NFL predictions 2018: Denver Broncos win AFC West

Defense wins championships, or so they say. Well, the Denver Broncos will try to win their second in four years on defense.

In today’s NFL, you can’t build a team in totality. The salary cap limits teams from being able to be dominant on both sides of the ball. So, in order to succeed, a team must build a great defense and sacrifice a little on the offense or vice versa. The Denver Broncos look to win on defense in 2018.

The Broncos have already won a Super Bowl by building a superior defense and sacrificing a little on the offensive side of the ball. With the quarterback room in Denver being Case Keenum, Paxton Lynch, and Chad Kelly, it’s clear they aim to do that in 2018.

The AFC West is loaded at the quarterback position. With Patrick Mahomes, Philip Rivers, and Derek Carr, the Broncos needed to do something. So, they loaded up on the defense to be able to stop those guys. They added a viable quarterback in Case Keenum, but he’s not a great quarterback. He’s an average quarterback, and that’s fine for the Broncos.

Even though the NFL is a quarterback-driven league, you can win on defense if you can rush the passer and cover. That’s what the Broncos will do in 2018. Expect the Broncos to be among the leaders in quarterback pressures, sacks, pass breakups, and interceptions in 2018 with a group that includes Von Miller, Bradley Chubb, Bradley Roby and Chris Harris Jr.

In 2015, they won the Super Bowl despite their quarterbacks not being up to snuff in both the regular and postseasons. The defense isn’t quite to that level with the losses of Malik Jackson, Aqib Talib, T.J. Ward and others since, but it’s good enough to get the job done.

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This defense will carry this team to an AFC West title and potentially on a deep playoff run, depending on matchups. The old adage will ring true with this team. Defense wins.