The Denver Broncos finally snapped their losing streak after their recent 26-7 thrashing of the Tampa Bay Buccaneer, but not everyone’s buying the hype. Former linebacker Todd Davis isn’t ready to pop the champagne just yet, throwing cold water on the team’s recent success with a brutally honest take.

Davis didn’t hold back his words in a recent DNVR Sports YouTube video. “I think the Broncos did a great job of executing,” Davis admitted. But then came the kicker: “There were also some moments where I felt like they got a gift or got lucky here or there.” Ouch! Talk about raining on the victory parade.

Davis’s reality check comes on the heels of Denver’s most complete performance of the season. The Broncos’ defense was a nightmare for Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, sacking him seven times and forcing two turnovers. Meanwhile, rookie quarterback Bo Nix and the offense finally showed a pulse, racking up 352 total yards – their best output yet.

But Davis isn’t quite ready to crack open the bubbly. He pointed out that the Buccaneers’ cornerbacks seemed “out of position” at times, questioning whether the Broncos can replicate this success against stronger secondaries. It’s a fair point, considering Denver’s upcoming trip to the Big Apple to face the New York Jets.

But still, there’s no denying the Broncos’ defensive pre-eminence. They held Mayfield to a meager 132 passing yards and limited the Bucs rushing attack to just 91. After each stop, the offense took over. In the third quarter, the young quarterback Bo Nix put together an eight-minute, 15-play drive that began from deep within his own territory.

Is Nix and Payton’s aggressive approach a game-changer?

While Todd Davis might not be sold, the Broncos‘ offensive overhaul in Tampa Bay was hard to ignore. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix looked like he’d finally found the playbook’s sweet spot.

“Yeah, well, [Payton] wanted to be aggressive,” Nix revealed after the game. “I think he made that decision just off making a fast start and whatever. I wasn’t necessarily shocked by it, but whatever he wants to do, that’s what we were doing.”

This aggressive mindset paid off from the get-go. Payton made the gutsy call to receive the opening kickoff, bucking conventional wisdom. The result? A statement-making 79-yard touchdown drive that set the Bucs back on their heels.

Nix didn’t just manage the game – he took control of it. His 22-yard strike to Courtland Sutton on the very first play showed a newfound confidence. By day’s end, Nix had racked up 216 passing yards and 47 rushing yards with a touchdown on the ground. Most importantly? No sacks, no picks.

But it wasn’t just the Nix show. Running back Tyler Badie came out of nowhere to rack up 70 yards on just 9 carries. His 43-yard burst was the kind of explosive play Denver’s been dying for all season.

“I think we made [Mayfield] hold the [pigskin],” Payton explained when asked about the defense’s dominant day. “I think we made him hold it some. That is a credit to the coverage.”

Now, the real test comes next week against the Jets. Can Nix and Payton keep this aggressive blueprint intact in the face of a tougher defense? Or will Todd Davis’s “lucky” assessment prove all too accurate? Broncos Country is holding its breath, hoping this Tampa Bay beatdown was more than just a Florida fluke.