Are The Denver Broncos This Year’s Best NFL Team?

Many people felt last year’s Denver Broncos were the best team in the NFL. The Seattle Seahawks used last year’s Superbowl to dispel that rumor.

According to Yahoo Sports, the Broncos were 13-3, had not lost any regular season game by more than 7 points, outscored teams by 207 points, and won the AFC. They ultimately weren’t Super Bowl champion good, partially because they ran up against a great team that was even better, but they were very good last season.

The Broncos are better this season. Without question.

“Oh yeah,” cornerback Chris Harris said without any hesitation when asked if the 2014 Broncos were better than the 2013 version. “We’re a total team.”

The Broncos are the best team in football right now by a wide margin. They’ve gone from a one-dimensional offensive juggernaut to a team with an even better offense on paper and a stellar defense. The Broncos gave up 61 yards rushing on Thursday night in a 35-21 win over the San Diego Chargers, and 23 of those yards came on the last play. They forced Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers into two interceptions. The offense was as good as ever, with a 100-yard rusher (Ronnie Hillman), two 100-yard receivers (Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas), and a quarterback who might win a sixth MVP award (a certain Mr. Manning).

So, the Broncos are 6-1 and have the best record in the NFL … right now. That doesn’t guarantee they’ll win the Super Bowl, and exorcise the postseason failures of the past two seasons – and of quarterback Peyton Manning most seasons in his career. This great football they’re playing in October means nothing if they end up losing, or even missing, the Super Bowl. Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton wasn’t afraid to express his feelings on that topic.

“We’ll see, we’ll see. If we hoist the trophy, then yes. If not, then no,” Knighton said. “It’s that simple. There’s nothing else we can do but win the Super Bowl. If we’re not hoisting that trophy at the end, then we’ll feel let down.”

NFL.com concurs. Even though it’s only October, the Broncos are playing the best football in the NFL because of their balance. They have dispatched half of the best teams in the league: Indianapolis, San Francisco, Arizona, and now San Diego. Denver has arguably faced the NFL’s toughest schedule, they are 6-1, and they are only getting better.

[Image courtesy of Football Nation]