After starting the 2025 regular season with a 1-2 record, nobody saw an eight-game winning streak in the cards for the Denver Broncos, who just enjoyed their Week 12 bye.
Denver sits firmly atop the AFC West with a two-game lead over the 7-4 Los Angeles Chargers, as Sean Payton’s team aims to capture the No.1 AFC seed that’s currently held by the 10-2 New England Patriots, who happen to be on a nine-game winning streak.
Week 13 pits the 9-2 Broncos against the 3-8 Washington Commanders on _Sunday Night Football_ at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.
The Broncos have a 3-0 record against the NFC East this season with their eyes fixed on sweeping the division. Additionally, Sunday night’s game will be the third primetime feature for Denver this season, following an ugly 10-7 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on _Thursday Night Football_ in Week 10 and a blowout of the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4 on _Monday Night Football_.
The Commanders are also coming off a Week 12 bye, as they’ve endured a six-game losing streak with a 2-3 record in home games this season. The Commanders could once again be without last year's Offensive Rookie of the Year in quarterback Jayden Daniels, who returned to practice this week after he dislocated his elbow in Week 9.
Denver is currently listed as the away-favorite by most sportsbooks, though Broncos Country knows better than to expect an easy win. What will it take to win?
Let’s review three keys to a Broncos victory against the Commanders, which would further Denver’s postseason trajectory.
Thwart Commanders' Productive Rushing Attack
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Nov 16, 2025; Madrid, Spain; Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. (36) carries the ball against the Miami Dolphins in the second quarter during the 2025 NFL Madrid Game at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Despite being one of the most injured and snake-bitten teams in the NFL, the Commanders have managed to muster a top-five offense on the ground. Washington currently boasts the fifth-best rushing attack, averaging 138.5 yards per game and 4.9 yards per carry.
Washington’s run game is led by third-year running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. and seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskett-Merritt, who've combined for 777 yards rushing, 44 first downs, and seven touchdowns. Offensive Coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is in his second season in D.C., and understands the significance of establishing a run game by leaning on his experienced offensive linemen, such as left tackle Laremy Tunsil and center Tyler Biadasz.
Vance Joseph’s third-ranked defense only surrenders 274.4 yards per game while holding its opponents to just 88.5 yards per game rushing allowed. Remember, the last and only time that the Broncos surrendered 100 yards rushing to a single running back happened during Week 2’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts, as Jonathan Taylor posted 165 yards on the ground.
Since then, Denver’s defensive line, led by Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, and John Franklin-Myers, has been dominant in the trenches, allowing the linebackers some clean-up duty with second-level tackles after minimal gains, not to mention Broncos' safety Talanoa Hufunga, who’s been a one-man wrecking crew in run support or wherever he can throw himself into the mix.
If the Broncos can extinguish the biggest threat posed to them in the Commanders' effective run game, it’ll be a long night for quarterback Marcus Mariota.
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Bo vs. Bobby: Win the Mental Chess Match
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Nov 16, 2025; Madrid, Spain; Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) reacts after a play against the Miami Dolphins in the fourth quarter during the 2025 NFL Madrid Game at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
At the ripe age of 35, linebacker Bobby Wagner is playing in his 14th NFL season. You’d be pressed to find a more decorated or respected defender in the league than Wagner.
The six-time first-team All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler, and Super Bowl XLVIII champion was reunited with his former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator, Dan Quinn, in 2024 by joining the Commanders.
Today, Wagner leads the Commanders with 107 tackles (53 solo), two sacks, six tackles for a loss, two passes defended, and one interception. He is also designated with the green dot on his helmet, signifying his responsibility to relay Quinn’s defensive play calls for Washington’s defense that surrenders the second-most yards per game (387).
The matchup between Washington’s ‘green dot' linebacker and Denver’s ‘green dot’ quarterback in Bo Nix is one of the most intriguing. The Broncos' comeback kid has led his team to eight fourth-quarter comebacks since arriving in Denver last year, the most by a player in his first two seasons since 1950. Nix will be forced to go one-on-one at the line of scrimmage against Wagner.
While I’m not suggesting that we’re going to witness a Ray Lewis vs. Peyton Manning level matchup on Sunday night, this will be an advanced test for Nix, as he continues to develop as both a quarterback and a leader on gameday.
Thus far, Nix has accounted for 2,421 passing yards and 18 touchdowns, with eight interceptions and a 61.2 completion percentage. He’s also totaled 213 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Expect Nix to have his offense dialed in at the line of scrimmage when he makes his first pre-snap read. We’ll see a variety of ‘kill, kill, kill,’ as Nix makes the necessary adjustments to call an appropriate play that’ll keep Wagner out of position and away from the ball carrier as much as possible.
'PB' Time: Rookie WR Deserves the Ball
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Oct 26, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant (13) celebrates with quarterback Bo Nix (10) after scoring a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
It’s abundantly clear that Broncos' rookie third-rounder Pat Bryant was drafted by Denver to become the future X-receiver. I’m not pining for team captain and leading receiver Courtland Sutton to be jettisoned, nor do I hope his time with the Broncos comes to an end any time soon.
However, Bryant offers a high level of physicality in the run game as an aggressive perimeter blocker or in the passing game as a reliable receiver in Sean Payton's demanding offense. The 6-foot-2, 204-pounder is coming off a career game, after recording five receptions for 82 yards in the Broncos' 22-19 win against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11.
Because Troy Franklin has been dynamic in his sophomore season, totaling 46 receptions for 509 yards and a team-high five receiving touchdowns, Washington’s defensive backs will be forced to allocate resources to both him and Sutton in this week’s game plan.
This could mean that Bryant, who’s caught 15 receptions for 231 yards and one touchdown thus far, could be eyeing an increased load of targets from Nix. While the talented rookie wideout did pop up on the [**injury report**](https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/onsi/news/broncos-injury-update-patrick-surtain-outlook-commanders) this week with a shoulder, he was a full participant and is expected to suit up Sunday night.
The Commanders have allowed the fifth-most passing yards this season, while surrendering 249.5 passing yards per game. Washington’s bottom-of-the-barrel defense has struggled mightily in its secondary with lapses in coverage, communication issues, and injuries.
After being blown out 44-22 by the Detroit Lions in Week 10, Coach Quinn opted to take over defensive play-calling duties for defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., who still remains on Washington’s coaching staff.
What better way to end the month of November as a rookie receiver than on _Sunday Night Football_ in the nation’s capital?
Byrant deserves the football.
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