AFC NOTES FOR USE AS DESIRED FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, 11/3/15 CONTACT: JON ZIMMER http://twitter.com/NFL345
DENVER DEFENSE OFF TO HISTORIC START
With their stalwart defense leading the way, the Denver Broncos are one of four remaining undefeated NFL teams in 2015.
Denver leads the league in total defense (261.1 yards per game) and scoring defense (16.0 point per game) and has reached 7-0 for the second time in franchise history. This season marks the best start for the Broncos since 1998, when Denver began the season 13-0 en route to its second consecutive Super Bowl title.
“They can beat you from a lot of different ways,” says NFL Network analyst and former Patriots defensive end WILLIE MC GINEST of the Broncos’ top-ranked defense. “They have guys up front that are interchangeable that can constantly get after the quarterback. They’ve got corners that they can lock down with anybody in the league and go play one-on-one.”
In Week 8, the Broncos’ defense was nothing short of dominant against the previously undefeated Packers. Denver limited Green Bay to 140 total net yards, the fifth-fewest allowed against a team with a record of 6-0 or better in NFL history.
The fewest yards allowed in a game against an opponent that was 6-0 or better:
TEAM UNDEFEATED OPPONENT DATE TOTAL NET YARDS ALLOWED Pittsburgh Steelers Philadelphia Eagles (7-0) November 7, 2004 113 Baltimore Colts Green Bay Packers (9-0) November 18, 1962 116 Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers (10-0) November 22, 1962 122 Detroit Lions Chicago Bears (12-0) December 2, 1934 129 Denver Broncos Green Bay Packers (6-0) November 1, 2015 140
Denver’s defense leads the league with 29 sacks, providing consistent pressure up front. The Broncos also feature one of the league’s top defensive backfields, which has contributed an AFC-best nine interceptions.
The Broncos have not allowed a first-quarter point this season, and are one of nine teams since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to hold their opponents scoreless in the first quarter through their first seven games to begin a season.
“They’ll pretty much dictate the tempo of the game,” says McGinest. “So when you have teams or defenses that are great on every single level and they can do a lot of different things and you have players that are interchangeable, it makes for a dangerous defense.”
The most consecutive games without allowing a first-quarter point to begin a season since 1970:
TEAM YEAR NO. OF GAMES Los Angeles Rams 1974 9 Pittsburgh Steelers 1978 8 New Orleans Saints 1991 8
Denver Broncos 2015 7* *Active streak
NFL teams are a combined 670-358-2 (.651) when allowing zero points in first quarter since the start of the 2010 season, demonstrating the impact a defense can have on the game by setting the tone early.
Over the past five seasons (since 2010), the Broncos have held their opponents scoreless in the first quarter in 40 games, tied for the second-most such games during that span, and posted a 33-7 (.825) record in those contests.
The teams with the most games allowing no points in the first quarter since 2010:
TEAM NO. OF GAMES W-L-T RECORD WIN PCT. Green Bay Packers 41 35-6-0 .854 Denver Broncos 40 33-7-0 .825 San Francisco 49ers 40 27-13-0 .675 Seattle Seahawks 39 31-8-0 .795 Atlanta Falcons 37 29-8-0 .784 Carolina Panthers 37 22-14-1 .608
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