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For the most part, the Broncos have still played good enough defense to be a playoff team despite a pile of injuries; the losses to Las Vegas, Cleveland and Philadelphia would be the exceptions. Offensively, the Broncos have run hot and cold, depending on their willingness to stick to what they do best: run the ball and push the issue downfield in the passing game out of play-action. The special teams units have largely surrendered more big plays than they've made. If the Broncos can maintain defensive consistency, be who they are on offense more often and keep the special teams from ruining a potentially good thing, they might just hang around in the AFC playoff race until the end. -- Jeff Legwold

The Broncos took the field on offense for the first time on Sunday with just 10 men, a nod of respect and recognition for Demaryius Thomas, the longtime Broncos wide receiver who died suddenly last week at the age of 33. It was a classy move by the team, which then went out and put together one of its most complete efforts of the season in a 38-10 win over the Lions. Denver had something cooking in its backfield at Mile High: Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon combined for nearly 200 total yards and four touchdowns in the win. It's the type of attack that Vic Fangio would love to replicate on a weekly basis. Not every opponent will be as gracious as the Lions, of course.

They have put themselves smack dab in the playoff race. The running game is leading this team on offense right now.

Only Kansas City has more non-conference wins than Denver's four. Unfortunately for them, it's only AFC competition the rest of the way, and the Broncos are 3-5 within the conference.

Worst-case scenario: The Packers win the Super Bowl, and Aaron Rodgers decides he'd rather stay in Green Bay than go to Denver. Maybe the Broncos could acquire a different star quarterback in that situation, but if they instead have to run it back with Teddy Bridgewater or bring in another bridge quarterback, the type of season they're having right now is probably their ceiling while playing in a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert.