Broncos crack elite tier in latest NFL Power Rankings

The Denver Broncos’ successes this season aren’t some fluke, the orange and blue are here to stay. At 9-2 following the bye week, this team controls its destiny for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, and is in a great position to win the AFC West for the first time since 2015.

Last week’s bye was much needed for Sean Payton’s squad. They had been dealing with some injury issues from not having a break through the first 11 weeks of the season, and are now hoping to hit the home stretch with some of their top players back in the fold. While the Broncos didn’t practice at all last week, and didn’t play in a game on Sunday while they recovered, they still ended up being winners.

The Indianapolis Colts lost in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs, and on the other side of the league, the Philadelphia Eagles blew a big lead (where have we seen that before?) to the Dallas Cowboys. Both of those teams were ahead of the orange and blue in last week’s NFL Power Rankings, and as a result, Denver jumped both squads without lifting a finger.

A pair of NFC West teams are at the top of this week's power rankings 📈 pic.twitter.com/GOSmSRhLGH

— NFL (@NFL) November 26, 2025

The West is in full control of this week’s rankings, as the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks — two teams that are head and shoulders above the rest of the NFC — are at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. Behind the Broncos are the Colts, Patriots, Eagles, Packers, Lions, 49ers and Bills.

For the rest of the AFC West, Kansas City jumped up to No. 12 while the Chargers stayed put at No. 17. The lowly Raiders dropped below the Titans, and now sit in dead last at No. 32.

These rankings perfectly illustrate where the Broncos stand. They control their destiny for the entire season at this point, and with a schedule that’s more favorable than others near the top of the standings, there’s a great chance that this squad can run the table and make the AFC Playoffs run through Empower Field at Mile High.

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