Nik Bonitto isn’t satisfied with the Denver Broncos sitting alone atop the AFC West and in the mix for the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Even with the defense on a historic pace and fresh off a dramatic overtime win over the Washington Commanders, the Pro Bowl edge rusher says this group still hasn’t hit its ceiling.
And with reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II recently back from injury, Bonitto thinks that “another level” might be coming at exactly the right time. He recently offered his candid thoughts to Bleacher Report in their Handoff series.
Nik Bonitto: Broncos Stand Alone in AFC West but Aren’t Done Yet
Breaking down his batted two-point conversion that sealed Denver’s 27-26 overtime win over Washington, Bonitto quickly pivoted from the highlight to the bigger picture. The Broncos improved to 10-2 with their ninth straight victory, moving into sole possession of first place in the AFC West and staying in the race for the conference’s top seed.
“Right now we stand alone in the AFC West, we battling for the top seed in the AFC too,” Bonitto said. He added that there’s “a lot at stake in these last couple weeks” and stressed Denver’s plan is to “keep trying to dial it in… continue to stack up these wins.”
Despite that success, Bonitto doesn’t see a finished product.
He said the defense has “been playing great ball so far this season,” but believes “there’s still another level we can take it to.”
Bonitto pointed to the group’s mindset as the key.
He praised a room full of “selfless players” willing to handle the “hard downs” and sacrifice for “the greater good of the team,” framing that attitude as what makes Denver’s defense special — and why he thinks they can keep climbing even as they chase the league’s single-season sacks record and battle for seeding.
For his part, Bonitto currently has 36 total tackles (10 for a loss), 10.5 sacks and a forced fumble this season.
What Pat Surtain’s Return Means for the Broncos Defense
If Bonitto believes the Broncos’ defense has another gear, Pat Surtain II is the nitrous.
Bonitto called getting Surtain back a “big addition” and broke down just how much he changes the math for everyone else: Denver can tell Surtain to “go guard the best receiver on the other team,” and, as Bonitto put it, “you don’t hear about him for the rest of the game.”
He went on to call Surtain “the best in the game” at cornerback, echoing the growing national consensus after Surtain’s 2024 Defensive Player of the Year campaign and back-to-back All-Pro seasons.
With Surtain back locking down one side of the field, Denver can stay aggressive up front. That’s good news for a pass rush already led by Bonitto, who’s emerged as a Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner thanks to his league-leading sack pace and disruption numbers.
Broncos’ Path to the No. 1 Seed & the Defense’s Next Test
Bonitto also singled out Week 18 against the Los Angeles Chargers as a potential de facto AFC West title game, noting that Denver has “struggled with them” since Jim Harbaugh took over and that the matchup could decide the division. He called the Chargers’ defense “elite” and Justin Herbert “a great quarterback,” framing the finale as the kind of test a true No. 1 defense should want.
Between now and then, the Broncos still have to navigate:
- Protecting their AFC West lead after finally ending Kansas City’s decade of dominance in the division.
- Holding serve in the AFC race with the Texans and other contenders vying for the “best defense in the NFL” label that some national voices have tried to hand elsewhere.
For Bonitto, though, the formula stays simple: keep stacking wins and keep raising the bar on defense, especially now that Surtain is back in the lineup.
If this is what the Broncos look like before they reach that “another level,” the rest of the AFC may not love what it looks like when they finally get there.
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