The Denver Broncos have arguably the best defense in the National Football League and a first place perch in the AFC West Division two games over the second place Los Angeles Chargers. More good news for the Broncos this season is the apparent decline of the team that has won the AFC West nine straight years, the Kansas City Chiefs.
On Thanksgiving, the Chiefs lost to the Dallas Cowboys to drop their record to six wins and six losses, 3½ games back of the division leading Broncos. Denver also beat the Chiefs in their first of two meetings this season, downing Kansas City in the Mile High City two weeks ago, 22-19.
In other words, things just don’t look like they could get any better for the Sean Payton Broncos.
I think that is true, and you know what usually happens to a team when things can’t get better? They get worse.
While Denver has gained as many or more wins versus every team in the NFL except the New England Patriots, who have ten victories in their first dozen games, the Broncos have had trouble beating point spreads against the weakest teams they have played. Denver was a point spread loser to the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders. Those four teams do not equal the number of wins the Broncos have this year. For the record, the Titans, Jets, Giants and Raiders have a combined won/loss mark of 7 and 38.
Why do the Broncos have so much trouble beating the number when playing inferior opponents?