Broncos Have Chance to Fix 3 Lingering Defensive Problems vs. Chargers

The Broncos have to show some progress in these areas before the playoffs.

Dec 21, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss (21) reacts against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

After the beating he took from the Houston Texans, the Los Angeles Chargers will rest Justin Herbert in Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos. He's yet another starting quarterback the Broncos won’t face in a game, or even for most of the game, which makes their road to the top seed a little easier. 

The Chargers are expected to rest more players in the season finale, especially those who are beat up, as they look ahead to the playoffs and don’t seem overly concerned with seeding. This makes it more challenging to distinguish matchups for the Broncos, so instead, we're breaking down three elements of the defense that can be improved in this game. 

Let's dive in.

Penalties

This is an obvious one, as the Broncos lead the NFL in penalties called against their defense. This defense has been called for 52 penalties, six more than the next highest, and nearly 100 yards more.

Of those 52 penalties, 36 have given the Broncos' opponents an automatic first down, with 13 coming on third or fourth down. 

Even with their drop-off since the bye week, the Broncos' defense has remained solid, but it was great beforehand. Despite that, penalties have been a consistent issue for the unit, and while the Broncos are willing to live with some, like the offsides by Nik Bonitto trying to guess the snap count, they need to cut out the majority of them. 

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Pass Rush Dominance 

Dec 25, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun (19) throws a pass as he is hit by Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) and Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) during the first quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Broncos had a great chance at breaking the NFL's single-season sack record (72), but they will likely fall short as they need eight to tie and nine to break the record. While the Broncos could do that in the finale, the odds are slim, but it's not like they haven't gotten nine sacks in a single game already this season. 

Part of the reason the Broncos' defense has fallen off since the bye week has been their pass rush. They're still generating a similar level of pressure, but they're averaging 1.5 sacks fewer per game, and the time to throw isn’t the reason. 

In fact, four of the five longest average times to throw against the Broncos have been in their last four games, with all but Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers averaging over three seconds. Denver has been unable to get home for one reason or another, and they need to correct that in the season finale. 

Communication & Tackling

Dec 25, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Brashard Smith (24) scores a touchdown as Denver Broncos linebacker Justin Strnad (40) attempts to tackle at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Broncos have had multiple coverage breakdowns, and their tackling has been a significant issue. These faults have led to one big play after another and allowed a single Jacksonville Jaguars player to gain around 100 yards after the catch. 

Denver has had consistency issues with its tackling all season, but the usual culprits haven’t been at fault of late. Riley Moss has had four missed tackles in the last three games, with seven missed tackles over the rest of the season. 

Moss has also been involved in communication breaks in coverage over recent weeks, which have been an issue. These breakdowns aren’t all on Moss, as Alex Singleton, Dre Greenlaw, and Talanoa Hufanga have been at fault for both problems over the recent weeks. 

The tackling issues have been devastating for Denver, especially in the Week 16's loss to the Jaguars. These are issues the Broncos can’t have in the playoffs, so now is the time to correct them and put them behind them.