The Denver Broncos have a shot to start 4-2, as they play the Seattle Seahawks at home on Thursday Night Football in Week 6. Both Denver and Seattle are 3-2, and one of these teams will already hit their 2025 season loss total.
The Broncos and Seahawks both went 14-3 last year and earned the No. 1 seed in their respective conferences. It's also mostly true that both teams have regressed a bit to start the 2026 season, but it's still a bit early.
Denver's offense looks worse than it did at any point last year, and the defense is not getting to the quarterback as much. Seattle's defense did lose some talent last year, and their offense struggles to run the ball and has a new offensive coordinator. This could end up being the key for Denver in Week 6.
Denver Broncos defense must take advantage of a turnover-happy Seahawks offense
The Seahawks have nine giveaways this year, which is the 4th-highest total in football. Of those nine turnovers, five of them have been interceptions by Sam Darnold, who is 2-2 in his four starts this year. In his four starts, Darnold has tossed seven touchdowns against five interceptions.
What sticks out here is that Darnold's interception percentage of 5.1, which is how often he is intercepted when attempting to pass, is the highest mark in football - even higher than Justin Herbert and Drake Maye.
Darnold has simply put the ball in harm's way far too often this year. For more reference, Bo Nix's interception rate is 1.9 percent, which is below the league average of 2.1 percent. Not only is Darnold throwing way too many interceptions, but he's also being sacked a lot, too.
Darnold has been sacked nine times. His sack percentage is 8.41 percent, which is the 6th-highest among QBs. The league average is 6.39 percent, and Nix comes in at 3.57 percent, which is one of his superpowers.
The Broncos have also seen turnovers start to return for the defense. The team is now up to seven turnovers on th year, and they have just one game without a turnover this year. The unit is also already up to five interceptions, with Brandon Jones and Talanoa Hufanga both having two INTs, and Riley Moss having the other one.
For more reference, Denver did not notch their seventh turnover on defense until Week 8 against the Dallas Cowboys. With Darnold not playing well to start the year, and the team also getting this game at home, taking the ball away has to occur on TNF.
It does seem like things have begun to even out more in terms of fewer sacks but more turnovers, which is something that many predicted would happen. Denver may not have Patrick Surtain II or Hufanga in Week 6, so the secondary is going to be banged up.
With that said, all it takes is for one defender to simply be in the right place at the right time. Also, with how suffocating Seattle's defense can be, Denver may need at least one turnover to swing the game in their favor.
Fortunately, the stats indicate that the Broncos could indeed come away with at least one on TNF.
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