Through seven games in the 2024 NFL Season, the Denver Broncos are proving to be the very best where it matters most in this league. In Week 7, the Broncos ran all over the New Orleans Saints and cruised to a blowout victory on primetime. They ran the snot out of the ball and ran for a season-high in yards.
It was expected, as coming into that game and still now, the Saints were a bit stingy against the pass but weaker against the run. Well, don't look now, but the Broncos are 4-3, in a playoff spot, and are seeing their rookie QB Bo Nix play reasonably well through the first seven games of his NFL career.
Many people thought the Broncos would win four games all year, but they are staring down a very feasible 5-3 start to the season if they can take care of business in Week 8. No matter how offensive the NFL gets, at the end of the day, games in this league are consistently won and lost in the trenches, and the Broncos' trench play is a huge driving force for their 4-3 record.
The Broncos are excellent in the trenches
According to ESPN's rankings, the Denver Broncos rank first in pass rush win rate, 10th in run stop win rate, first in pass block win rate, and seventh in run block win rate. Across the board, the Broncos are dominating their opponents in the trenches, period.
Funnily enough, the Broncos' defensive line was among the worst in football in the 2023 NFL Season, and now all of a sudden, you could argue it's been the best. Zach Allen is turning into a top-3 defensive end, and guys like Malcolm Roach, John Franklin-Myers, and DJ Jones are all above-average at their position.
The Broncos' EDGE duo of Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto could be one of the best in the NFL, and rotational guys like Jonah Elliss are getting in on the fun.
But the team's offensive line is a bit more interesting, as this team has at times been down to their backup center and third-string right tackle. Fortunately, starting RT Mike McGlinchey returned for Week 7, and he had himself a strong day. Backup center Alex Forsyth may not give the job back to Luke Wattenberg when he can come off of IR.
Overall, the Broncos are excelling in the trenches, and it's a massive reason why this team is currently in a playoff spot.