The Denver Broncos are 2-2 through the first four weeks of the 2025 NFL Season. What is their biggest concern thus far? The Broncos are in a good spot - they are now 2-2 for the second-straight years. Historically, Sean Payton wins about 70% of his games in October and November, so a huge breakout could be coming.
After an easier win against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4, Denver has a much different challenge ahead of them in Week 5 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Denver can absolutely beat Philly, but the Eagles are good where it matters the most in the NFL, so the Broncos are going to have to be at their best.
Through the first four weeks of the 2025 NFL Season, what sticks out as being the Broncos' biggest problem? You could argue the inconsistencies on defense at the beginning of games is one, or even the down-to-down play of the offense at times, but this problem is much bigger...
Denver's penalties are becoming a major sore spot and massive weakness
The Broncos have committed 31 penalties across the first four weeks of the 2025 NFL Season. That amount is tied for the seventh-most in the NFL along with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys. Denver is averaging 7.75 penalties per game, which is simply not sustainable in today's NFL at all, and it's becoming a major issue.
We keep hearing Sean Payton talking about how they have to clean up the penalties, but it's yet to happen. You would have thought that against a weaker opponent like Cincinnati, Denver would have been able to avoid committing a ton of infractions, but that was not the case.
The Broncos play the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 5, and this is one of the more savvy teams in the NFL - Philly is greate late in games and simply know how to close them out. If the Broncos are again committing penalties left and right in Week 5, they'll drop to below .500 again.
Furthermore, Denver's path to the AFC West title in 2025 really doesn't seem all that crazy. Both Los Angeles and Kansas City are flawed teams, so the Broncos could win this thing. Whatever Sean Payton and the coaching staff is doing during the week to prevent penalties, it's not working, and it's got to change before the team buries themselves in too deep of a hole.