It is clear Peyton Manning has made a huge impact during Denver’s 12-3 season. However, it has not been all Manning.

He’s had help, especially on defense. That unit has been brilliant during the Broncos' 10-game winning streak.

Check out these statistics, from ESPN Stats & Information and you’ll grasp just how good this defense has been:

Broncos Defense During 10-Game Win Streak

Total opponent QBR: 13.1 (NFL rank -- 1st)
3rd-down conversion: 21.3 (NFL rank -- 1st)
Points per drive: 1.23 (NFL rank -- 1st)
Yards per play: 4.6 (NFL rank -- 2nd)
Opponent yards per drive: 22.1 2nd (NFL rank -- 2nd)

That’s simply domination. Much of the credit goes to Denver head coach John Fox and first-year defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. This defense was expected to be improved and competitive, but it wasn’t expected to be such a force.