Penalties and Turnovers Hamper the Denver Broncos

For the Denver Broncos, a 2025 season that began with Super Bowl aspirations has been undermined by a costly pair of flaws: excessive penalties and avoidable turnovers. Despite boasting one of the NFL’s top red zone defenses and a dynamic offense led by Bo Nix and J.K. Dobbins, the Broncos have squandered winnable games and surrendered momentum thanks to self-inflicted mistakes. Through 13 weeks, Denver ranks 26th in the league in penalty yards (823) and 22nd in turnovers (18), with these two issues directly contributing to 14 of the 35 points they’ve allowed in the fourth quarter of one-possession games. What makes these struggles even more frustrating is their inconsistency—one week the Broncos play clean football (like their Week 7 win over the Chiefs, with 1 penalty and 0 turnovers), and the next they commit 7 penalties and 3 turnovers (like their Week 10 loss to the Raiders). Penalties and Turnovers Hamper the Denver Broncos is a story of wasted potential, as a talented team’s title hopes are being derailed by errors they can control.

The Broncos’ penalty problem is most acute on the offensive line, where false starts, holding calls, and illegal blocks have derailed drives and put the offense in difficult down-and-distance situations. Through 13 weeks, Denver’s offensive linemen have committed 31 penalties—12 false starts, 10 holding calls, and 9 illegal blocks—accounting for 42% of the team’s total penalties. These penalties have cost the Broncos an average of 6.2 yards per drive, turning manageable third-and-3 situations into third-and-13, and forcing Nix to throw into tighter coverage. Left tackle Garett Bolles has been the biggest offender, with 8 penalties (5 false starts, 3 holding calls), including a critical holding call in the fourth quarter of their Week 9 loss to the Bills that negated a 25-yard run by Dobbins and forced a punt. The Broncos’ special teams unit has also struggled, with 17 penalties (mostly for offsides and illegal formation) that have given opponents favorable field position. In Week 5 against the Chargers, a special teams offside penalty on a punt allowed Los Angeles to retain possession, leading to a game-tying field goal. These penalties aren’t just statistical nuisances—they’re momentum killers that turn promising drives into missed opportunities. Penalties and Turnovers Hamper the Denver Broncos is evident in these drive-derailing mistakes, which have turned potential touchdowns into field goals (or worse, turnovers).

Turnovers, meanwhile, have been equally damaging, with Nix and Dobbins combining for 14 of the Broncos’ 18 giveaways. Nix, who had just 5 interceptions in his first 10 games, has thrown 7 picks in his last 3 starts—many of them on forced throws into double coverage or miscommunications with his receivers. His worst game came in Week 12 against the Browns, where he threw 3 interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown) that turned a 10-7 lead into a 24-10 loss. Dobbins, too, has struggled with ball security, losing 3 fumbles in the red zone—each one costing the Broncos a potential touchdown. In Week 8 against the Steelers, Dobbins fumbled at the Pittsburgh 2-yard line after a 15-yard run, allowing the Steelers to take over and score a touchdown on the ensuing drive. What’s most concerning about these turnovers is their timing: 11 of Denver’s 18 giveaways have come in the second half, with 7 occurring in the fourth quarter of one-possession games. These late-game mistakes have turned wins into losses (like Week 10) and overtime victories into overtime defeats (like Week 12). Penalties and Turnovers Hamper the Denver Broncos is seen in these critical late-game errors, which have erased the hard work of their elite defense.

The Denver Broncos’ coaching staff has attempted to address these issues with extra practice drills and film study, but so far, the fixes have been temporary. Head coach Sean Payton has implemented “penalty-free periods” in practice, where any player who commits a penalty must run extra sprints, and he’s added 30 minutes of film study focused on turnovers (highlighting how to avoid fumbles and read coverage to prevent interceptions). Offensive line coach Mike Munchak has worked one-on-one with Bolles to fix his false start issues, using a metronome to help him time his snaps better. Despite these efforts, the Broncos’ inconsistency persists—they’ll have a clean game, then regress the next week. Part of the problem is fatigue: the Broncos’ offense ranks 10th in time of possession, but their defensive line’s ability to force quick stops means the offense often takes the field with little rest, leading to mental errors. The Denver Broncos’ players have also acknowledged their responsibility, with Nix saying, “These turnovers are on me—I need to make better decisions and protect the ball.” However, apologies haven’t translated to consistent improvement, leaving the coaching staff searching for answers. Penalties and Turnovers Hamper the Denver Broncos is a test of the coaching staff’s ability to instill discipline in a team that has the talent to win but lacks the consistency to do so.

The impact of these mistakes extends beyond individual games—it’s also eroding the Denver Broncos’ playoff positioning. Entering Week 14, the Broncos are 9-4 and hold the AFC’s second wild-card spot, but they’re just one game ahead of the 8-5 Bills and Raiders. A few more games marred by penalties and turnovers could drop them out of the playoff picture entirely. What’s most frustrating for fans is that the Broncos have shown they can play clean football—they just haven’t done it consistently. In their Week 7 win over the Chiefs, they committed 1 penalty (for 5 yards) and 0 turnovers, dominating time of possession (38:12) and winning 34-31. If they could replicate that level of discipline every week, they’d be a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Instead, they’re a team that beats itself, allowing lesser opponents to stay in games and capitalize on mistakes. The Denver Broncos’ front office has also taken notice, with general manager George Paton saying, “We have the talent to win a championship, but we need to eliminate the self-inflicted wounds. That’s on all of us—coaches, players, and staff.” This sense of urgency is growing as the regular season winds down, with the Broncos facing a tough stretch of games against the Ravens, 49ers, and Bengals. Penalties and Turnovers Hamper the Denver Broncos is a warning: if they don’t fix these issues soon, their playoff run will be short-lived.

Looking ahead, the Denver Broncos have a narrow window to address their penalty and turnover problems before the playoffs begin. The solution starts with accountability: players need to take ownership of their mistakes, and coaches need to find ways to reinforce discipline without sapping confidence. For Nix, that means taking fewer risks in the red zone and trusting his receivers to win one-on-one matchups instead of forcing throws. For the offensive line, it means better pre-snap preparation and focusing on technique to avoid false starts and holding calls. For Dobbins, it means squeezing the ball tighter in traffic and using his free hand to protect it from defenders. The Denver Broncos also need to use their bye week (Week 14) to refocus, with extra practice time dedicated to situational football (third-and-short, red zone, late-game scenarios) where mistakes are most costly. If they can enter the playoffs playing clean football, they have the talent to make a deep run—their red zone defense can shut down even the best offenses, and their offense can score with anyone when they’re not turning the ball over. However, if penalties and turnovers continue to plague them, they’ll be just another talented team that wasted its shot at a championship. Penalties and Turnovers Hamper the Denver Broncos is a challenge—one that this team must overcome if it wants to turn its season from a disappointment into a success story.