The Broncos are now 5-2 on the season, their best seven-game start since 2016 and now winners of four in a row. Denver was going to begin to figure this thing out, and while the wins have not always been easy, the record is what matters the most.
Not only is Denver tied with a few other teams for the second-best record in the NFL, but they're also beginning to show a ton of growth in one-score games, as the Broncos now have a 4-2 record in one-score games this year, having won just one of those back in 2024.
Momentum is trending in their direction, and we could hit a point where Denver is seen as the best team in the AFC. The right players and coaches are in place, and what's holding them back isn't much at all.
Denver has the formula to emerge as the AFC's best team in 2025
Defensively, Denver is among the best in the NFL, and that can't be disputed. The pass rush is top in the league, and the secondary is filled with star power. This just might be the most talented defense in the NFL on paper, and that's saying something.
Now yes, things don't always go well on defense, and we kind of saw that in Week 7, but the total body of work is very favorable for Denver. As for the special teams, the punt and kick coverage could be a bit better, but both Wil Lutz and Jeremy Crawshaw are holding their own, and you really don't get the sense that the special teams isn't going to seriously hurt this team going forward.
Head coach Sean Payton is one of the best in the business - sure, some of his in-game play-calling can leave us scratching our heads, and we'll get to that, but there isn't any disputing his career and how he's turned this franchise around.
When you think about it, the only thing stopping Denver from becoming the AFC's best and most complete team is a bit more offensive consistency, but I would offer some optimism here and say that it can get figured out.
We aren't talking about the offense being totally inept - the unit is now ranked 17th in points scored, but we're talking about this unit simply sustaining more consistency during the early part of the game. That's been the main theme over the last three games, really.
In Week 5 against the Philadelphia Eagles, Denver had no offense to speak of until the fourth quarter. In Week 6 against the New York Jets, the offense looked quite good in the first half and disappeared in the second half, and in Week 7, the Broncos had zero points on the board before throwing 33 up in the fourth quarter.
It's much easier said than done, sure, but it's not outrageous to think that Sean Payton, Bo Nix, and the rest of the offense can figure this thing out, as it's legitimately the only thing keeping this team from becoming the best and most complete in the AFC.