Arguably, no defender in football got off to a better start than the Denver Broncos' edge rusher Nik Bonitto. Coming off a brand new contract that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in football at the time he signed, expectations were high for Bonitto. His hot start cooled off fairly quickly, going three games without a sack.
Once the Broncos landed back in Denver from London, Bonitto did not record a sack between Weeks seven and nine, the most inefficient streak he's had since becoming a starting edge rusher for the Broncos. At a time when the Broncos have needed their defense to make up for the failures on the offensive end, Bonitto was far quieter than a player of his caliber should be. Thankfully for the Broncos, he exploded in Week 10 against the Raiders.
Bonitto turned in a dominating performance on Thursday night, leading a Broncos' defense that sacked Geno Smith six times. The Oklahoma product totaled 1.5 sacks, a tackle for loss, and was all over the field for Vance Joseph's defensive unit. In a game where the Broncos' offense gave the defense zero room for error, Bonitto made sure the defense held up its end.
Nik Bonitto silenced critics with dominant performance in Week 10 victory
Bonitto was a constant force in the Raiders' offensive backfield on Thursday night, leaving his mark on a divisional primetime game on a short week. An effective Bonitto turns the Broncos' defense into a completely different unit, and they played as if they were the best in football against the Raiders. He and Jonathon Cooper once again showed that they are a truly elite duo, combining for two sacks and two tackles for a loss.
With the most important matchup in several years looming for Denver in Week 11, the Broncos are going to need Bonitto in the worst way. If the Broncos can knock off the Chiefs next week in Denver, they’ll be in a great position to begin, pulling away with the division. The Broncos haven’t won the AFC West in almost a decade, but this is their best chance to do so since. The Broncos have a realistic chance to beat the Chiefs next week, but they are absolutely going to need their elite pass rushers to make an impact.
For Bonitto, this also serves as a chance to finally put his critics away. There might not be another player of his caliber in football who receives less credit than him. His dominating performance against Las Vegas, quiet critics, and another big week next week can put them away forever.