One of the NFL’s most exciting teams nowadays is the Denver Broncos. The Broncos, who were 1-5 at the beginning of the season and were constantly being told to “tank/sell everyone,” have decisively turned things around as they are now 6-5 and on a five-game winning streak.
Given the defense’s current takeaway %, the Broncos’ recent success may seem a little miraculous, but Denver is playing a physical, complementary style of game that emphasizes possession, ball management, and field position, and it appears to be effective.
What is the current view of this Sean Payton-led Broncos squad, led by quarterback Russell Wilson, now that they are very much in the mix in the AFC? NFL insider Ian Rapoport claims that this club appears to be changing into a group that many fans in Broncos Country probably detest but would nevertheless accept given their recent winning streak.
In fairness, this Wilson is not precisely the same player that was winning games in Seattle. Wilson is checking the ball down at a rate he has never demonstrated in his career and is not producing explosive plays at the same rate he did in Seattle.
This strategy has some drawbacks because Denver is holding the ball much better and limiting turnovers, but lately, it has become much more difficult to make explosive passes. Wilson and the Broncos are not solely to blame for this, since passing metrics in the league (EPA/Pass, explosive passes, and points) are almost all at 20- to 25-year lows.
Nevertheless, Wilson’s game manager persona is far more conventional in this one. In the event that winning football games in Denver is a prerequisite for the “game manager” position, neither the organization nor the supporters should genuinely be concerned.
However, the points of emphasis—from Wilson’s time in Seattle to Payton’s current work in Denver—remain largely accurate. The run game is the offense’s primary engine, and everything else flows through and off of it. The Broncos place an emphasis on efficiency while limiting bad plays, as opposed to having a high-volume passer who accumulates counting stats.
Rapaport thinks the Broncos are becoming a serious contender because of the defensive makeover under Vance Joseph, in addition to the offense’s uniqueness, which has made Denver a formidable club in the AFC vying for a Wildcard place.
The Broncos have developed into a team that is smart, physical, and focused on turnover differential with critical plays. With six weeks remaining in the 2023 regular season, the Broncos might very well be AFC contenders if that reminds NFL experts of the Seattle Seahawks era.
