3 Problems Broncos Must Fix Before the Season Spins Out of Control

The Denver Broncos haven't started off on the right foot, but if they can fix these three lingering problems, the Cincinnati Bengals will only be the first of many vanquished foes.

CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 28: Denver Broncos Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph and Denver Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton look on during the NFL, American Football Herren, USA football game between the Denver Broncos and the Cincinnati Bengals on December 28, 2024, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. | Michael Allio / Imago / Icon Sportswire

The Denver Broncos are at a fork in the road. And it doesn't get much easier from here.

At 1-2, things haven't progressed as expected for the Broncos. Monday night will bring the Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati Bengals to Mile High, and though some fans view it as a 'get-right' opportunity, it could just as easily be a trap game.

Minus Burrow, nobody in the NFL is terrified of the Bengals. But you know what they say about the league: any given Sunday.

For the Broncos to end their two-game losing streak and prevail against the Bengals, they'll have to prove they've solved several lingering problems. Once the Broncos are able to put these issues behind them, they'll be tough to beat.

If the Broncos can get out in front of these problems, they can beat any team in the league, including the defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles in Week 5. But let's not get ahead of ourselves; the Broncos have to handle the Bengals first.

If Denver doesn't get to the bottom of these lingering problems, the 2025 season could quickly spin out of control. Let's break them down.

Early-Down Woes

Sep 14, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II (23) and safety Nick Cross (20) work to bring down Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins (27) during a game at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Christine Tannous-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

When it comes to the early downs, the Broncos rank 32nd in success, 28th in EPA, and 29th in percentage of plays that move the chains, according to Sharp Football Analysis. Remember, this sputtering production comes despite boasting a top-10 offensive line.

It's not all on the quarterback, though we'll get to him. The Broncos have been terribly inconsistent in moving the ball on first and second down, and that particular issue lies at the feet of the O-line and the Broncos' play-caller, Sean Payton.

Because they can't move the ball on first and second down, the Broncos rank 27th on third down, moving the chains on just 36.4% of their attempts. Obviously, any team that struggles so badly on the 'money down' is going to also struggle to score points and win games.

Improving the team's third-down efficiency starts with a mastery of the early downs. That's why the Broncos made that the focus of this week's practices.

Time will tell whether it bears fruit. There's no explicable reason why the Broncos should be struggling so badly here; they have a very good young quarterback, a top-shelf O-line, an upgraded running back stable, and a rising corps of pass-catchers.

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Penalties

Sep 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks with side judge Boris Cheek (41) and line judge Mark Steinkerchner (84) in the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Broncos have been penalized 24 times, tied for the 19th-most in the NFL. Yes, you want to see the Broncos cut down on the number of penalties, but the real killer has been the context of many of them.

For example, when the Broncos are protecting a seven-point lead on the road against a divisional opponent they haven't beaten since 2023, the last thing they need is a defensive captain losing his cool, and suplexing an opponent well after the whistle was blown, as safety Talanoa Hufanga did late in the fourth quarter last week.

The Broncos lost to the Los Angeles Chargers, in part, because that penalty sustained the opponent's drive, providing Justin Herbert with the yardage and the momentum to drive down the field and tie the game with a touchdown pass.

Another killer in context was the leverage penalty called against the Broncos in Week 2, which directly led to their first loss of the season. Fans can complain about the ticky-tack timing of the call, but even Payton and special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi admitted it was a clear leverage violation.

After the Indianapolis Colts had missed the field goal that leverage was called on, the officials gave them 15 yards and allowed them to kick it again. It was good, as time expired, sending Denver home 1-1.

Again, minimizing the number of penalties is always a good thing, but this is on the coaches to ensure they're instilling a sense of awareness and poise in their players. The teams who master situational football are often the ones who lead in the standings.

The brutal truth has been that, in the most critical moments of games, the Broncos have delivered their least-poised performances. Concerning, to say the least.

Bo Nix

Sep 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws for a first down in the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

I don't want to make a mountain out of a molehill because the sample size is so small, but the Broncos need much more from their second-year quarterback. As I wrote and said on the Mile High Huddle Podcast many times before the 2025 season started, as Nix goes, so will the Broncos.

It's no surprise the Broncos are sub-.500; Nix is yet to find his groove, and the team hasn't been good enough around him to overcome it. But what exactly has to change?

Firstly, Nix is getting the time to throw, and yet, he behaves like a quarterback under constant duress, abandoning a clean pocket, which usually leads to a broken play and a complete abandonment of his technique. Much is made about quarterbacks who can throw "off-platform." Nix can do that, but when he unnecessarily creates such throws, he only makes it harder on himself.

So, relaxing and taking his time at the snap, trusting his blockers, being mindful of his base (his footwork), and not panicking early will help lead Nix back to the steady, consistent brand of quarterbacking Broncos Country grew accustomed to last year. He has to be able to win from the pocket. We haven't seen that this year.

Like most quarterbacks, Nix's accuracy is tied to his footwork. When he doesn't set his feet and deliver, he misses his mark. That's what led to his three big misses last week, deep down the field.

Not a lip-reading expert, but looks like Nix was saying “I had so many chances today” as Chargers drove for winning field goal.

Watching back 4Q, he’s right. So many opportunities Broncos just missed — on both sides — that could have flipped outcome. pic.twitter.com/G42p30LfgS

— Nick Kosmider (@NickKosmider) September 22, 2025

If Nix connects on even one of those big misses, the Broncos beat the Chargers going away. Payton has defended Nix, striving to keep his quarterback's accuracy from being an even bigger storyline than it already is. But those issues fix themselves if Nix stays disciplined in his mechanics.

Let's not forget that Nix started out his historic rookie year quite slowly. He didn't find his footing until October, and then he was off to the races. It could simply be that he's a slow starter.

Pressure Injection

Many have wondered whether Payton's "Super Bowl" and "top four or five" quarterback talk in training camp created undue pressure on Nix, though the young quarterback has dismissed such notions. I'm not a psychologist, but I also don't believe in coincidences.

Last year, the Broncos flew under the radar as a dark horse that nobody expected to make the playoffs. That's a very liberating situation for a rookie quarterback to operate within.

Once the Broncos made the playoffs, everybody established expectations, and that alone is much harder for a young quarterback to shoulder. Add to that Payton's preseason hype, and it's very likely that it has affected Nix between the ears, despite his protestations to the contrary.

Instead of performing like a top-15 quarterback, it has led to Nix delivering bottom-10 production. So, it's time to give up that ghost and detach from the "Super Bowl" stuff. If it happens, it happens, and while Payton's World Champion ambitions are noble and well-placed, trying to speak it into existence in the press may have already blown up in his face.

But the season is still young. Nix and the Broncos still have time to turn the ship around, but it starts with getting to the bottom of these three issues that have gnawed at them weekly.

If the Broncos are productive on first and second down, dispense with the penalties, and Nix stays poised and disciplined, the Bengals won't stand a chance on Monday Night Football. But if 'ifs and buts' were candy and nuts, we all would have a Merry Christmas.