Broncos CB Pat Surtain Remains DPOY Favorite Entering Playoffs

Is PS2 a lock for the award?

Dec 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) returns a interception in the fourth quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II remains the odds-on favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year entering the first round of the NFL playoffs.

Per Draft Kings, Surtain (+450) maintains a fairly substantial lead over the field — Cincinnati's Trey Hendrickson (+550), Pittsburgh's TJ Watt (+900), and Detroit's Kerby Joseph (+3000) — for the award, which will be announced before Super Bowl LIX.

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Voted to his third straight Pro Bowl, Surtain leads the Broncos in interceptions and grades out as Pro Football Focus' top-rated corner. He also paces the league in fewest yards allowed, fewest yards allowed per coverage snap, and lowest target rate in coverage, according to Next Gen Stats.

“It's pretty special for sure," Surtain said last week of being in the DPOY conversation. "Just the work I put in, obviously it was a goal that I had in mind, but that's not my main goal. My main goal is to continue to be the best version of myself to help this team win. [Help them] get to that next step, which is playoffs and hopefully get to that Super Bowl run. We have bigger goals in mind, but to be mentioned in a high regard with other great defenders around the league means a lot.”

The @Broncos have faced 5 AFC #ProBowlGames pass catchers: Flowers, Jeudy, Chase, Kelce & Bowers.

Via @NextGenStats:

vs. @PatSurtainll: 92 routes, 16 tgts., 6 rec., 56 yds., 0 TDs, 2 INTs (8.3 rtg.)

vs. all others: 155 routes, 52 tgts., 38 rec., 606 yds., 5 TDs (143.6 rtg.)

— Erich Schubert (@schube13) January 7, 2025

Surtain, as usual, will be depended upon for Sunday's Wild Card road matchup against the heavily favored Buffalo Bills. And if the Broncos spring a massive upset, it'll likely mean he enhanced his already impressive 2024 resume.

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