Following an 18-15 away win against the Houston Texans in Week 9, the Denver Broncos now share the best record in the NFL through nine weeks. It’s their sixth win in a row, but in Bleacher Report’s recent power rankings, the Broncos stay put at just the No. 7 spot.

It seems like a bit of a disrespectful placement considering they are just one of three teams in the league to have seven wins through the first nine games. The B/R NFL Staff didn’t even move Denver up a single spot following their sixth consecutive win, staying at the same spot as last week. Still, there may be some validity behind the hesitancy of springing Denver up to the top three.

The Broncos haven’t been the dominant team you’d expect from one that’s tied for the best record in the NFL. They have shown inconsistencies time and time again on the offensive side of the ball, leading to multiple games that have been much closer than necessary.

Week 6’s win against the New York Jets is just one example. Up against a team that had yet to win its first game of the season, Denver trailed in the fourth quarter and ended up winning by an unconvincing score of 13-11. The Broncos' offense has failed to get going until late in the game multiple times this season. Wins against the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, and Texans have all been credited to late-game comebacks. It begs the question: how long can the Broncos keep playing this way before their luck runs out?

There’s no doubt about the championship-level defense that Denver has on the defensive end. Its defense ranks eighth in rushing yards allowed per game, sixth in passing yards, and fourth in points allowed per game. They hold the lead for the most sacks by a ridiculous margin of 12. Time and time again, Denver’s defense has kept them close in games, hoping for a late-game comeback from the offense – and it’s worked.

Even with that strategy working nine weeks into the season, it’s not a reliable one. It’s not one that a true Super Bowl contender should follow. If the Broncos feel they deserve to be viewed as a top-five or even top-three team, they need to prove their dominance as a unit.

The offense needs to find consistency immediately. We’re too far into the season for Denver to not find its rhythm until the final quarter – that will not work in the playoffs. It’s a recipe for eventual disappointment, even if the Broncos' current record shows real promise. It’s been a great season in Denver, but there is much more work to do to truly solidify themselves as a top contender.