After the Bengals took down the Cleveland Browns in Week 16, all eyes quickly turned to Saturday. Week 17 features a must-win game for Cincinnati as the Broncos come to Paycor Stadium. Denver clinches a playoff spot with a win and is coming off a loss on Thursday Night Football to the Chargers in Los Angeles, now sitting at 9-6 on the year.
Broncos Offense
Rookie quarterback Bo Nix leads the Broncos offense. He has started every game for Denver this season after being drafted 12th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Nix had college stops at both Auburn and Oregon before heading to the Mile High City, and he has adjusted well to the pros. Nix and Jayden Daniels co-lead rookie quarterbacks in touchdown passes with 22, and Nix ranks 23rd in PFF pass-grade at 70.0.
"As the season has gone on, you've seen his confidence increase," Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said Tuesday. "He's been a really efficient player."
Nix was one of the more efficient passers in the middle part of the season, throwing just two interceptions from Weeks 3-13. However, he has tossed five picks in the last three weeks, including three in a 31-13 win over the Colts in Week 15. He has averaged 6.4 yards per attempt, the 11th-fewest among quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks, per PFF.
Nix is also a threat with his legs, tallying 78 carries for 352 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, ranking eighth among quarterbacks in rushing yards.
Denver has used a three-headed approach at running back this season, as Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime and Javonte Williams have all received at least 55 carries. Williams has scored four rushing touchdowns, while McLaughlin and Estime are averaging 4.5 and 4.6 yards per carry, respectively. Williams is the receiving threat in the backfield, ranking seventh among running backs with 47 receptions.
On the outside, Courtland Sutton paces the Broncos receivers across the board. The SMU product is closing in on a 1,000-yard campaign and has 71 receptions, six of them for touchdowns.
The Denver offensive line has been strong, allowing the third-fewest sacks in the NFL at 22. The Broncos have the highest PFF pass-block grade in the league as well at 82.1.
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Broncos Defense
The Broncos boast the second-best defensive unit in the NFL in terms of PFF grade, sitting at 78.2. The defense has allowed 20 points or fewer 10 times, and Denver is 8-2 in those games.
The Broncos have the league's ninth-best run defense in terms of PFF grading and allow just 3.9 yards per carry, the second-fewest in the NFL.
Denver leads the NFL with 51 sacks. Nik Bonitto headlines the pass rush: The edge rusher's 11.5 sacks are tied for the fourth-most in the NFL and trail Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson by two for the league lead.
The pass rush has also assisted one of the league's premier secondaries: The Broncos have tallied the fourth-most interceptions (15) and given up the fourth-fewest passing touchdowns (19) in the NFL this season. They have done a good job of limiting explosives through the air as well, allowing 6.7 yards per pass attempt and giving up only five passes of at least 40 yards.
Pat Surtain II leads the secondary as its shutdown corner. His 86.5 PFF-coverage grade leads all corners, while his 90.0 grade in zone coverage also paces the position. Surtain II could draw the task of covering Triple Crown Threat Ja'Marr Chase on Saturday, as he has often shadowed teams' top pass-catchers, including Seattle's DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh's George Pickens, Tampa Bay's Mike Evans and the New York Jets' Garrett Wilson. Surtain II leads Denver with four interceptions this season.
"He's so patient when he's covering people," QB Joe Burrow said Tuesday. "He never panics… I have a lot of respect for him."
Second-year cornerback Riley Moss hasn't been on the other side of Surtain II since Week 12 due to injury, but he was close to returning last Thursday and could be on the field this weekend. Despite missing the last three weeks, Moss still ranks second on the team in tackles.
"Obviously, the guy that plays opposite of [CB] Patrick [Surtain II] is going to get a lot of business," Broncos head coach Sean Payton said. "All throughout training camp, [Moss] really rose to the occasion, battled, competed, and throughout really a good portion of the season. He's a big reason why we were playing so well defensively…The sooner the better when we can get him back in the lineup. Hopefully, it can happen this weekend."
Denver ranks second in PFF-special teams grade, tied with the Bengals at 90.4, and kicker Wil Lutz has made 90.6% of his kicks this season.
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