NFL on FOX released their latest power rankings for the 2023 NFL season, and yes, the Denver Broncos are ranked ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs. Is this real life? Well, it is, so enjoy it while it lasts. The Denver Broncos and Broncos Country have been starving for winning football for years now, and what is now the eighth year removed from Super Bowl 50, the team seems to have found themselves on the right track.
After a 1-5 start to begin the season, many began to question Sean Payton and figured this team was in for a long rebuilding process, something that was needed about two months ago. Well, since that 1-5 start, the Broncos have gone 6-1 on the backs of a historic defensive turnaround and are now 7-6.
In fact, they are just one game behind the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West, and the Chiefs themselves have gone 2-4 in their last six games. The NFL on FOX Podcast came out with their recent power rankings, and take a look where they ranked the Broncos and Chiefs.
🚨 Week 15 Power Rankings 🚨 pic.twitter.com/LPZ1Zjjuoi
— NFL on FOX Podcast (@NFLonFOXPod) December 12, 2023
Since their last edition of the power rankings, Denver has jumped up seven spots while the Chiefs have fallen two spots. They have the Broncos ranked as the seventh-best team in the NFL and the Chiefs ranked as the ninth-best team in the NFL. And honestly, I don't think that is at all inaccurate. Right now, which teams can say that they are truly better than the Broncos?
I think all of the 49ers, Cowboys, Ravens, and Dolphins are definitively better than the Broncos, but that's it. Even though we're late in the season, I do think some teams' records are misleading. The Eagles are 10-3 and don't at all feel like a 10-win team. The Lions are 9-4 and are totally collapsing on defense.
Anyway, the Denver Broncos are just one game above .500, but they've won six of their last seven contests, and some of those wins have come against respectable teams like the Chiefs, Bills, Vikings, and Browns, who are all either in a playoff spot or fighting for one. It's not like Denver has just beat up on bad teams.
They haven't. They've beaten good teams, and they themselves are a good team. Since their 6-1 stretch has begun, the defense has forced 18 turnovers and has allowed just 15.6 points per game, which is an insane number. Offensively, the team has averaged 22.6 points per game, which is plenty good enough.
Denver has the 13th-ranked scoring offense in 2023, averaging 22.1 points per game, and their defense is now up to 23rd in points allowed, allowing opponents to score 23.8 points per game. Obviously, this number is inflated because of that one game in Florida early in the season. Denver's point differential is just -22, so they are making up a ton of ground in that department.
They have the 4th-best turnover differential in the NFL through 13 games and have really cut down on their penalties since the beginning of the season. Right now, there are a plethora of statistics that are very favorable for the Denver Broncos. To end the 2023 NFL season, Denver will play Detroit, New England, LA Chargers, and Las Vegas to end the year.
A 3-1 finish is likely, but a 4-0 finish is also very possible.