The Broncos’ bye week is here and they are in a good position to rest up.
After beating division rival Kansas City, 22-19, at Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday, Denver is 9-2 with a two-game lead over the Chargers for first place in the AFC West. The Broncos are also currently the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Sure, there are still issues with the offense. And there are way too many penalties. But for one week, Broncos fans, relax and enjoy.
Here’s a look at how various national experts rated the Broncos in their power rankings entering Week 12:
The Athletic (No. 4) | Last week: No. 7
“Denver’s defensive coordinator is not a hot name in the head coaching candidate conversations, but he should be. His first stint as a head coach didn’t go well (11-21 with the Broncos), but in a league of second chances, he ought to get one. The Broncos held a surging Chiefs team to 19 points Sunday and are fourth in the league in defensive EPA (9.8 per 100 snaps), according to TruMedia,” Josh Kendall and Chad Graff write. See the full rankings.
Bleacher Report (No. 5) | Last week: No. 7
“If Denver could get its offense rolling early in game, it could be downright dominant. Instead, the Broncos defense is usually relied upon to slow opponents long enough until the offense finally gets rolling,” Brent Sobleski writes. See the full rankings.
CBS Sports (No. 5) | Last week: No. 9
“The fourth-quarter magic is real. They have a true shot to be the top seed in the AFC,” Pete Prisco writes. See the full rankings.
ESPN (No. 5) | Last week: No. 9
“It was Payton before the season, and it’s Payton now. He unapologetically touted his team’s Super Bowl worthiness in training camp, and lo and behold the Broncos are tied for the NFL’s best record amid the team’s longest win streak since 2012 (eight games). But among the narratives that continue to swirl — narratives Payton joked after Sunday make him want ‘to cry’ — are the team’s balky offense and his handling of quarterback Bo Nix. The Broncos have a title-worthy defense that keeps them in position for Nix’s clutch fourth-quarter performances. So if the offense can’t pick up the pace, a lot of eyes will be on Payton, his playcalling and Nix’s performance,” Jeff Legwold writes. See the full rankings.
NFL.com (No. 5) | Last week: No. 8
“The biggest difference between the 2024 and 2025 versions of the Broncos? Winning the close ones. A year ago, Denver was 1-6 in one-score games. With Sunday’s win over the Chiefs, they moved to 7-2 in tight contests over the last three months. As much as we’ve needled the Broncos for their sometimes-sluggish offensive starts — often produced by self-inflicted errors — their fourth-quarter performance is above reproach. Bo Nix rallied from a tough game against the Raiders to deliver some big throws against the Chiefs, especially given how little help he received from the run game. Denver’s defense also stepped up once more, this time without two key starters, and the special teams were excellent. Those little details are the difference, and it’s why the Broncos are looking ripe to dethrone the one-time close-game champs, the Chiefs, for AFC West supremacy,” Eric Edholm writes. See the full rankings.
The Ringer (No. 4) | Last week: No. 7
“With the ugly way the Broncos have played on offense this season, I was certain Kansas City would have been able to draw a clear line between a real contender and an imposter in their Week 11 matchup. It did, just not in the way I expected. We got a season-best day from quarterback Bo Nix and a shutdown defensive performance in Denver’s biggest win of the year,” Diante Lee writes. See the full rankings.
USA Today (No. 4) | Last week: No. 4
“The AFC West leaders are on pace for a single-season record 75 sacks. Yet they’re also outstanding against the run, permitting a league-low 3.6 yards per attempt. Even better, All-Pro CB Patrick Surtain II could be back on the other side of this week’s bye,” Nate Davis writes. See the full rankings.
Yahoo! Sports (No. 5) | Last week: No. 7
“The Broncos will just keep winning games while everyone decides they’re not really that good. The offense is inconsistent, but a defense without Patrick Surtain II and Alex Singleton still had a great day against the Chiefs. Maybe at some point they’ll get their proper respect,” Frank Schwab writes. See the full rankings.
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