The Denver Broncos are the first seed in the AFC playoffs and have a bye into the Divisional Round, which is already an improvement from the 2024 NFL Season. Denver got off to a shaky 1-2 start but proceed to win 11 games in a row. While the team had some iffy outings, all the Broncos did was win, and win some more.
But during this massive win streak, many people didn't really know how to feel about the Broncos, as the continual second-half comebacks made some folks think that Denver just wasn't that good. Bo Nix also didn't light up the stat sheet this year and seems to have more doubters than ever before.
But when you take a look at the Broncos body of work approaching the playoffs, and when you take a look at the roster and coaching staff, it's clear that Denver has the four major pieces of what it takes to be a Super Bowl champion in this league, like it or not.
The Denver Broncos check all the boxes of a Super Bowl champion
Elite Head Coach
Sean Payton is an elite head coach. He's won 63% of his games in the NFL and is 32-19 as coach of the Broncos, including a stellar 24-10 record over the past two seasons. Payton has been doing this for nearly 20 years and continues to be one of the best in the NFL.
Ability to protect the QB
It's not a secret that Denver's offensive line is among the best and most talented in the NFL, but this is coupled with Bo Nix already excelling at avoiding sacks. Sure, the OL has its moments, but this unit is a top-3 group in the league. Nix has been sacked just 46 times in 34 career regular season games. Protecting the QB is paramount in the playoffs.
Ability to get to the QB
The Denver Broncos had 68 sacks this year and have been the best team in the NFL at getting to the QB over the past few seasons. It's not always just about the sack totals though, as simply pressuring the QB can impact an entire play and series. Denver's pass-rush is going to be a driving factor if this team makes a deep run.
The QB
We're to the point now with Bo Nix that if some don't think he's a franchise QB, that's their problem. Nix has done nothing but win and prove the doubters wrong. His 24 wins in his first two seasons is tied for the most by a QB in the history of the NFL.
The second-year passer clearly had a stronger command of the offense this year and was showing up in big moments constantly. Including the one playoff game last year, Nix has only seen 35 games in this league, so he's still very much developing as well.
Bo Nix is a franchise quarterback and is the answer for the Denver Broncos. He's good enough to help lead this team to the Super Bowl.