could simply come from their lack of offensive talent. If Courtland Sutton was able to do well, Bo Nix's targets probably don't make any other quarterback in the league salivate. Marvin Mims Jr. is valuable but remains limited to very situational use, Devaughn Vele would not be number 2 on 3/4 of the teams in the league, and the tight ends are ghostly. Worse yet, the most efficient runner on the team is… Bo Nix. Whether it's Jaleel McLaughlin, Javonte Williams, or Audric Estime, none of Denver's runners have crossed the 100-yard mark in a game this season. A weakness that allows opponents to focus their attention on the young Bo Nix.
Injured players
Where other AFC teams suffer (hello Texans) Denver is one of the privileged ones here. And for good reason, the only starter on the flank is linebacker Alex Singleton. Having ruptured his cruciate ligaments in week 3 (but still having played 3 quarters in this state), the veteran seems to have been well replaced at the heart of the defense. Especially since in this sector, Drew Sanders made his comeback recently and played the last 4 games. Nothing alarming on the infirmary side therefore.
Prognosis
The Broncos travel to cold Buffalo this Sunday for a match that promises to be very complicated. If by some miracle they managed to get rid of Josh Allen, they would then be expected by Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
The route is more like a round trip to gain experience than a one way trip. But in football anything can happen…
