Can Big Blue Tame Aggressive Denver Broncos Defense?

Are the New York Giants capable of handling the Denver Broncos defense on the road?

Sep 29, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) celebrates with Denver Broncos linebacker Jonah Elliss (52) after sacking Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning (6) (not pictured) during the third quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The New York Giants are about to face one of the toughest defenses they’ll see all year in the Denver Broncos.

Personnel

When writing these previews, we usually go through them position by position. However, the Broncos are unique defensively, so this will be a bit different.

Their interior defensive linemen and edge rushers line up all over the defensive front, so we’ll group them.

That front will be a combination of Nik Bonitto, Zach Allen, Jonathon Cooper, John Franklin-Myers, DJ Jones, and Eyioma Uwazurike.

Oct 5, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Denver Broncos defensive end Zach Allen (99) and defensive tackle D.J. Jones (93) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Bonitto, Cooper, and Allen are the driving forces of this entire defense with their pass-rush, which currently has the quickest “get-off” time in the NFL.

Franklin-Myers, Jones, and Uwazurike are more of the role players on this front, but still line up in multiple slots from over center all the way outside the tackle.

Bonitto, Cooper, and Allen have a combined 80 pressures already this season, with Bonitto tied for fourth in the NFL and Cooper tied for eighth.

For comparison purposes, the Giants' top three rushers of Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux have a combined 69 pressures.

The second level for the Broncos consists of Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, who provide reliable but not top-level play.

Because of the defensive front, they tend to get cleaner lanes to fill against the run and are also occasionally used as blitzers.

The Broncos' secondary is one of the best in the NFL right now, if not the best.

Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss, on the outside, are a cornerback duo that has the athleticism and size to match up with any wide receiver.

Surtain II has yet to allow a touchdown this season, and opposing quarterbacks are completing just 50% of their passes when targeting this duo.

Ja’Quan McMillian is the Broncos' nickel defender tasked with covering slot receivers, tight ends, and running backs, while also defending the run and being used as a pass rusher.

Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones are the Broncos' safeties, with Jones playing most of the deep safety and Hufanga lining up all over the defense.

Hufanga’s film in 2025 is nothing short of great so far, with his run defense being the most impressive part of his game to this point.

Scheme

Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph currently has the NFL's second-best defensive unit. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Broncos' defense is one of the most aggressive in the NFL, both in terms of fronts and coverage.

Up front, the Broncos will line up with exotic looks to create havoc for the offensive line, making communication key. They also blitz at the fourth-highest rate in the league.

That means that even when the line does communicate properly, they could just be outnumbered.

The Broncos' pass-rush will come from every direction and just about any player other than a cornerback on the field-side.

The Broncos defense is playing complementary football right now, with an elite pass rush that hits home quickly and a secondary capable of holding up in man coverage.

The Broncos will mostly live in Cover 1 and Cover 3, but will also occasionally mix in Cover 2 and Cover 4, although I expect them to be very man-heavy this weekend.

Because of how exotic this defense is, the Broncos will frequently drop edge rushers into coverage—on average, more than 10 times per game.

Creepers are a consistent part of modern defense, and the Broncos are no exception to the rule.

Creepers are replacement blitzes that use an off-ball player as a pass-rusher while dropping a traditional rusher into coverage, which is the way the Broncos like to deploy their edge rushers.

Overview

This weekend is going to be one of the toughest tasks for the Giants' offense this season.

At quarterback, Jaxson Dart will need to be able to identify where the pressure will come in from and make a quick decision before said pressure gets in.

The offensive line will need to communicate to adjust to the exotic looks that the Broncos will consistently give them.

At receiver, someone needs to create separation from this Broncos secondary. Easier said than done, but this is where not having Malik Nabers hurts most, especially with a lot of man coverage expected.

In terms of skillset and scheme, playing at a higher altitude, this is one of the worst on-paper matchups for the Giants' season. That’s not to say the Giants offense can’t find success. Last week, the Jets had opportunities to make plays, but didn’t capitalize.

Winning on early downs is the goal here because getting into a third-and-long situation is the last thing that this Giants offense wants to deal with.

What happens next with the NY Giants? Find out! Follow and like us on Facebook. Visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos. Want to send a question in for our mailbag? You can do so here.