DEN
Denver Broncos
83.6PFM Team Score#8 NFL
VS
Denver Broncos vs. San Francisco 49ers: PFM Team Comparison
PFM rates the San Francisco 49ers higher than the Denver Broncos overall, with a clear advantage. The main reasons are the more dependable offense and the deeper roster.
Current PFM Team Scores
Clear edgeSF
San Francisco 49ers
89.2PFM Team Score#2 NFL
HEAD-TO-HEAD RESULTS
Denver Broncos vs. San Francisco 49ers: Previous Meetings
San Francisco 49ers lead the recorded series 1–0 over 1 meetings.
Denver Broncos0 wins
San Francisco 49ers1 wins
Recorded meetings1
Recent Meetings
| Date | Matchup | Final | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 4, 2026 | Denver Broncos at San Francisco 49ers | 14–24 | San Francisco 49ers |
-
Denver BroncosAway14 – 24San Francisco 49ersHomeSan Francisco 49ers won
Results shown: 2026. Scores since 1999: nflverse (CC BY 4.0). Earlier meetings that have not been verified are excluded.
PFM JUDGMENT
Why PFM Rates the San Francisco 49ers Higher
The San Francisco 49ers have the more dependable offense. The unit has more ways to create points when a game forces the team away from its preferred approach. Denver's strongest counterargument is Franchise Direction. The long-term football direction favors the Denver Broncos only because San Francisco carries the larger concern.
San Francisco also brings the deeper roster. That is enough to keep the San Francisco 49ers ahead.
TEAM DNA COMPARISON
Denver vs. San Francisco Across the Core Pillars
The farther a team reaches, the stronger the rating. Each category also calls out which team has the edge and the exact gap. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team.
DENDenver Broncos
SFSan Francisco 49ers
THE COUNTERARGUMENT
Denver Broncos’ Best Argument
The Denver Broncos have the clearer long-term football direction, although the grade remains a concern. The franchise direction advantage is a real point in Denver's favor, but it does not outweigh the rest of the higher-rated team’s advantages. The problem for Denver is that San Francisco counters with the more dependable offense and the deeper roster.
COMPLETE COMPARISON
Where Each Team Has the Edge
PFM Team Score
DEN83.6
Denver Broncos 83.6SF89.2
San Francisco 49ers 89.2Overall NFL Rank
DEN#8
Denver Broncos #8SF#2
San Francisco 49ers #2QB Stability
DEN82.1
Denver Broncos 82.1SF86.0
San Francisco 49ers 86.0Roster Strength
DEN80.2
Denver Broncos 80.2SF83.8
San Francisco 49ers 83.8Coaching Direction
DEN85.3
Denver Broncos 85.3SF85.5
San Francisco 49ers 85.5Recent Performance
DEN86.4
Denver Broncos 86.4SF89.7
San Francisco 49ers 89.7Offense
DEN77.1
Denver Broncos 77.1SF88.2
San Francisco 49ers 88.2Defense
DEN82.9
Denver Broncos 82.9SF84.8
San Francisco 49ers 84.8Franchise Direction
DEN77.5
Denver Broncos 77.5SF75.5
San Francisco 49ers 75.5Explosiveness
DEN70.0
Denver Broncos 70.0SF89.6
San Francisco 49ers 89.6Conference Rank
DEN#3
Denver Broncos #3SF#1
San Francisco 49ers #1Division Rank
DEN#2
Denver Broncos #2SF#1
San Francisco 49ers #1Outlook
DENPlayoff ContenderSFSuper Bowl Favorite
Stronger outlook: San Francisco 49ersSCHEDULE CONTEXT
Which Team Has the Tougher Road?
Denver Broncos
Remaining schedule rank: #26
Toughest stretch: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Chargers
Strongest opponents: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers
Next five difficulty: 75.8
View Denver Broncos Road AheadSan Francisco 49ers
Remaining schedule rank: #16
Toughest stretch: Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs
Strongest opponents: Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams
Next five difficulty: 80.5
View San Francisco 49ers Road AheadSan Francisco has the tougher Road Ahead at No. 16. The strongest opponents include Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, and Los Angeles Rams. Denver gains one meaningful schedule advantage, while San Francisco still owns the stronger football advantages elsewhere.
Explore Both Team Dashboards
Ratings and Schedule Freshness
PFM ratings updated November 3, 2026. Schedule data updated November 9, 2026.
How to Read This Comparison
PFM Team Score determines the overall order. The Team DNA comparison puts five core pillars on the same 0–100 scale, while the full rows show every current category.
PFM compares overall team strength rather than predicting one matchup. Road Ahead adds schedule context without changing PFM Team Score.
PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams