Number 1.
That’s the number everyone seems to be talking about heading into the season. Why? Well, that’s where plenty of all-knowing folks rank the Broncos defense. That’s a number worth discussing, because if that number holds true, the Broncos have more than a puncher’s chance in the postseason.
Aside from the old adage that defense wins championships, Broncos fans have a firsthand understanding of how a great defense can carry an adequate offense.
In 2015, the Broncos defense did most of the heavy lifting en route to the franchise’s third, and an injured Peyton Manning’s second, Lombardi Trophy.
Can this defense be as good as the Denver’s ‘Orange Crush’ or ‘No Fly Zone?’ Why not? The numbers support the lofty expectations.
As NFL.com’s Gennaro Felice points out, the Broncos finished last season ranked 3rd in “true” scoring defense – a number that discounts points surrendered by the offense (which, oddly, is often included in most points-given-up rankings). Trailing only the Eagles and Chargers, the Broncos “true” defense allowed just 18.3 points per game.
This season, Felice believes the Broncos are poised to be even better.
He states: “After ranking 27th in defensive points allowed in 2023, Denver soared to No. 3 last season. This year, I have the Broncos taking another step forward to edge out the Eagles and Ravens for top billing on this list. Why?
Well, in addition to returning 14 of their top 15 players in defensive snaps — LB Cody Barton was the lone loss — they signed big-ticket free agents Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga, and then spent their first-round pick on versatile defensive back Jahdae Barron. So, the group that led the league in sacks and defensive EPA (expected points added) just got better.”
The strength of the Broncos’ defense – both last year and this year – resides up front and in the secondary. Let’s take a look at a few numbers that illustrate just how good those units are.
3.9
Any guesses? That’s the average yards per carry the Broncos’ front-loaded defense gave up in 2024. That ranked 2nd in the entire NFL, and it was largely due to a massive defensive line that does more than get to the quarterback.
Then again, the Broncos do that, too. Take a look at these numbers…
6
The number of Broncos to record five or more sacks last season.
13.5
That’s how many sacks Nik Bonitto recorded alone. Bonitto came alive last season, increasing his sack total by 5.5 from his 2023 campaign.
10.5 and 8.5
Jonathon Cooper and Zach Allen weren’t far behind; these are their sack totals, respectively.
63
In total, the Broncos sacked opposing quarterbacks a whopping 63 times, which put them 1st in the entire league. In fact, the next closest team, Baltimore, registered 54.
Good things tend to happen when a team is getting to the quarterback. Better things happen with sacks that are paired with one of the league’s best secondaries. Take a look at a few numbers that show just how good PS2 and crew were in 2024…
8
Denver ranked 8th in the entire league in interceptions, snatching away 15 in total.
4
Almost one-third of the Broncos’ picks came courtesy of the DPOY.
6
The Broncos also ranked 6th in TD passes allowed, giving up just 22 all season. It’s not just run stuffing and interceptions that tell the whole story, either.
Take a look at a few more that help define Denver’s dominance…
5
Having to line up 1,093 times against the opponent’s offense, Denver’s D played the 5th most downs in the NFL. What does that mean? The accomplished what they did, despite an offense that, at times, had trouble staying on the field.
723
That’s the total number of penalty yards the Broncos gave up. If that number doesn’t mean anything to you, consider the fact that only two defenses gave up fewer – San Francisco (624) and Philadelphia (694).
7
No, that’s not John Elway’s jersey or the number of teams Sean Payton believed to be Super Bowl contenders. Actually, that’s Denver’s 2024 rank for
total turnovers (25).
All those numbers sure are swell, but where Felice has the Broncos ranked is also a reflection of their additions. Consider these numbers with regard to the newcomers…
123.5
You wonder if Dre Greenlaw can hit? The numbers point toward yes, as that’s the average tackles per season he logged in 2022 and 2023.
7
Talanoa Hufanga isn’t just a goodlookin’ head of hair. He’s a centerfielder who can hit. In 2022 and ’23 – in just 27 total games – he tallied 149 tackles in that span. He grabbed a total of 7 interceptions, too.
5
As an All-American playing in the SEC, Jahdae Barron managed to pick off opposing quarterbacks five times.
What’s it all add up to? Well, you don’t need to have a mathematics degree to understand why many believe the Broncos have the No. 1 defense in all of football.
