The Denver Broncos can't seem to please everyone. Sitting at 14-3, the Broncos are somehow not seen as a contender by most. It's been quite the season. Denver won 11 games in a row after a shaky 1-2 start and really showed the entire NFL world why they are for real.
The Broncos have a bye into the Divisional Round and will play one of the Steelers, Texans, Bills, or Chargers in that round. There is a legitimate chance that Denver will enter that game as a betting favorite.
A recent article in Bleacher Report really rains on the Broncos' parade and their apparent chances in the playoffs this year.
Denver Broncos given an 'overrated' label ahead of the 2025 NFL Playoffs:
Here is Brad Gagnon in Bleacher Report talking about why he thinks the Broncos are overrated:
Why?
As mentioned, all of the AFC's top-end seeds are far from ready, but Denver stands out as a No. 1 seed that is ripe for the picking. Ten of its 14 wins came against losing teams, 12 came via comebacks, and 11 came by one score. Six teams had better scoring margins.
The Situation in a Nutshell
The defense is stellar, but quarterback Bo Nix suffered somewhat of a sophomore slump as the league's 28th-highest-rated passer. He threw a tied-for-league-high seven interceptions on deep passes and struggled down the stretch. And even that talented defense gave up 26-plus points three times in the last six weeks of the season.
Prediction
The Broncos lose to the Bills in the divisional playoffs, but they use that as motivation to keep building on a strong foundation in the 2026 offseason.
I believe Gagnon's argument falls a bit short in a couple of instances. Firstly, yes, Denver's schedule was not daunting, but this team won 14 games. Had they won nine or 10, we could be hearing from the same people how this team isn't good because they didn't take advantage of the 'easy' schedule.
But Denver won 14 games, a mark that is quite difficult to hit, and yet, people still are poking holes in the wins. Winning in the NFL is hard week to week, and if 2025 showed us anything, it's that there has never been more parity in the NFL. There always seems to be a 'catch' with the Broncos and all the winning.
Saying that Bo Nix had a sophomore slump is also a bit wrong, in my opinion. Sure, he didn't light up the stat sheet this year, but he had a much greater command of the offense and was more consistent throughout the season. We also saw Nix turn into one of the most clutch QBs in the league.
The game-winning drives and fourth quarter comebacks are the complete opposite of a slump. Overall, calling the Broncos overrated is simply not accurate. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but this one feels a like a massive stretch.