The Denver Broncos are rolling-and after Week 15, they’ve got the rest of the AFC looking over their shoulders. At 12-2, Denver now holds a one-game lead over the New England Patriots in the race for the conference’s top seed. And thanks to a common-opponent tiebreaker, the Broncos are in prime position to control their own path to home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
What’s more, they’re not just winning-they’re starting to look like a team built for January. The offense, in particular, lit it up against a tough Green Bay Packers defense, and it wasn’t just the result that stood out. It was how they got there.
Let’s talk about tempo-because that was the story of the night.
Sean Payton and the Broncos came out with a clear plan: keep the pace high and the pressure on. After the game, Payton confirmed what fans have been clamoring for all season-that the team intentionally leaned into a fast-paced attack.
“We wanted tonight to get into a lot of tempo with the altitude and this team,” Payton told reporters. “There’s a handful of reasons why.”
One of those reasons? The altitude advantage in Denver is real, and Payton wasn’t shy about using it.
At one point during a stoppage, he pointed out the Packers defense to his offense and said, “They’re gassed.” His message was simple: keep the foot on the gas.
It worked.
Tempo in the NFL isn’t just about going fast for the sake of it. It’s a strategic weapon-one that forces defenses to stay in base looks, limits substitutions, and creates mismatches.
When an offense gets into a rhythm with tempo, it can feel like a snowball rolling downhill. That’s exactly what we saw from Denver.
Bo Nix, for his part, looked as comfortable and decisive as he has all season. Against a Packers unit that’s been stingy all year, Nix commanded the offense with poise, quick reads, and sharp execution. It might’ve been the best performance of his young NFL career-and it came in a game where the Broncos fully embraced an identity fans have been begging to see.
One of the biggest criticisms of Payton’s offense this season has been the frequent personnel rotations. While there’s a strategic reason behind those subs-creating favorable matchups, keeping players fresh-it can also disrupt flow.
That wasn’t an issue in Week 15. The Broncos kept their personnel consistent, stayed in rhythm, and let their quarterback play fast and free.
The result? An offense that looked confident, explosive, and in control from the opening drive.
Now, with the 10-4 Jacksonville Jaguars coming to town in Week 16, the Broncos have a chance to make another statement. Jacksonville’s no pushover-they’ve been stacking wins of their own-but if Denver can replicate the tempo and execution they showed against Green Bay, they’ll be tough to beat.
The Broncos aren’t just winning-they’re evolving. And if this version of the offense is here to stay, the rest of the AFC better be ready. Because Denver’s not just chasing the No. 1 seed-they’re starting to look like a team built to defend it.