Broncos deserve NFL's respect after stifling Chiefs

Broncos make statement in win over Chiefs

Yet in perhaps the franchise's biggest contest in a decade, the Broncos proved ready for the moment. Their defensive line disrupted Patrick Mahomes' rhythm all game long, registering eight quarterback hits and forcing him into a disastrous red-zone interception. 

On the other side of the ball, Bo Nix certainly wasn’t perfect, but he stayed clear of the negative plays that destroyed the Chiefs offense. With the score tied at 19 late in the fourth quarter, Nix put together his league-leading fifth game-winning drive of the season, converting two third downs and hitting Troy Franklin for a 32-yard completion to set up Wil Lutz for the game-winning field goal.

Now having beaten both of last year’s Super Bowl participants, the Broncos have proved that they are more than just a nice story and should be considered one of the favorites to dethrone the Chiefs for the AFC title.

Why Broncos deserve NFL’s respect

The AFC in the 2020s has been defined by great quarterback play. The four quarterbacks to participate in the AFC championship Game this decade are Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow, four superstars who have combined for five MVPs and 15 Pro Bowls.

As great as those signal-callers are, however, they have shown their vulnerabilities against constant pressure. Both of Mahomes' Super Bowl losses have come when his offensive line has been overwhelmed by the great pass rushes of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles. Burrow’s lone Super Bowl appearance was derailed in large part due to the dominance of Aaron Donald, and Jackson came up short in his only AFC title game appearance after four sacks and seven QB hits by the Chiefs defensive line. 

With an NFL-leading 49 sacks, 15 more than the second-place Falcons, the Broncos certainly have fit the mold of those great pass rushes. While Nix and Lutz may garner most of the attention, their heroics were only made possible by the defense forcing two consecutive three-and-outs, including a monster sack by Ja’Quan McMillian on a beautifully designed cornerback blitz. 

Though the Broncos may not have a superhero at quarterback, Nix has proved himself to be at his best in the biggest spots. His 99.6 passer rating while trailing is over 11 points higher than his passer rating while leading, and that figure rises to 142.4 in the game’s last four minutes. With Super Bowl-winning head coach Sean Payton calling the shots, the Broncos look completely at ease in the big games, especially as the connection between Nix and Franklin continues to grow. 

The Broncos' formula for success may not be as eye-catching as their AFC counterparts, but it has proved to hold up against the NFL’s best. If Nix continues to play mistake-free football, the Broncos defense should be able to create enough havoc to claim the AFC’s top seed, ensuring that any team that wants to reach Super Bowl LX will have to get through their raucous crowd and lethal pass rush.