The Denver Broncos have established themselves as Super Bowl contenders after defeating the Green Bay Packers to move to 12-2.
Denver won a thriller against Green Bay, 34-26, and the team has now won 11 straight games heading into their Week 16 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
While the offense has its struggles from time to time, quarterback Bo Nix has shown a high level of resilience late in games. Denver is never truly out of games, especially because of their star-studded defense that has already shattered the franchise record for sacks in a single season with three games remaining.
The Broncos could secure both the American Football Conference No. 1 seed and the AFC West division title this week, but their path to the No. 1 seed is a lot more difficult than securing the division.
While I and many others think this Broncos team is destined for a deep playoff push and even a Super Bowl run, some believe Denver could be "first-round" exits, like ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
“As far as quick exits, Denver is on my radar despite its impressive push for the No. 1 seed. The AFC feels more open than in years past, and though the Broncos' offense has improved in recent weeks, I still can't shake that midseason lull it had in eking out wins against the Jets and Raiders,” Fowler wrote Wednesday.
“Denver has a dominant defense which can overcome its inconsistent offense. And to his credit, [Bo] Nix knows how to move an offense downfield. He finds a way, especially late in games. I'm just not sure Denver has enough firepower at the skill positions to keep getting by in January. I might look foolish for this take considering Denver seems to be peaking at the right time.”
Bo Nix was impressive against the Packers and made huge plays in the second half to propel the Broncos to victory. The second-year quarterback completed 23 of 34 passes for 302 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 10 yards on seven carries. He wasn’t as efficient with his legs as he normally is, but it didn’t factor into the decision of this game.
Nix and the offense have been in a rhythm recently, scoring 22 or more points in each of the past four games. The Broncos need to continue cashing in their red zone opportunities down the stretch to silence any doubts about the team moving forward.