Denver, CO
NFL.com Reveals Why Broncos Skyrocketed in Week 6 Power Rankings
The Denver Broncos kept the momentum rolling as they steamrolled the Las Vegas Raiders, 34-18, on Sunday. The Denver defense hammered the Raiders so severely that they made a quarterback change, and Bo Nix had his best statistical game as a pro.
When the Broncos are firing on all cylinders, they have the confidence to beat any team in front of them, as proven by their three-game win streak. Denver continues to climb NFL.com’s Power Rankings and has reached the top 15, climbing six spots heading into Week 6 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Here’s Eric Edholm’s analysis of the Broncos hitting No. 14, and the sideline interaction between Nix and head coach Sean Payton.
“Pat Surtain II intercepted both Raiders quarterbacks on Sunday, running the first pick back 100 yards for a touchdown when the Broncos’ offense was still stuck in a rut. That tied the game at 10 apiece, and the Broncos found their groove soon after. Denver’s defense and special teams really set things up nicely with field position in the second half. There’s the potential for things to go awry with a banged-up offensive line heading into a big divisional game against the Chargers, but I wasn’t worried after seeing the Bo Nix-Sean Payton sideline discussion or hearing Payton’s Ferris Bueller quote after the game. First of all, it was funny. Secondly, this is how Payton shows love, I think. He knows that things have turned around to the point where this could be one of the more interesting Broncos seasons in years. If Nix responds, we’ll know he is the right guy for this team. It’s hard not to already think he’s that guy, with the rookie boasting mostly solid play through five games,” Edholm wrote.
What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don’t miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!
Patrick Surtain ll proved once again that he’s the best corner in the NFL today despite what Pro Football Focus might have you believe. Surtain doesn’t get the love he deserves partly because opposing quarterbacks don’t throw in his direction, and Gardner Minshew and Aiden O’Connell were reminded of why.
Those two interceptions, one being a 100-yard pick-six, put Surtain in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation where he belongs. The defense continues to play at a high level and keep the Broncos competitive, while the offense continues to gel and improve.
Nix showed his competitive fire when he and Payton had a heated discussion on the sideline after Troy Franklin’s dropped touchdown pass. Some may see this as a problem coming from a rookie signal-caller, but Nix showed more competitive spirit and passion for the game than Russell Wilson ever did in Denver.
The willingness to push back and let your coach know you have confidence in yourself is healthy for the coach-quarterback relationship. It’s a massive breath of fresh air from Wilson’s passive and meek attitude that led to his losing favor in the locker room.
Nix is improving each week, and Sunday was no different as he threw for two touchdowns and ran for another. If he and the offense start hotter, this team will be formidable regardless of who it lines up against.
The Broncos will face another AFC West foe at home this week, in the Los Angeles Chargers, who are coming off their bye. If the Broncos can get after a banged-up Justin Herbert and continue to develop on offense, they’ll put themselves in a great position to challenge for the division title.
Follow Mile High Huddle on X and Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!
BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. — If you feel like we’ve had a lot of red flag days across Colorado since the start of the year, you’re right.
According to our Denver7 weather team, there have been 369 red flag warnings across the state since the start of 2026, marking the second-highest number recorded to date since 2005. In 2023, there were 408 red flag warnings from Jan. 1 through April 22 of that year, according to Denver7 meteorologist Danielle Grant
A red flag day happens when warm temperatures, low humidity and strong winds combine to create critical fire weather conditions.
▶️ WATCH: Denver7’s Claire Lavezzorio talked red flag fatigue with residents and officials
Colorado sees second-highest number of red flag days since 2005
In Boulder County, officials say the frequency of these warnings in their area is breaking records, too.
“We’ve had 21 thus far since the beginning of 2026, and that number is almost as many as we’ve had in the previous years combined, 2024 and 2025,” said Vinnie Montez, a spokesperson for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.
Today’s Forecast
Fierce winds, high fire danger Thursday across the Denver metro, plains
With the high volume of alerts, Montez worries the frequent warnings will become white noise.
Denver7 asked him if there is some red flag fatigue in the community.
“When you see the same commercial come up over and over again, you’re kind of like, flip the channel, right? I think that can happen in what we’re messaging,” Montez said.
At Chautauqua Park in Boulder, residents are taking note of how often these days are happening.
“It’s almost every day,” Mac Whittington said.
Local
‘We’ve never seen this’: Rare fire danger grips Colorado mountain towns
Levi Brown, a Boulder resident, pointed out that all the ingredients for high fire danger are present.
“You look around, there’s a lot of fuel in the ground, a lot of wind blowing right now, in fact,” Brown said.
For Brown, who has lived in the area for 26 years, every warning carries weight.
“It seems to be more prevalent now. And I don’t take it lightly,” Brown said.
For those who do not take the days seriously, Whittington offered a word of caution.
“Hopefully we don’t have to learn the lesson the hard way,” he said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Coloradans making a difference | Denver7 featured videos
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what’s right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.
DENVER (KDVR) — Denver police are investigating a hit-and-run crash involving a motorcycle on Tuesday evening.
The Denver Police Department reported that the crash also involved a motorist and happened at East 9th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard.
The motorcyclist was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
Police did not release any description of the suspect vehicle.
Denver police said drivers should expect delays in the area.
This is developing news.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
-
Detroit, MI22 minutes agoThings to do in Metro Detroit, April 24 and beyond
-
San Francisco, CA34 minutes agoCA to open 3 new state parks and expand others, including in Bay Area: Here’s where
-
Dallas, TX40 minutes agoWild vs. Stars Game 3: Key takeaways as Dallas takes series lead on Wyatt Johnston’s 2OT winner
-
Miami, FL46 minutes agoMiami-Dade deputies detain elderly father who they say shot and killed his son after a domestic dispute
-
Boston, MA52 minutes agoBoston has one of the best public markets in the country, says USA TODAY
-
Denver, CO58 minutes ago
Red flag fatigue? Colorado sees near-record number of critical fire days
-
Seattle, WA1 hour agoFOLLOWUP: West Seattle pickleball players band together to save court access
-
San Diego, CA1 hour agoPadres sign Giolito to 1-year deal with option for '27