The Denver Broncos are riding high at 9-2, but things have not always been easy. The Broncos have already won seven one-score games this year and aren't blowing out teams like they did in the 2024 NFL Season.
However, a team is what their record says they are at this point, and the Broncos are still in first place in the AFC West and also the top seed in the conference. Bo Nix has taken steps in key areas, and the defense somehow seems to be playing better.
Let's talk about a few bright spots and harsh truths as Denver hits the bye week.
Bright spots and harsh truths as the Denver Broncos hit the bye week
Bright Spot: Bo Nix's clutch gene
Bo Nix is clutch, period. He now has five fourth quarter comebacks and game-winning drives, which both lead the NFL. Sure, it's not always ideal that the Broncos have needed five game-winning drives to get to nine wins, but that's simply how the cookie crumbles sometimes. At the end of the day, Nix and the Broncos have made a huge stride in this area, and it should be able to continue. These are the games that the Broncos used to lose with regularity,
Harsh Truth: Penalties are still a serious issue
The Denver Broncos have 93 penalties in 11 games, which leads the NFL. If they aren't fixed now, I have no idea how they get fixed down the stretch. This simply might be something that Denver has to deal with, and it might catch up to them when the playoffs roll around. Sure, some of the penalties against the Broncos have been soft, but that impacts every team.
Bright Spot: Doing a total 180 in one-score games
This kind of relates to the first bright spot, but it takes more than Bo Nix for the Broncos to close-out one-score games. They were 1-6 in such games in the 2024 NFL Season and are now 7-2 in these games here in 2025. It's almost hard to believe how big of a turnaround the Broncos have done in this area. It's a driving reason why this team is 9-2.
Harsh Truth: Still no clear go-to target on offense
There is no consistent, no. 1 target on offense. Courtland Sutton is a go-to player on third down, but this team doesn't have a difference-maker. The Broncos seemed to have some sort of interest in Jaylen Waddle, but the asking price was too high. I guess we have to give the team credit for looking, but not getting an upgrade does hurt. I would expect Denver to address this in the offseason, but that isn't going to help now.
Bright Spot: In the driver's seat for the AFC's top seed
The final bright spot is that the Denver Broncos are in the driver's seat to earn the top seed in the AFC. With the Indianapolis Colts having a brutally tough schedule to end the year, they could falter, and the New England Patriots are currently behind Denver in the standings at 9-2.
The Broncos simply have to not blow it, and they can earn the top seed and have homefield advantage throughout the playoffs in 2025.