Broncos Climb NFL Power Rankings—Here’s the Week 3 Consensus

The Broncos climbed one spot in this week's ESPN power rankings.

One of the reasons the Broncos trailed for much of the Jaguars game was the offense's inability to close in the red zone. That was evidenced by a rare Bo Nix red-zone interception and a goal-line stand by the Jaguars' defense that stuffed J.K. Dobbins on three straight attemps.

ESPN's Jeff Legwold highlighted Nix's slow start to each of his three seasons as a pro.

"Whether it's an issue with his mechanics or rushing into plays, Nix is caught up in the Broncos' propensity for slow starts under coach Sean Payton. In his first two seasons, Nix has thrown eight of his 23 interceptions in September -- including three games with at least two picks," Legwold wrote.

NFL.com: 6th

The Broncos stay static in NFL.com's power rankings. However, Nick Shook highlighted Denver's hot-and-cold offense thus far, but noted that it was a much better product in Week 2.

"Denver's Jekyll-and-Hyde offense is back, but that's better than what Sean Payton's team produced in Week 1... Much like last season, I’d like to see that type of output happen earlier in a game, but at least Denver was able to get Jaylen Waddle going," Shook wrote.

The Broncos finished with 392 yards of total offense while Waddle caught eight passes for 138 yards in his Mile High debut.

Sports Illustrated: 7th

The Broncos jumped seven spots at SI. Conor Orr, who has been very skeptical of the Broncos since before the season started, sees "brilliance" in Denver's new offensive coordinator, especially in how he utilized Waddle.

Orr also highlighted how Waddle changes the math for defenses.

"The brilliance of Davis Webb is in the details. His usage of Jaylen Waddle far beyond the passing game is what will continue giving the Broncos an edge. Edging the Jaguars over the weekend allowed us to see that Bo Nix cannot be contained by a four-man rush alone. You’ll have to blitz into the teeth of this very good offensive line, which means more explosive downfield potential for Waddle," Orr wrote.

CBS Sports: 9th

The Broncos climbed two spots in Pete Prisco's power rankings. After that historically bad tackling display in the season opener, Prisco noted how the Broncos' defense bounced back against Jacksonville.

"Rallying from 10 down in the fourth quarter was impressive in beating the Jaguars. The defense really showed up in the second half," Prisco wrote.

Tackling well allowed the Broncos to neutralize Jacksonville's rushing attack, and the combination of the pass rush and coverage led to a subpar day for Trevor Lawrence.

The Athletic: 11th

The Broncos moved up one spot at The Athletic. Like Broncos Country, Chad Graff and Josh Kendall were clearly impressed with rookie running back Jonah Coleman and his Mile High Salute, who scored the go-ahead touchdown and led the team in rushing.

"He’s the only player from Denver’s seven-man class making much of an impact," they wrote.

So far, Coleman is actually the only Broncos rookie to dress for a game this season. Defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim, offensive lineman Kage Casey, and tight end Dallen Bentley have all been a healthy scratch through two weeks.

Fox Sports: 6th

The Broncos climb two spots in Fox's rankings, with Ralph Vacchiano noting that Denver's second-half performance "looked like a different team." That was true, at least offensively.

It looked like the Broncos were going to plummet in the rankings again. At the last moment, though, quarterback Bo Nix remembered how to play and offensive coordinator Davis Webb learned how to call plays," Vacchiano wrote.

If Sean Payton can figure out how to get the Broncos playing in the first half like they do in the second, they'll be a true juggernaut.

Yahoo Sports: 12th

The Broncos jumped up three spots in Frank Schwab's power rankings. To him, the Broncos' secret to success wasn't just figuring out how to feature Waddle, but it also had much to do with Coleman's involvement.

"The Broncos' turnaround after six poor quarters to start the season might have been as simple as figuring out how to get Jaylen Waddle and Jonah Coleman involved," Schwab wrote.

Coleman was mostly impressive, and his heads-up play to kill the clock at the end of the game belied his rookie inexperience. However, Payton is a stickler for experience and veterans who've paid their dues.

There have been exceptions to the rule, like Nix in 2024, but for the most part, rookies always take a back seat on a Payton team. With both Dobbins and RJ Harvey nursing hamstring injuries, though, Payton may not have much choice but to lean on his rookie running back, who's already shown he's ready and capable.

Pro Football Talk: 6th

The Broncos rise six spots in Mike Florio's rankings, who noted Waddle's emergence coming "a week later than they hoped." Better late than never.

And it's not exactly late, it is? The Broncos are entering Week 3, after all, and they've figured out how to unlock Waddle.

The trick now will be continuing to feed the explosive newcomer while also including Courtland Sutton far more than the Broncos have thus far.

Broncos' Consensus Week 3 Power Ranking: 8th

Honestly, 8th is a fair reflection of where the Broncos stand through two games, and it's three spots higher than last week. They've gone up against two very good teams and showed the wherewithal to bounce back against a 12-win (last year) Jaguars opponent.

The Broncos will continue to climb in the power rankings, so long as they keep stacking wins. The next four weeks are exceedingly tough, but so long as the Broncos don't turn in another pathetic showing as they did in Kansas City, they're talented enough to beat any of their upcoming opponents.

Next up, it's the Los Angeles Rams coming to Denver for a Sunday Night Football tilt.