Numbers Show Broncos' Offense Could Be Peaking At the Right Time

The Broncos' offense has been onto something since Week 11, and the playoffs are rapidly approaching.

Nov 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) at the line of scrimmage in the fourth quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Empower Field at Mile High. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

While the Denver Broncos' defense has struggled since the bye, their offense, led by Sean Payton and Bo Nix, has been picking up the slack. After a nightmare-level performance against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 10, the Broncos took that mini-bye week and turned it around on offense. 

The turnaround is worth digging into because the Broncos look like entirely different units when you turn on the tape, and the stats and analytics back it up, with one exception: the run game. The Broncos lost J.K. Dobbins in that game against the Raiders, and he was their most consistent and reliable running back. 

Here's a look at the Broncos' offensive production through the first 10 weeks of the season.

First 10 Games	Per Game
Total Yards	334.6
Passing Yards	206
Rushing Yards	129.2
Points	23.5

Decent numbers, but they're inflated by Week 4's win over the Cincinnati Bengals and Week 8 vs. the Dallas Cowboys, where Denver had nearly 1,000 total yards, over 500 passing yards, and 72 points combined. While we aren’t going to exclude those games, that context is necessary. 

During that same 10-week span, Denver ranked 18th in total EPA, 28th in success rate, 20th in dropback EPA, 30th in dropback success rate, 14th in rushing EPA, and 17th in rushing success rate. Again, these numbers were inflated by those two games, but none of them are ideal for an NFL offense. The rushing analytics are solid, though. 

After that Week 10 game, however, the Broncos picked it up offensively. The points may not seem like much, but this is one where taking out those two games highlights the difference, as Denver would drop to an average of 20.4 points per game. 

Since Week 11	Per Game
Total Yards	373.2
Passing Yards	270.5
Rushing Yards	102.7
Points	24.5

The analytics highlight the changes even more, as since Week 11, the Broncos rank seventh in EPA, fourth in success rate, sixth in dropback EPA and success rate, 18th in rushing EPA, but seventh in rushing success rate. Everything is significantly better, except for the rushing EPA. 

There is no denying the Broncos' offense has turned around since that mini-bye, and it's a good thing, given how the defense has struggled since then. The Broncos needed their offense to pick up the slack before the season got away from them.

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Red Zone Issues

Dec 25, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) rolls out to pass during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

However, one concern with this offense of late has been its issues punching it into the end zone when they get into the red zone. The Broncos have played into a ball-control offense with long drives that eat up a lot of the clock, but they have to finish with touchdowns, not field goals. 

You can also complain about the rushing inconsistencies. Still, the Broncos are finding ways to make do by using short passes and the screen game as extensions of the ground attack.

That's fine, but not scoring touchdowns when they get close is the biggest complaint about the Broncos' offense over this last stretch of games. They've turned things around overall, though. 

Everything is significantly better, except for rushing EPA, rushing yardage, and points. All of these can be partially attributed to the Broncos' issues in the red zone. Earlier in the season, the Broncos would struggle between the 20s, but if they got into the red zone, they'd punch it in.

As the Broncos prepare to hopefully clinch the top playoff seed in the AFC and make a run for the Super Bowl, they need their offense to keep playing at this level, with the lone adjustment of improving red-zone efficiency. They are so close to being a great unit, but still have one or two hurdles to clear before getting there.