The Broncos Won EIGHT One-Score Games Last Season and the AFC Isn't Ready For How That Changes in 2026
Alright, Emerald City! We gotta keep an eye on the whole league, right? So, what’s up with the Denver Broncos? Last season, those guys went on a wild ride, finishing 14-3, tying their franchise best from 1998. They snagged the AFC West crown, their first since that Super Bowl 50 win in 2015, and even got the top AFC playoff seed. But then, disaster: in the AFC Championship Game, QB Bo Nix went down on the penultimate play of the previous game, leading to a 10-7 loss to the Patriots. Ouch. Ten years since a Super Bowl for them. Now, aiming for a third straight postseason, everyone's asking: What's the real deal for the Broncos in 2026? It’s not as simple as it looks.
That Jaylen Waddle Grab and a Defense That's No Joke
The optimists say the Broncos could absolutely hit 14-3 again. Why? They're banking on Bo Nix returning healthy at signal caller, which is fair. Plus, they made a massive offensive splash this offseason, bringing in Jaylen Waddle. That's a legitimate, elite No. 1 wideout for Nix to target, totally changing their passing game. And their defense was an absolute beast last season, finishing second in the entire league in yards allowed. They're bringing back several key pieces from that dangerous unit. Look, 15 or 16 wins in a 17-game schedule are rare, but repeating their 14-win record from last year wouldn't exactly shock the world with these pieces.
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Eight One-Score Wins? That's Not a Strategy, It's a Prayer
But before anyone crowns them, let's inject some reality. Here’s the kicker, the detail that makes you raise an eyebrow: The Broncos won a jaw-dropping eight one-score contests last season. Eight! That’s not just clutch play; that’s playing with fire. The probability of any team pulling off that many close-game victories in consecutive seasons is incredibly low. This league is a shark tank, full of parity. Every Sunday, teams are battling. If the Broncos don't take a significant leap forward themselves, or if other teams in the AFC improve, those coin-flip games? They're going to start landing on the other side. Imagine those close contests swinging differently, and suddenly that 'floor' of 9-7 starts looking a whole lot more plausible. That's a massive shift from their 14-3 peak, showing how much variance, and maybe a little luck, factored into their success last year.
So, for the Broncos, who are clearly eyeing a return to the postseason, the big question isn't just about quarterback health or star wide receivers. It's about whether they can conjure up that same magic in all those tight, down-to-the-wire battles. The AFC West is always a gauntlet, and the rest of the league isn't waiting around. Will Denver ride the Waddle wave back to 14 wins, or will those 'lucky' coin flips of last season balance out, pushing them closer to a 9-7 finish? We'll be watching every snap, Emerald City, because every result in this league has ripple effects, and this Bronco story is just getting started!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.