The Denver Broncos are inching closer to the AFC West title, and they definitely control their own destiny at this point. If the Chiefs lose one more game, they might be totally out of the picture, and the banged-up LA Chargers could soon become a non-factor.
Well, Denver still has to take care of business, and the team will need some of their key players to seal the deal down the stretch. There are three, in particularly, that the Denver Broncos have to be able to rely on more than most.
Let's dive into the three players that have to come through for the Denver Broncos.
These Broncos players have to take the charge after the bye
RJ Harvey
RJ Harvey figures to get the bulk of the carries down the stretch for the Broncos, and most of the team's run game is going to fall on the rookie's shoulders. Losing JK Dobbins when the Broncos did is downright disastrous, but the front office did pick Harvey in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He's got a nice skillset and does have big play ability. If Denver wants to close some of these games out, they'll need to lean on Harvey. Without a competent run game, the Broncos will falter.
Bo Nix
This is self-explanatory, as Bo Nix plays the most important position on the field and is likely going to be in a few more of these close games down the stretch. The Broncos still have three more divisional games this year and tougher matchups against the Packers and Jaguars. We've seen Nix and the offense come through late in games, and this is only going to be amplified here as Denver looks to begin officially clinching things.
Getting off to a better start in games is also something that will help. Nix is in his second year and is obviously still developing, but it's clear he's a franchise QB. It's time for Bo Nix to put this team on his shoulders and show why he can be among the best QBs in the NFL.
Nik Bonitto
A top-10 pass-rusher in the NFL, Nik Bonitto is off to another great start and obviously got paid by the Broncos this offseason. Bonitto currently has 9.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, and 21 QB hits. He's actually approaching his production from the 2024 NFL Season, and there are not many plays in the NFL that can totally disrupt a game like a sack.
Bonitto is paid like a top-tier pass-rusher, and he'll have to continue proving that. One major thing to note here is that the Broncos have not been in this type of race before - they have not won the division since 2015 and have not come particularly close before this year.
This is uncharted territory for the players to an extent, but the Broncos are 9-2 for a reason, and they'll need their key contributors to seal the deal.