Like a sudden RKO, the Denver Broncos have risen to the No. 3 seed in the AFC. If the playoffs started today, Denver would play its division rival, the Los Angeles Chargers, for a third time this season. It’s a surprise, although PFSN’s Free NFL Playoff Predictor has the Broncos as the eventual No. 7 seed. Still, head coach Sean Payton made it clear: Denver’s numbers through nine weeks speak for themselves — regardless of what the predictor says.
Sean Payton on Broncos’ Elite Stats Through Nine Weeks
Following the Broncos’ 18-15 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday, which improved their record to 7-2, Payton took the podium for his postgame press conference and talked about the Broncos’ elite numbers.
#BroncosCountry LIVE: HC Sean Payton meets the media after #DENvsHOU https://t.co/K3DpKVe820
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) November 2, 2025
He said, “There’s a lot of these numbers that are important: sack differential, first in the league; scoring differential, first in the league — there’s like four or five of these things that (are important). Fourth quarter differential, it would be a league record right now. And they’re playing for each other. No one wants to let anyone down. That’s a good thing.”
Payton got emotional toward the end of his press conference. It wasn’t the Broncos’ best game, but the win streak extends to six games. Denver is now 7-2 and plays the Las Vegas Raiders on a short week on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 10.
Circling back to the Broncos’ win streak, Denver beat the Houston Texans 18-15, although C.J. Stroud left the game in the second quarter. Key takeaways were Bo Nix’s slow start and the defense keeping the game close. What went right, though, was the Broncos’ defensive line reaching 40 sacks on the season, while it was another day at the office for J.K. Dobbins.
The problem, though, was the passing offense. Denver lost the time-of-possession battle, and Nix’s stat line left much to be desired. His numbers were as follows: 18-of-37 for 173 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, 4.7 yards per attempt, and a 68.9 passer rating.
Nix’s PFSN QB Impact Score is sure to dip slightly after Week 9, but Broncos Country will surely take the win.
Meanwhile, the Broncos are hoping Pat Surtain II can return sooner rather than later. He is projected to miss four to six weeks, according to NFL insiders. Still, Surtain II avoided injured reserve, giving hope that he could be available for Week 11 against the Kansas City Chiefs.