The Athletic Labels 8-2 Broncos as ‘Pretenders’ in Stunning Assessment

Despite being 8-2 and in first place in the AFC West, the Denver Broncos have been labeled as 'pretenders' by The Athletic.

Nov 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks with quarterback Bo Nix (10) during the second half at Empower Field at Mile High. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos have lived on the edge throughout the 2025 season, waiting until the final moments of a game to pull out a victory. The Broncos currently hold an 8-2 record and are on a seven-game winning streak ahead of their first matchup against the reigning AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs.

Watching the Broncos play on game day has been mind-boggling for fans, as the offense is woefully inconsistent due to Bo Nix’s seeming regression, numerous dropped passes, and at times questionable play-calling from Sean Payton. Special teams have been a major disappointment under the new coordinator, Darren Rizzi, after being a top-three unit last year.

With their 8-2 record, the Broncos are in a prime position to make the playoffs for a second straight season, but questions about their viability as a serious contender have been circulating, given how erratic they’ve been in two phases of the game. The Athletic’s Mike Jones compiled a list of teams currently in the playoff picture and those fighting to get in, and labeled them as either contenders or pretenders. The Broncos were on the pretenders list.

“The Broncos have a strong record, but some of those wins may be fool’s gold. Their first-half opponents owned a combined 23-48-1 record, and yet, the Broncos’ average margin of victory is just 6.2 points. Four of those contests were decided by 3 points or fewer. On one hand, four fourth-quarter comebacks show resilience, but the continued offensive struggles and erratic play from Bo Nix are concerning. If not for a dominant defense that leads the league with 46 sacks, Denver would not own a winning record,” Jones wrote. 

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Why the NFL Isn't Sold

Nov 2, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws during the first half against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. | Sean Thomas-Imagn Images

It’s no secret that the Broncos have faced a weaker schedule, as Jones highlights their opponents' combined record of 23-48-1. This usually wouldn’t be a problem, but outside of their blowout victory against the Dallas Cowboys (44-24), the Broncos have struggled to put away the likes of the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, and Tennessee Titans.

The bulk of the credit for pulling out these miraculous last-second wins goes to the Broncos’ defense. Vance Joseph’s unit has only allowed eight touchdowns on the season, tied for first, the second-lowest completion percentage at 57.1, the ninth-fewest rushing yards with 912, along with the lowest YPC at 3.6, and a league-leading 46 sacks.

The conversations about Denver being pretenders start with its atrocious offensive misfires, which begin with the apparent regression of Nix. His stats actually look solid, with 2,126 passing yards and 18 touchdowns, good for fifth-best in the league.

However, statistics never tell the whole story, as Nix’s play has been dreadfully inconsistent, from his footwork to decision-making. His tendency to make every throw as tricky as possible has led to several off-target throws, and his passes are typically placed in the area of a receiver rather than putting it on the numbers, leading to some of the drops we’ve witnessed.

Despite Payton simplifying the offense to half-field and high-low reads, Nix is still struggling to find the open man and deliver the ball, which is very concerning. Many point out that he is the least-sacked quarterback in the NFL, having been taken down only 10 times, but he’s not consistently making plays after avoiding defenders. Denver’s receiving core has also been abysmal, with its top four pass catchers dropping a combined 12 passes. 

The Takeaway

The Broncos' defense has given their offense plenty of opportunities to make up for mistakes, but outside the Dallas game, it has not instilled much confidence. The Broncos' offense has been scrutinized over the media landscape, and if not for their excellent defense, it’s hard to say where they’d be.

The reality is the Broncos are 8-2 and have a defense capable of keeping them in every game, and they have done so up to this point. As long as the Broncos keep winning or beat Kansas City, they will shake off the pretender stigma, whether this offense plays cleaner or not.