The first half of the Denver Broncos season has come and gone, with the team enjoying their bye week this week. Our MHS staff reflected on several keynote topics as we all looked back on the first 13 weeks of the season.

Denver Broncos Roundtable: Biggest surprise of the first half

For many, the Denver Broncos being 8-5 right now has been a big surprise, but to some of us, it’s not. The emergence of rookie QB Bo Nix is a big factor in Denver taking a step forward this season.

Cody Roark’s take:

I’d say the growth of Bo Nix has been the biggest surprise of the first half. What I mean by that is how he’s continued to ascend on an upward trajectory on a weekly basis, without any signs of regression. He’s gotten extremely comfortable in Sean Payton’s offense and he’s got a visible sense of confidence in what he can do within the scheme and in his players around him. I watched him as an Oregon Ducks fan for two seasons and always said that I feel like he’d be a great pick for Payton, and certainly we’re seeing that play out. He’s protecting the football and is making good decisions on a consistent basis, all without a run game.

Doug Ottewill’s take:

Nix is the obvious choice, isn’t he? Regardless of whether or not you were bullish or bearish on Nix, I don’t think anyone would have predicted he could be (should be) the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. Nix has been everything we’d hoped for and more. His ahead-of-schedule success allows the Broncos to operate like a real football franchise now rather than grasping at straws and playing cap games.

Rich Kurtzman’s take: 

The easy answer here is Bo Nix. So, I’ll go with Riley Moss. He’s not just been so-so, he’s been fantastic. Especially considering he’s playing opposite of Pat Surtain and sees a lot of targets against him.

Shawn Drotar’s take:

The consistently effective Broncos defense. After releasing two-time Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons in the offseason, it was hard to imagine how Denver’s defense could improve, but under defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s guidance, they’ve done exactly that. The swarming Broncos ‘D’ leads the NFL in sacks behind Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper, and Riley Moss has proven to be a more-than capable counterpart to superstar corner Pat Surtain II. Defensive end Zach Allen looks like the player the Broncos thought they signed last season, linebacker Cody Barton has been a revelation after signing a one-year deal in the offseason, and the entire unit has a nasty, us-against-the-world demeanor that mirrors their underdog status – only Surtain was a first-round draft pick among Denver’s starters.