Bo Nix didn’t exactly tiptoe into camp with his ambition. The Broncos quarterback made it plain that Denver is aiming high on offense, saying, "We want to be the highest scoring offense in the league."
That kind of line always invites a response, especially when the numbers around it don’t quite match the swagger yet. Denver has been good enough to win big, going 14-3 in the regular season and reaching the AFC Championship, but the offense has not tracked with that level of success. Over the past two seasons, the Broncos have finished 12th in total scoring, landing 10th in points per game during Nix’s rookie year before slipping to 14th last season.
Nix did his part in Year 2, throwing for 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns, but the front office still went shopping for more help. This offseason, Denver sent a first- and third-round pick to Miami for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and elevated Davis Webb to offensive coordinator, moves that made Nix’s comment sound less like a throwaway and more like a challenge.
On FS1’s "First Things First," though, Rachel Nichols delivered a blunt check on that optimism: "The Cowboys are closer to being a Super Bowl team than the Broncos are to being the best offense in the league in all four or five categories that he said."
Dallas, at least on offense, has the numbers to back up the confidence. The Cowboys finished last season second in total yards at 391.9 per game and seventh in scoring at 27.7 points per game.
Dak Prescott put together a huge year of his own, throwing for 4,552 yards, the third-most in the league, with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens were a major part of that production, giving Dallas one of the league’s strongest receiver pairings.
But the Cowboys’ story has been split in two. The offense showed up; the defense did not. Dallas finished last in scoring defense last season, allowing 30.1 points per game.
The front office has tried to patch that side of the ball. The Cowboys drafted safety Caleb Downs, hired Christian Parker as defensive coordinator, traded for edge rusher Rashan Gary and signed veteran Von Miller in the preseason. Jerry Jones also reportedly tried to land five-time Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby, but that deal never happened, and Dallas is still looking for a reliable pass rusher to replace Micah Parsons.
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Broncos Have A Real Super Bowl Shot But Two Risks Loom
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Even so, the path to a Super Bowl is rarely clean, especially in a conference that still figures to run through familiar heavyweights like Kansas City, Baltimore and Cincinnati. Denver also has to prove last years string of close wins was more than a good run of fortune, and there is still some unknown attached to Davis Webbs first season calling the offense. The pieces are there for a real push, but the Broncos still have to show they can handle the pressure points that usually decide these seasons. [Read more 🡒]
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At quarterback, Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger are still vying for position, while the back end of the roster remains open at running back, tight end, linebacker and safety. Denver also has to factor in the recent addition of Taylor Rapp at safety and a linebacker group dealing with an injury, which only adds to the pressure on players trying to make their case in these final preseason games. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Still Have One Unsettling Question About Jahdae Barron
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Vance Joseph has talked about Barron in terms of versatility, with the rookie working at multiple spots in the back end rather than locking into one lane. Sean Payton has also pushed back on any notion of shifting him to safety, which keeps the focus on how the Broncos sort out their corners now and later, especially with future contract decisions looming for Moss and McMillian. Chris Harris Jr. has weighed in on Barrons development, but the bigger question remains whether Denver can turn all that flexibility into a clear starting job soon. [Read more 🡒]