The Denver Broncos have opened the 2026 NFL season 2-1, but the way they’ve done it comes with a strange footnote: they’ve led for just 9 minutes and 19 seconds across those three games. That’s the third-lowest total for any team that started 2-1 since the Super Bowl era began in 1966.
It’s the kind of statistic that only shows up when someone starts digging deep into the numbers, and the NFL Network surfaced it on Thursday night’s NFL GameDay Kickoff show before the Pittsburgh Steelers-Cleveland Browns game. The Broncos’ total trails only the 1971 Chicago Bears, who led for 2:26 while going 2-1, and the 1981 Cincinnati Bengals, who led for 8:38 on their way to a 2-1 start.
What happened after those starts wasn’t exactly the same. The Bengals turned that opening into a 12-4 finish and a trip to Super Bowl XVI, where they lost to the San Francisco 49ers. The Bears, meanwhile, faded to a playoff-less 6-8 season and finished third in the old NFC North division.
That stat naturally led host Rhett Lewis to wonder when Denver might start games faster and avoid the weekly drama. Maurice Jones-Drew had a response that was part analysis, part teasing the idea that the Broncos may actually be built for this kind of thing.
"Do they want to, though?" Jones-Drew wondered.
"This is what they did last year. I don't know.
I just want our Broncos fans and viewers to understand, do you want to? Because whatever the Broncos do at halftime they figure out what's going on and they correct it and they go out and make plays and they find a way to win, however it's done.
Obviously, it didn't happen with the [Kansas City] Chiefs in Week One, but they've done that over the past couple years and that's an awesome trait to have, make halftime adjustments and go out and score 30 points in two quarters [against the Los Angeles Rams] is amazing."
Jones-Drew also pointed to the simplest path toward cleaner starts.
"Run the football, keep that offensive line going forward and then create explosive plays with play-action pass," he said.
That conversation has landed squarely in the middle of Denver’s early-season debate, especially with new play-caller Davis Webb now handling the job after Sean Payton took it off his own plate. Since the season began, the timing and selection of Webb’s calls have become a regular talking point.
Payton himself sounded frustrated after the loss to the Rams, pointing to Denver’s habit of digging an early hole before flipping the game later. The Broncos also followed that same pattern in their Week Two win over Jacksonville, and Payton said those slow starts would "cost us in bigger games."
For now, Denver would probably prefer not to keep showing up in these oddly specific statistical lists. The Broncos head to San Francisco to face the 49ers on Sunday at 2:25 p.m. MT on CBS, and they’ll be hoping for a quicker start and, ideally, a much less complicated afternoon.
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Broncos Linebacker Struggles Are Forcing An Uncomfortable Veteran Debate
Through three weeks, the Broncos linebacker play has been a mixed bag, and the imbalance is becoming hard to ignore. Justin Strnad has held up well, but Alex Singleton has had a rough start, including a high missed-tackle rate that has put extra pressure on a defense trying to find steadier footing in the middle.
Bobby Wagner is the veteran name that naturally enters the discussion because he was productive last season even as his speed continued to decline. For Denver, the question is whether the need for help at linebacker is strong enough to make that phone call, and whether a late addition could tighten up a group that has yet to convince anyone it has settled in. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Injury Concerns Could Open A Big Door For Denver
The Broncos head into Week 4 in a much cleaner spot physically than a lot of teams around the league, with rookie running back Jonah Coleman on injured reserve and expected back in Week 7, while key pieces such as Mims are working their way back from injury. There is still some uncertainty on Denvers side, including the possibility that Tillman may not be available, but overall this is a team that can focus on football rather than the daily churn of the injury report.
San Francisco, meanwhile, is carrying a longer list of concerns, and one of the biggest is the absence of Bosa because of a calf injury that is expected to keep him out for several games. For Denver, that kind of situation can change the complexion of a matchup quickly, especially when a pass rush centerpiece is missing and depth gets tested. It is the sort of opening the Broncos have to be ready to press if they want to turn a cleaner bill of health into a real advantage. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Coach Is Pushing A Kickoff Change The NFL May Have To Hear
Darren Rizzi is already trying to shape the next conversation around kickoffs, and it is one that goes beyond Denvers own special teams room. The Broncos special teams coach wants the league to consider limiting the use of holders on kickoffs, arguing they should only be allowed when weather makes them necessary. To make sure the idea gets real traction, he has organized a conference call among special teams coordinators to talk through the issue.
Rizzis push comes in the wake of earlier NFL changes to kickoff procedures, which have already altered how teams approach one of the games most specialized plays. His concern is that the current setup can give clubs an unfair advantage, and the discussion now figures to test whether enough coaches around the league see the same problem. For Denver, it is another sign that Rizzi is not just managing the third phase, but trying to influence how it is played. [Read more 🡒]