ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos know the challenge that's ahead of them.
Through the first eight weeks of the season, Denver's offense has faced premier players and stingy units.
But the next test may be the most difficult of the season thus far.
"This is, in my opinion, the best defense that we've faced," Offensive Coordinator Joe Lombardi said Thursday of the upcoming matchup with the Houston Texans.
The Texans rank first in total defense and scoring defense, fourth in passing defense, fifth in rushing defense and third in third-down defense. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, a former Pro Bowl linebacker as a player, leads a unit that displays elite team speed and attacks opposing offenses.
"I think he's done a great job," Head Coach Sean Payton said of Ryans' impact. "They're extremely fast. … They're very well coached, they're very talented. I think they've done a great job of building that defense through the draft, free agency and DeMeco's put his … touches all over it."
Payton credited a variety of talented players in the Texans' defense, which includes former Pro Bowlers Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter and Derek Stingley Jr.
Anderson and Hunter have combined for nine sacks this season after both players had double-digit quarterback takedowns a year ago, and Stingley joins Jalen Pitre and Kamari Lassiter to form the only teammate trio to each have at least two interceptions and five passes defensed in 2025.
Payton and Lombardi both noted that the Texans' defense isn't the most complex scheme that Denver will face this year, but it allows the Texans to play fast.
"It's a scheme that the players know," Lombardi said. "It's a fast defense, and it allows them to play really fast. It's going to be a big challenge. They're aggressive, they run fast, they hit hard. They're a group with really good instincts. You see them, there's a play, maybe a screen or something that's really setting up well and you think, 'Oh, this is going to be a big play for the offense,' and they just rally and feel it a little quicker maybe than other defenses and shut it down. It's a challenge this week, for sure."
Quarterback Bo Nix has recorded 13 touchdowns and just two giveaways during the Broncos' five-game winning streak, and he knows he'll need to continue playing at a high level against a talented group.
"There's definitely a little bit more that we have to bring," Nix said. "We have to execute at a higher level. They're not going to give us much, so we have to literally go out there and be aggressive and take the things that we're going to be able to get. They're one of the top defenses for a reason. They do a good job of limiting you to points, and they force some turnovers, and so we have to do a good job with the ball, and move the chains, and create some longer drives and then score when we have the opportunity."
Denver enters the game on the heels of its top two scoring outputs of the season, as the Broncos followed up a 33-point fourth quarter against the Giants with their highest home point total since 2014.
As the Broncos look to carry that momentum against the best statistical unit they have faced this year, the preparation ahead of Sunday's game will be critical. And while the Texans' defense is undoubtedly talented, wide receiver Courtland Sutton said the Broncos' focus must be internal.
"At the end of the day, it's us vs. us," Sutton said. "How can we maximize what we do well and eliminate the things that kind of hinder us from having that success? I think last week, we did some things really well that allowed us to be able to have the success in terms of putting points on the board and having a lot of guys get into the end zone. A lot of guys were able to have really good days. It's all about recreating that, replicating that and finding ways to be consistent at doing that week in and week out.
"… That defense plays really hard. They play really fast, and they have a lot of guys that love ball. You can tell they play really hard for their coach. So, it's going to be on us to make sure that we are locked in for what's ahead of us and making sure that we prepare for ourselves, make sure that we are doing what we need to do to be as prepared as possible to go out there and play fast and play confident and execute."
