ESPN
Last week: 24
Defining stat: 6. That's how many sacks Von Miller has in the Broncos' three wins combined this season. On the flip side, Miller has just three sacks in the Broncos' six losses combined, and while he has had quality efforts overall in virtually all of those games, Denver has been unable to tip the scales against some of the better offenses it has faced. When Miller is disrupting things, knocking the ball out, it seems to key a better effort across the defense. As he put it: "I have to make more of those game-changing plays, that's my job, it's what I do, and I have to do more of that for this team.''
NFL.com
Last week: 20
The Broncos were off Sunday, giving them additional time to prepare for what could be more rough sledding for a team that has lost six of its last seven. Vance Joseph's outfit hasn't played nearly as poorly as its record suggests (they are ranked 11th in offense and 21st in defense). None of that matters, with their next four games being at the Chargers, at home against the Steelers, at the Bengals and at the 49ers. Denver has struggled on the road for the bulk of two years, going 2-10 in away venues since 2017. If ever it was truly (Von) Miller time -- besides, you know, when you're fishing on a river with Styrofoam koozies -- this is it.
USA Today
Last week: 26
First order of business coming out of bye? Putting C Matt Paradis, one of league's most underrated performers, on IR. That kind of year.
Bleacher Report
Last week: 24
Granted, there are some causes for optimism. The Broncos are playing teams much closer this year than last, and the team's rookie class has been impressive.
Mark Maske, Washington Post
Last week: 25
The Broncos come back from their bye to resume a season that has gone so wrong, putting Coach Vance Joseph's job in jeopardy. There's little reason to believe that things will get immediately better for the Broncos, with games against the Chargers and Steelers up next.
Sporting News
Last week: 26
_The Broncos are coming out of a critical bye week with a ton of pressure on Vance Joseph going forward. The schedule does them no favors with the Chargers, Steelers and Bengals next. _
As the Broncos rest during their bye week, take a look back at the Broncos' 2018 season to this point with our favorite photos from Weeks 1 through 9.
Case Keenum gathers his thoughts in the tunnel during player introductions before his Broncos debut in their season opener against the Seattle Seahawks at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on Sept. 9
Phillip Lindsay reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Seahawks during his first regular-season NFL game after making the roster as an undrafted college free agent.
Chris Harris Jr. also got in on the fun, sacking Seahawks QB Russell Wilson for a 9-yard loss
Emmanuel Sanders does a front-flip into the end zone on a 43-yard reception for a touchdown during the Broncos' season opener against the Seahawks on Sept. 9, 2018.
Seahawks QB Russell Wilson has the football jarred from his grip as Von Miller collides with him in the pocket.
The ball bounces free in the air after Von Miller knocked it free on a strip-sack of Seahawks QB Russell Wilson.
Von Miller looks up after taking down Seahawks QB Russell Wilson on one of his three sacks that day.
Von Miller and Derek Wolfe celebrate with the game ball after the Broncos' 27-24 win over the Seahawks to start the season.
Though the play wouldn't count because of a penalty, Von Miller made his presence felt early against Derek Carr and the Raiders when he recorded a strip-sack.
Domata Peko Sr. dances after helping make a defensive stop against the Raiders.
Emmanuel Sanders looks a pass into his hands during a big gain against the Raiders.
After scrambling for a first down, Case Keenum shows his emotion as he leads the Broncos on their game-winning drive against the Raiders.
Tim Patrick escapes the grasp of a Raiders defender and gets the Broncos into field-goal range for their winning kick.
Tim Patrick yells in excitement after catching the pass that set up the Broncos' game-winning field goal over the Raiders.
Emmanuel Sanders exults in the rain falling during his pregame warmups before the Broncos' Week 3 game against the Ravens.
Emmanuel Sanders sneaks into the end zone as Andy Janovich and Courtland Sutton clear the way for him on an end-around run.
After getting into the sack column in Week 1 with a half-sack, rookie Bradley Chubb recorded his first solo sack in Week 3 against the Ravens, knocking the moisture off Ravens QB Joe Flacco with this hit.
Von Miller and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner share a laugh together while Miller warms up before the Broncos' game against the Chiefs.
Case Keenum offers fist bumps with fans as he runs out of the tunnel during pregame warmups before the Broncos' Week 4 matchup with the Chiefs.
Game captains Brandon McManus, Ron Leary, Matt Paradis, Todd Davis and Case Keenum face off with the Chiefs during the coin toss.
Royce Freeman leaves multiple Chiefs defenders on the ground in his wake on his touchdown run against Kansas City. Freeman combined with fellow rookie Phillip Lindsay for 136 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Courtland Sutton goes up for a 42-yard reception against the Chiefs. Sutton's leaping ability and sticky hands have made him one of the most explosive rookies in the league on offense.
Andy Janovich takes a Chiefs defender for a ride on a 32-yard reception. Janovich has been a consistent player for the Broncos in multiple facets: as a blocker, a core special-teams player, a captain and, as shown here, a receiver.
Coupled with fellow rookie Phillip Lindsay, Freeman has helped make the Broncos' rushing attack one of the league's most formidable units. Both players have a knack for being elusive and playing through contact.
Domata Peko Sr., Darian Stewart, Adam Gotsis and Bradley Chubb mug for the camera after Gotsis came up with a fumble recovery against the Jets.
Courtland Sutton leaps to make a catch in the back of the end zone for his first touchdown reception of his career.
Domata Peko Sr. and Derek Wolfe pull rookie quarterback Sam Darnold to the ground. The Broncos' defense has been one of the best at rushing the passer in 2018.
Phillip Lindsay has been a consistent spark plug for the Broncos' offense, even against opponents of any size. Lindsay is tied with Royce Freeman and Emmanuel Sanders for touchdowns scored with four so far.
Courtland Sutton applies a mean stiff-arm to a Jets defender's face.
Parker, a local Broncos fan who also happens to be a Bernese Mountain dog, braves the snow to watch players arrive at Broncos Stadium at Mile High.
Rookie outside linebacker Bradley Chubb pulls on his helmet as he walks through the tunnel during player introductions. Though he hadn't racked up any sacks in his first two games in October prior to this, he would begin a three-game stretch that would earn him Defensive Rookie of the Month honors with this game.
Emmanuel Sanders pulls in a deep catch over the outstretched arms of a Rams defender. Sanders leads the Broncos in receiving through nine games with 707 yards.
Bradley Chubb takes down Rams QB Jared Goff as other members of the Broncos' defense closes in. Though the Broncos couldn't pull off the upset, Chubb's performance stood out, as he recorded three sacks.
Emmanuel Sanders stretches for the goal line while being tackled by two Rams defenders. He got the touchdown.
Simply put, the Broncos' Week 7 win was a perfect example of defensive dominance.
Darian Stewart and Justin Simmons celebrate with Todd Davis after he returned a tipped pass for a touchdown on the Cardinals' second play from scrimmage of the game. The play would set the scene for one of the biggest Broncos wins in recent years.
Todd Davis wasn't the only Broncos defender to score a touchdown that night. Chris Harris Jr. also returned a pick for a score, and the two high-fived as he crossed the goal line.
Emmanuel Sanders, weeks after vowing his flipping-into-the-end-zone days were over, flips again into the end zone after catching a 64-yard pass for a touchdown. He would admit after the game he couldn't resist.
As fans turn on their phones' flashlight features and shine them toward the field during a break in the action, Case Keenum contemplates the Broncos' next move.
Von Miller was a man on a mission during the Broncos' Thursday-night game against the Cardinals. He recorded two sacks, four quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery against rookie QB Josh Rosen.
In the congested trenches, Brandon Marshall looks to make the tackle on Cardinals RB David Johnson.
Von Miller smiles after a strip-sack and fumble recovery during the Broncos 45-10 victory.
Emmanuel Sanders gets vocal in the team huddle pregame before the Broncos' Week 8 game at Arrowhead Stadium. The Broncos would need that kind of energy facing one of the best teams in the NFL.
Phillip Lindsay plows his way into the end zone for a touchdown in his first start with Royce Freeman nursing an ankle injury. Lindsay averaged 5.3 yards a carry on 18 attempts for 95 yards, accounting for just more than half of the Broncos' rushing total on the day.
As the Broncos have become one of the best rushing teams in the league, the focus has largely centered on rookie Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman. But Devontae Booker showed he isn't to be overlooked either, recording 78 yards on nine rushes against the Chiefs for an 8.7-yard average as Freeman rested with an ankle injury.
Courtland Sutton jumps onto Tim Patrick's shoulders moments after Patrick reeled in a 24-yard pass for a touchdown, cutting the Chiefs' lead to 16-14 just before halftime.
Wrangling Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes has been a difficult task for every team that's faced him. The Broncos limited him as best they could in Week 9, forcing him into two sacks, an interception and holding him to negative-1 yard on two rushing attempts.
Coming into this game, Head Coach Vance Joseph said a key emphasis would be on stopping Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt, who gashed the Broncos to the tune of 121 rushing yards and a touchdown the last time the two teams played. This time, Hunt gained only 50 yards on a 3.1-yard average.
Though Jeff Heuerman wouldn't score on this play, his effort would be rewarded three plays later on fourth down, when Case Keenum found Heuerman again for the 4-yard touchdown.
With the talent of the Chiefs' offensive line, Von Miller wouldn't be able to wreak as much havoc as he had against the Cardinals, but he still got to Mahomes for a half-sack.
The weather wasn't the only thing that put a cloud over the Broncos' Week 9 game against the Texans. Days after trading Demaryius Thomas to Houston, the Broncos faced off against him for the first time.
The Texans arrived in Denver having won their five previous games, but the Broncos wouldn't go down easily. Derek Wolfe and Co. brought down Texans QB Deshaun Watson for four sacks.
Tim Patrick reacts after Devontae Booker scored a touchdown on a 14-yard run.
In the wake of the Demaryius Thomas trade, the Broncos gave rookie receiver Courtland Sutton his first start of his career. He brought in three receptions for 57 yards.
Devontae Booker and Jeff Heuerman each reached the end zone against the Texans, with Booker taking a run 14 yards off the right edge to close the gap to three points five minutes before halftime.
Von Miller picked up his fourth straight game with at least a half-sack after taking down Watson for a solo sack in the third quarter. Miller is tied for third in the NFL with nine sacks through Week 9.
On fourth-and-8, Case Keenum and Emmanuel Sanders came up with a huge play to give the Broncos a shot at a game-winning field goal. Sanders came down with the 18-yard reception at the Houston 37-yard line.
Even with a Texans defender stretching out to try to tackle him, Jeff Heuerman would be a key player helping the Broncos drive into field-goal position on their final drive. He caught three passes for 19 yards on the Broncos' last possession. Heuerman led the Broncos in receiving with 10 catches, 83 yards and a touchdown.
