It was all good just a month ago. The Denver Broncos were on a bye week, and cornerback Pat Surtain II was getting ready to return in Week 13. Then the Broncos’ defense got shellacked for 26 points by the Washington Commanders. And after holding the Las Vegas Raiders to 17 points, the Green Bay Packers dropped another 26 on the Broncos’ defense in Week 15. So, after another 34 on the defense vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars, should the Broncos be worried?
Examining the Broncos’ Defense the Past 4 Games
The short answer is no. Starting with the Commanders in Week 13, the Broncos’ defense actually allowed 20 points in four quarters. Then, in overtime, the Commanders’ offense scored another touchdown to make it 26, but failed on the two-point conversion. ‘
Here’s a fun fact: Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph were on the same staff together on the Arizona Cardinals from 2019-2022. So, that, and overtime, can explain the unusual 26 points allowed by the Broncos’ defense. On to Week 15 vs. the Packers.
At halftime vs. the Packers, the Broncos were trailing 16-14. With quarterback Bo Nix’s clutchness not on bye, and EDGE (4-3 DE) Micah Parsons knocked out of the game, the Broncos’ offense scored 20 points in the second half. So, with a two-point differential, the Broncos outscored the Packers in the second half 20-10. In fact, two of Nix’s four touchdowns came in the second half as well. Let’s call Week 15’s result one bad half, and the Broncos won the game.
Enter the Jaguars’ 34 points from Week 16. It’s a one-off. During their current six-game winning streak, the Jaguars are averaging north of 34 points per game. The Houston Texans’ defense, No. 1 in PFSN’s Defense Impact Score, would’ve had a hard time stopping the Jaguars’ offense as well. For reference, the Broncos’ defense is No. 2 in PFSN’s Defense Impact Score. The ranking makes the point. In a passing league, pick offense over defense.
All told, over the past four games, the Broncos’ defense has had six bad quarters out of a possible 16. That’s less than 50% of the time, given the small sample size. Look for the Broncos’ defense to bounce back in Week 17 vs. the Kansas City Chiefs on a Christmas edition of “Thursday Night Football.”
