For those who have been calling for the\u00a0Browns\u00a0to swallow hard and admit that the insistence on playing rookie quarterback\u00a0Dillon Gabriel\u00a0might well have been a mistake, and that it was time to turn the keys over to\u00a0Shedeur Sanders, Sunday was not a great day, of course. Sanders looked something like a deer in headlights when he came into the game in the second half, throwing for 47 yards on 4-for-16 passing with an interception and two sacks.<\/p>\n
The argument that the Browns could do no worse than Gabriel by at least giving Sanders a chance was shot through. Sanders was worse, without a doubt. He had a\u00a0quarterback rating of 13.5\u00a0in the Browns\u2019 23-16 loss to Baltimore.<\/p>\n
But all is not lost for those backing Sanders. This is a player, after all, who has not been on an\u00a0NFL field before, and was inserted at halftime. He\u2019s also a player who has not played meaningful football in 11 months. And worse, his head coach did not help him much by how he has handled Sanders throughout the season.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s because, as the Browns have moved forward this season, once former quarterback\u00a0Joe Flacco\u00a0was traded, Kevin Stefanski has treated Gabriel like the unquestioned QB1, and has had him running all of his reps with the first-team offense. That means that, prior to his stepping on the field on Sunday, he had not even worked out with the players he was surrounded by.<\/p>\n
Stefanski\u2019s feet were held to the fire on that issue on Sunday after the game, and it was something he did not want to talk about much. But Stefanski said the Browns try to do more with quarterbacks than just first-team works.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would tell you, we do so much work with the quarterback position and the entire team, not just those reps on the practice field,\u201d\u00a0Stefanski said. \u201cAnd those are, as we all know, those are tough reps for when you have a young starter as well. But there\u2019s so much that we do to supplement that type of thing.”<\/p>\n
Credit Browns reporters, though, for not letting the topic go, even if Stefanski tried to brush it off. He was asked again, once the team made Sanders the QB2, should he not have at least gotten some run with the first team, knowing there would be a chance he would have to play.<\/p>\n
Had\u00a0Bailey Zappe been QB2, it might make sense\u2013Zappe is an experienced backup. Sanders is not. Stefanski, though, essentially said he preferred focusing on Gabriel\u2019s development than bringing along Sanders.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would tell you, you\u2019re always trying to get your starter ready to play and certainly, when your starter is a rookie, those are very valuable reps,\u201d Stefanski said. \u201cWhen your starter, when your backup is a rookie also, you do everything in your power to get our quarterbacks as many reps as possible. Post practice, after practice, extra meeting time. So that\u2019s just part of how it goes.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the bottom line is we trust both of our players. We trust all of our players because of the work that they put in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Again, the same Browns reporter\u2013Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com\u2013kept pushing Stefanski on the question. If Sanders was the backup quarterback, why not have him work at least some small percentage of reps with the starters?<\/p>\n
Cabot asked: \u201cIs it fair to say that you think Shedeur would have a much better chance of being successful if you guys\u2019 game planned for him and played to his strengths and he\u2019s got those reps and things?\u201d<\/p>\n
Stefanski, on the defensive, said, \u201cI think that\u2019s true, probably of every backup. Mary Kay and I think it\u2019s \u2013 listen, that was a part of, earlier in the season with Joe (Flacco) as your starter and Dillon as your backup, there\u2019s things that you\u2019re going to lean into with a different player.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo that\u2019s no different for all of your players. You want to make sure that your players, particularly that position, have plays that they\u2019re comfortable with.\u201d<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Denver Broncos\u00a0are back. After years of mediocrity and missed expectations, Denver has rediscovered the very formula that made them Super Bowl 50 champions. They have embodied defense, discipline, and dominance in the clutch. The names have changed, the playbook has evolved, and the quarterback is far younger. The\u00a0identity, though, feels unmistakably familiar. Under Sean Payton\u2019s leadership, the Broncos are methodically constructing another championship-caliber team. It\u2019s built around a fierce defense, opportunistic special teams, and a poised, efficient offense that knows how to win the tough games.<\/p>\n
The Broncos continued their stunning 2025 campaign with\u00a0a dramatic 22-19 home victory\u00a0over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11. It marked their eighth consecutive win and improved their record to 9-2. They are now tied for the best mark in the NFL. The win was a major statement.\u00a0Denver swept the Chiefs\u00a0during the regular season for the first time in over a decade. It felt like a true shift in the balance of AFC West power.<\/p>\n
Young quarterback\u00a0Bo Nix\u00a0showed maturity beyond his years. He led a late fourth-quarter drive that set up Wil Lutz\u2019s game-winning 35-yard field goal as time expired. However, make no mistake: this victory was again anchored by the defense. Denver\u2019s front seven pressured Patrick Mahomes relentlessly. The secondary also tightened the screws when it mattered most. The defense forced a pivotal three-and-out late in the fourth, setting the stage for Nix\u2019s heroics.<\/p>\n
Denver\u2019s win encapsulated everything that\u2019s made Denver\u2019s 2025 season so remarkable: resilience, composure, and the ability to thrive in close games. After finishing 2-6 in one-score games last season, the Broncos now seem to relish the chaos. They have executed with the same precision and grit that defined their 2015 championship team.<\/p>\n
Here we\u2019ll try to look at and discuss how the Denver Broncos are copying the 2015 blueprint to chase another Super Bowl.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s easy to see why comparisons to the 2015 Super Bowl squad are everywhere. Led by the legendary \u201cNo Fly Zone\u201d defense, the Broncos dominated opponents. They did it through suffocating defensive schemes, elite special teams, and just enough offensive execution to close out games. Fast-forward to 2025, and the Broncos are recreating that same DNA, albeit with a modern twist.<\/p>\n
Sean Payton\u2019s group may not feature a future Hall of Famer (yet) at quarterback like\u00a0Peyton Manning. However, what they do have is a balanced, opportunistic roster that wins the hidden battles. The defense sets the tone, the special teams deliver clutch plays, and the offense avoids the costly mistakes that plagued Denver for years.<\/p>\n
In 2015, the Broncos let the defense carry the day. This year\u2019s team is adding another layer with offensive balance. That may make this blueprint even more sustainable in today\u2019s high-scoring league.<\/p>\n
The heart of the Broncos\u2019 revival lies with their defense. The 2015 Broncos had one of the most dominant in NFL history. They led the league in total defense, sacks, and takeaways.\u00a0The 2025 iteration isn\u2019t far behind. Led by Pat Surtain II, Alex Singleton, and new addition Dre Greenlaw, this defense has suffocated opponents and forced turnovers at a league-best rate.<\/p>\n
The defensive line has rediscovered its ferocity, too. Their linebacking corps has also been fast, instinctive, and disciplined. They have allowed Denver to control the middle of the field. Meanwhile, special teams have quietly become a strength once again. Marvin Mims Jr has given Denver consistent field position advantages with electric punt returns. Meanwhile, Lutz has been nearly automatic. He has nailed three game-winners during the team\u2019s eight-game streak.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s exactly how the 2015 Broncos operated. They dominated field position, capitalized on turnovers, and trusted their kicker to close the deal.<\/p>\n
The 2015 Broncos relied on their defense because they had to. That offense, led by an aging Manning and backed up by Brock Osweiler, was inconsistent and turnover-prone. The 2025 team, however, has a functional, balanced offense.<\/p>\n
Under coach Sean Payton, the Broncos have crafted an offensive identity centered on efficiency and rhythm, not fireworks. Nix has been an effective enabler. His completion rate hovers around 69 percent. He\u2019s made crucial plays in pressure situations without forcing the issue.<\/p>\n
The running game has also been critical. Averaging 122.3 rushing yards per game, Denver\u2019s ground attack, powered by JK Dobbins, controls tempo and keeps the defense fresh. The offensive line, once a liability, has become one of the league\u2019s most improved units. They have given Nix time and stability.<\/p>\n
Payton\u2019s play-calling has focused on short, high-percentage throws, misdirection, and time of possession. This approach has allowed the offense to complement the defense rather than burden it. That edge has made this year\u2019s Broncos even more dangerous down the stretch.<\/p>\n
The parallels are hard to ignore. Through 10 games in 2015, the Broncos were 8-2, and their calling card was the ability to win ugly. The 2025 Broncos are 9-2. They are thriving in tight, defensive slugfests while leaning on poise and execution. Both squads share the same traits: a top-tier defense, a clutch kicker, and a no-nonsense head coach preaching discipline over drama.<\/p>\n
That said, there\u2019s something else brewing in Denver. They have a palpable sense of belief. The swagger that once defined the 2015 team has returned. Veterans and newcomers alike talk about the locker room\u2019s chemistry and the feeling that they\u2019re building toward something bigger.<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t nostalgia. It\u2019s strategy. The Broncos aren\u2019t just copying their 2015 blueprint. They are modernizing it. A decade ago, defense carried them to glory. This time, defense may once again be the foundation, but balance and offensive ingenuity might just be what gets them over the top.<\/p>\n
The Broncos\u2019 22-19 win over the Chiefs was a statement that the old Denver is back. Gritty defense, clutch execution, and a calm quarterback lead a methodical offense. That formula is timeless, and it\u2019s working again.<\/p>\n
History has taught the NFL that when Denver finds its defensive rhythm, the rest of the league should take notice. The 2015 Broncos rode their defense to a Lombardi Trophy. The 2025 Broncos might be on that same path again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For those who have been calling for the\u00a0Browns\u00a0to swallow hard and admit that the insistence on playing rookie quarterback\u00a0Dillon Gabriel\u00a0might well have been a mistake, and that it was time to turn…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14467","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hot-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t