The Denver Broncos offensive and defensive lines are both among the best in the NFL, and their continued dominance can propel them to the playoffs. ESPN's win-rate rankings have been kind to the Broncos all year, and their dominance where it matters most, in the trenches, can and will propel them to the playoffs in 2024.
According to ESPN and their rankings, the Broncos rank 3rd in pass rush win rate, 14th in run stop win rate, 1st in pass block win rate, and 5th in run block win rate. Their offensive line has been stellar this year, but a lot of that credit does go to Bo Nix, as he simply does not get sacked and does make their jobs easier.
Both Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey rank in the top-12 of all offensive tackles in pass block win rate. Ben Powers is 5th among guards, and Quinn Meinerz ranks 10th among iOL in the same pass block rate as well, and center Luke Wattenberg ranks 1st in that same ranking.
EDGE Jonathon Cooper ranks 10th in run stop win rate, and Nik Bonitto ranks 16th in pass rush win rate. Zach Allen ranks 1st in pass rush win rate, and DJ Jones ranks 1st among defensive tackles in run stop win rate.
It's really been a banner year for the Denver Broncos in this regard, and when the weather gets cold and the games get more intense, being strong in the trenches is what separates the good from the bad teams. At 8-5, the Denver Broncos will embark on the biggest four-game stretch in quite some time, and their Week 15 game against the Indianapolis Colts could legitimately and objectively be the biggest game for the Broncos in the post-Super Bowl 50 era.
Denver's offensive and defensive lines this season have been insane, and the units are largely on the younger side, too.
Sean Payton took this team over in 2023 after a pathetic 5-12 season, and in just a year and a half, he's got this team back on the right track and in a great spot for the present and for the long-term.
Roster-building in the NFL isn't some science; you get the QB right and build from the inside, out. This precisely why the Detroit Lions have risen to where they are now; they had the QB in Jared Goff and begun to build along their offensive and defensive lines. The Broncos have done this the right way and have built something very sustainable.
