2025
2025 season · Weeks 1 to 22 · 14-3
Broncos defense
Every snap the Broncos defended, what it cost them and how they got there: the league ranks the player pages quote, where offenses find room, how this defense plays, and who plays in it.
- How good-0.09 EPA a play allowed, 6th of 32, and 0.09 below what the offenses they faced usually manage (7th).
- How they playThey blitz on 30% of dropbacks, the 13th-most in the league, and get pressure on 33%.
- Where offenses find roomOn the ground: 3.6 a carry, 3rd, and runs at left guard gain 3.4 a carry.
- Who hurt themParker Washington (JAX): 145 yards and +14.2 EPA on 10 touches, the most anyone has managed against them.
How good is itthe defense against the league, and game by game
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA per playevery snap | -0.09 | 6th of 32 | 83rd | |
| Pass EPAper dropback | -0.08 | 5th of 32 | 86th | |
| Rush EPAper designed run | -0.10 | 6th of 32 | 83rd | |
| Success rateplays that gain enough | 37% | 1st of 32 | 98th | |
| Explosive rate20+ pass, 10+ run | 7% | 1st of 32 | 98th | |
| Yards per play | 4.5 | 1st of 32 | 98th | |
| Yards per carry | 3.6 | 3rd of 32 | 92nd | |
| Third downsconverted against them | 34% | 2nd of 32 | 95th |
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sack rateper dropback | 9.8% | 1st of 32 | 98th | |
| Pressure rateper dropback, PFR | 33% | 1st of 32 | 98th | |
| QB hit rateper dropback | 22% | 1st of 32 | 98th | |
| INT rateper dropback | 1.4% | 25th of 32 | 23rd | |
| Red-zone TD ratetrips ending in a touchdown | 41% | 1st of 32 | 98th | |
| Points per drivetouchdown 7, field goal 3 | 1.64 | 4th of 32 | 89th | |
| Takeawaysper game | 0.9 | 23rd of 32 | 28th | |
| EPA against expectationallowed minus the offenses' usual | -0.09 | 7th of 32 | 80th |
Each bar is the league's 32 defenses; the marker is the Broncos. Right is better for the defense, so a low EPA allowed sits right. The pressure rate is PFR's pressures (hurries, hits and sacks) per dropback. EPA against expectation compares each game with what that offense averaged in its other games, so a strong schedule is not held against them.
They held 11 of 17 offenses below their usual EPA a play. The biggest stop: Week 18 against the Chargers, 0.41 a play under their norm. The offenses they have faced average -0.02 a play elsewhere, the 31st-toughest schedule of offenses.
vs TENW 20-12-0.41usual -0.15
at INDL 28-29+0.15usual +0.07
at LACL 20-23-0.04usual -0.02
vs CINW 28-3-0.26usual +0.00
at PHIW 21-17+0.00usual +0.03
at NYJW 13-11-0.42usual -0.11
vs NYGW 33-32+0.14usual +0.00
vs DALW 44-24+0.06usual +0.10
at HOUW 18-15-0.15usual +0.00
vs LVW 10-7-0.39usual -0.20
vs KCW 22-19+0.05usual +0.03
at WASW 27-26+0.08usual 0.00at LVW 24-17-0.05usual -0.22
vs GBW 34-26+0.02usual +0.12
vs JAXL 20-34+0.09usual +0.03at KCW 20-13-0.20usual +0.04vs LACW 19-3-0.41usual +0.00Where offenses find roomthe field, the run lanes, the positions and the situations
The soft spot is behind the line middle: +0.49 EPA a throw against a league -0.34. The lockdown zone is deep middle, -0.09 a throw (league +0.73). Completions against them run 3.3 points under expected, 5th-best in the league.
Every pass they faced with a charted air distance and side, sacks excluded. Green is a zone where they allow less than the league, red more. How often shows the share of throws against them there.
Offenses run for 3.6 yards a carry against them, 3rd of 32. The leak is at left guard: 3.4 a carry and +0.04 EPA (league 3.9, -0.09).
| Position | Targets a game | Yards a game | EPA per target | Fantasy points allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide receivers | 19.827th | 128.111th | +0.117th-toughest | 15.32nd-fewest21.23rd-fewest27.09th-fewest |
| Tight ends | 8.326th | 60.124th | +0.2619th-toughest | 8.116th-most10.916th-most13.716th-most |
| Backs, receiving | 4.23rd | 21.12nd | -0.175th-toughest | 14.24th-fewest15.61st-fewest17.01st-fewest |
| Quarterbacks | – | – | – | 14.29th-fewest14.29th-fewest14.29th-fewest |
Who hurt them most
| Player | Team | Touches | Yards | TD | EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parker Washington | JAX | 10 | 145 | 1 | +14.2 |
| Jonathan Taylor | IND | 27 | 215 | 1 | +8.0 |
| George Pickens | DAL | 9 | 78 | +7.9 | |
| Travis Kelce | KC | 19 | 127 | 1 | +7.8 |
| Daniel Bellinger | NYG | 4 | 88 | 1 | +7.2 |
| DeVonta Smith | PHI | 10 | 114 | +6.4 |
Targets, yards and EPA per target by the receiver's position, ranked 1st for the toughest defense: the same numbers a receiver's This week panel quotes against this defense. Fantasy points allowed follow the scoring switch. Who hurt them ranks every opposing player by EPA on his targets and carries against this defense.
Their biggest third-down edge is third-and-short (1 to 3): offenses convert 52% against a league 60%. They are stingiest in games they trail by 9+ (-0.13 a play, league +0.04) and weakest in games they lead (-0.05, league -0.01).
| Situation | Plays | Allowed | League | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st down | 433 | -0.07 | +0.01 | -0.08 |
| 2nd down | 356 | -0.06 | +0.02 | -0.08 |
| 3rd down | 237 | -0.18 | -0.05 | -0.13 |
| 3rd and 1 to 3 | 62 | 52% | 60% | −9 pts |
| 3rd and 4 to 6 | 52 | 42% | 44% | −1 pts |
| 3rd and 7+ | 123 | 22% | 26% | −4 pts |
| Red zone | 146 | -0.14 | 0.00 | -0.14 |
| Two-minute drill | 158 | -0.04 | +0.03 | -0.07 |
| When they lead | 600 | -0.05 | -0.01 | -0.04 |
| One-score game | 832 | -0.08 | +0.02 | -0.10 |
| When they trail by 9+ | 62 | -0.13 | +0.04 | -0.16 |
EPA a play allowed, or for third downs the share converted (a first down or a touchdown). Green is better than the league for the defense. Score states are from the defense's side.
How they playpressure, the box, what offenses try, discipline
They send extra rushers on 30% of dropbacks and average 4.4 rushers; 68% of dropbacks see four or fewer. They allow -0.05 EPA when they blitz and -0.09 when they do not.
They put 6.3 defenders in the box on runs, eight or more on 5%. Into a light box (six or fewer) runs gain 4.1 a carry; into eight or more, 2.2.
Offenses throw more than usual against them: 2 points over their expected pass rate on early downs in a neutral game. Play action gains -0.14 EPA against them on 20% of throws; screens -0.20.
57 defensive penalties for 589 yards, 42 of them first downs, the 30th-fewest. They miss 8% of tackle attempts by PFR's count, 7th-best.
The defenderswho plays, and what each one has done
Zach Allen leads the pass rush with 49 pressures and 7 sacks on 71% of the snaps.
| Player | Snaps | Pressures | Sacks | QB hits | TFL | Tackles | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99Zach AllenDE | 71% | 49 | 7 | 47 | 4 | 37 | |
| 0Jonathon CooperLB | 61% | 26 | 8 | 16 | 8 | 48 | |
| 15Nik BonittoLB | 61% | 39 | 14 | 28 | 14 | 45 | 2 |
| 98John Franklin-MyersDE | 46% | 23 | 7.5 | 15 | 6 | 25 | |
| 93D.J. JonesDT | 39% | 10 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 38 | |
| 92Dondrea TillmanLB | 37% | 12 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 41 | |
| 96Eyioma UwazurikeDT | 37% | 6 | 3.5 | 5 | 5 | 38 | |
| 97Malcolm RoachDT | 35% | 7 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 40 | |
| 52Jonah EllissLB | 29% | 14 | 2.5 | 5 | 5 | 26 | 1 |
| 51Que RobinsonLB | 12% | 5 | 0.5 | 3 | 3 | 11 |
Alex Singleton plays 92% of the snaps with 133 tackles and 1 sacks.
| Player | Snaps | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | Pressures | Targets | Rating allowed | Missed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49Alex SingletonLB | 92% | 133 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 70 | 103.5 | 12 |
| 40Justin StrnadLB | 51% | 56 | 5 | 4.5 | 10 | 20 | 77.2 | 4 |
| 57Dre GreenlawLB | 27% | 43 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 22 | 94.4 | 1 |
| 55Jordan TurnerLB | 2% | 7 | 1 | 1 | 91.7 | |||
| 49Garret WallowLB | 0% | 5 | ||||||
| 47Karene ReidLB | 0% | 5 |
Brandon Jones is the hardest to complete a pass against: a 68.6 passer rating on 46 targets.
| Player | Snaps | Targets | Catches allowed | Yards | TD | Rating allowed | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21Riley MossCB | 97% | 117 | 68 of 117 | 859 | 4 | 88.1 | 1 | 19 |
| 9Talanoa HufangaSAF | 96% | 58 | 35 of 58 | 470 | 3 | 93.9 | 11 | |
| 2Pat Surtain IICB | 78% | 61 | 33 of 61 | 305 | 1 | 72.4 | 1 | 12 |
| 22Brandon JonesSAF | 76% | 46 | 25 of 46 | 318 | 68.6 | 1 | 7 | |
| 29Ja'Quan McMillianCB | 66% | 79 | 48 of 79 | 467 | 2 | 76.7 | 2 | 9 |
| 23Jahdae BarronCB | 31% | 36 | 22 of 36 | 246 | 3 | 80.1 | 1 | 5 |
| 31Kris Abrams-DraineCB | 18% | 24 | 18 of 24 | 180 | 85.8 | 1 | ||
| 6P.J. LockeDB | 17% | 14 | 5 of 14 | 22 | 1 | 69.6 | 3 | |
| 26Devon KeySAF | 6% | 3 | 1 of 3 | 6 | 50.7 | 1 |
Tackles, sacks, QB hits, TFL, interceptions, passes defended and forced fumbles are nflverse's weekly stats; pressures, targets, catches and yards allowed, passer rating allowed and missed tackles are PFR's charting. Snap share is the season average of defensive snaps.