The Denver Broncos defense has been terrorizing opposing quarterbacks all season. The Broncos entered Week 10 leading the NFL in sacks with 40. 

Denver got to Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith six times in the Week 10 win on “Thursday Night Football,” with five of the sacks coming in the first half. The Broncos not only still lead the league in sacks, but also became the first team since 1989 to register at least 45 sacks in a team’s first 10 games of the season. 

With Denver averaging 4.6 sacks per game, it is on pace to finish the 2025 season with 78 total sacks. This would smash the all-time record for sacks in a season, currently held by the Chicago Bears. Chicago’s 1984 squad finished that season with 72 sacks. The Bears accomplished the feat in 16 games, so the Broncos do get some extra time to make history, but coming out of Week 10, they are well on their way. 

Here is more on how the Broncos’ defense could be looking at history.

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How many sacks do the Broncos have this season?

They have 46 sacks. Denver entered Week 10 with 40, and tallied six against Las Vegas. Five of the sacks came in the first half. Coming into Week 10, Denver led the league by 12 sacks. Now with the dominant performance from the win over the Raiders, the Broncos have 46 sacks, 18 more than the Detroit Lions. 

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Who has the record for most team sacks in an NFL season?

The 1984 Chicago Bears hold the record with 72 sacks in a season. The Bears won the Super Bowl after the 1985 season, but revived the nickname “Monsters of the Midway” due to their dominant defensive performance in the 1984 season. The previous record was 67 sacks in a season, held by the Raiders in 1967, but the Bears’ mark in 1984 has stood strong for 40 years. 

RankSeasonTeamSacks11984Bears72.021989Vikings71.032022Eagles70.041987Bears70.051985Giants68.061967Raiders67.072000Saints66.081984Commanders66.091981Jets66.0101963Patriots66.0111985Raiders65.0121985Bears64.0131984Raiders64.0142024Broncos63.0151986Raiders63.0161989Eagles62.0171986Bears62.0181986Chargers62.0191985Cowboys62.0202006Chargers61.0211985Seahawks61.022197649ers61.0232023Ravens60.0242013Panthers60.0252006Ravens60.0