Denver Broncos first-quarter report card: Solid start sets up bright future

Offense Report Card

The offense has definitely been a mixed bag thus far, but we're talking about a unit with a rookie QB, so if you expected immediate production out of the gate, that was probably you being too high on Bo Nix through the first month. The obvious bright spot has been the offensive line play and lack of sacks. Nix hasn't been sacked in two games, and the unit itself has allowed just four sacks in 2024.

Sacks go hand in hand. Some may argue they are more on the offensive line while others argue they fall on the QB more. Sean Payton seems to think sacks are more of a QB stat, so Bo Nix being able to take that positive into the NFL is great. The entire playmaking unit has just been awful; let's not beat around the bush here.

Denver has had some explosive plays here and there, but the total body of work from the wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends is just not good enough, and I am not sure any Broncos' offensive playmaker has done Bo Nix any favors. The running game definitely got going a bit in their Week 4 win, but that's really it.

The team's offense looked quite good in the preseason, but that's the preseason and totally different from the real deal. To be fair, though, the Broncos' offense has gone up against four of the best defenses in the NFL and the team is 2-2 through the first month.

There is reason to believe that with some weaker defenses coming up, the offense can begin to piece some things together. If that's the case, we may be having a totally different conversation in a month.

Defense Report Card

Take a bow, Vance Joseph. The Denver Broncos' defense is very arguably the best in the entire NFL through four weeks. They generate pressure at an elite rate and rank 3rd in points allowed at 13.8 per game. Over the last two weeks, they have held offenses led by Baker Mayfield and Aaron Rodgers to just one touchdown drive.

All three units are playing out of their minds, but extra kudos goes out to DE Zach Allen, EDGE Jonathon Cooper, and CB Patrick Surtain II, who all anchor very good units of this defense. I am extremely interested to see if they can keep this up as the season goes on.

Allen, Cooper, and Surtain are all having All-Pro seasons thus far, and the inside linebacking unit is actually playing quite well too even without a notable player there. There just isn't much at all to dislike about this unit. It's deep and has been a total nightmare for opposing offenses, period.