The Denver Broncos are tied with the New England Patriots at 9-2 for the best record in the National Football League.
After defeating the rival Kansas City Chiefs on a walk-off field-goal, the Broncos hold a commanding two-game lead in the American Football Conference West division. With three divisional games remaining, the Broncos have a great chance at dethroning the Chiefs for the AFC West crown.
The Broncos haven’t been this good since legendary quarterback Peyton Manning led them to a Super Bowl victory a decade ago. The best part is, the offense has so much room for improvement.
Second-year QB Bo Nix has probably been the most inconsistent sophomore QB this season, but his team is tied for the best record with fellow second-year QB Drake Maye of the Patriots. Nix’s “happy feet” in the pocket has been a cause for concern in recent weeks, but he posted a strong performance and narrowly outplayed his brilliant counterpart Patrick Mahomes.
Nix completed 24 of 37 passes for 295 yards to go along with eight rushing yards on three carries. He didn’t throw for a touchdown, but he played a clean game without getting antsy in the pocket.
The defense played another lockdown game and kept Mahomes under duress for much of the 60 minutes. He had a good stat line, completing 29 of 45 passes for 276 yards, a touchdown and an interception, but he couldn’t overcome the depleted yet ultra-talented Denver defense.
Denver currently has the 32nd and final pick in the first round of next year’s draft, and ESPN’s Matt Miller projects the Broncos will select Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. in his latest mock draft.
“Linebacker Alex Singleton is set to hit free agency in the offseason, opening the door for a contributor in the middle of Vance Joseph's defense,” Miller wrote Wednesday. “Hill has been Texas' middle linebacker since arriving on campus in 2023 and also shows ability as a pass rusher and key blitzer against mobile quarterbacks. There is debate around the league about his best pro position, as some scouts could see Hill move to edge rusher full time. But Denver would best use him at his current position, letting him wreak havoc on AFC West quarterbacks.”
Hill has been a key part to Texas’ defense this season, recording 38 solo tackles, four sacks, three forced fumbles and two interceptions. Replacing a player like Alex Singleton wouldn’t be an easy task, but this is the route Denver is projected to take.