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Tag: broncos

  • Keeler: Broncos should spend Russell Wilson money on getting Bo Nix receivers without butterfingers

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    Say this for Sean Payton: He sure liked to spread the drops around.

    The Broncos were the only NFL team to place three players among the league’s top 15 in dropped passes during the regular season, per Pro-Football-Reference.com — wide receiver Courtland Sutton (eight), tight end Evan Engram (eight) and running back RJ Harvey (seven).

    No wonder a 15-4 record feels like such a Boverachievement, in retrospect.

    It’s going to be a beast to repeat if Payton and GM George Paton don’t add an experienced, proven wideout for Bo Nix in 2026. Or a big-time tight end. Better yet, both.

    What the heck. Russell Wilson is off the books, right? Paton is rolling into the offseason with diamond encrusted Walmart gift card in his wallet. Go nuts.

    “I think the position that this team, the position that we’re in, (we) have a win-now mentality,” Engram said Monday at Dove Valley as the Broncos cleaned out their lockers following a 10-7 loss to New England in the AFC Championship. “And there are some things that we can work with to even make our roster even better.

    “So, yeah — I have the utmost faith in the guys upstairs, all the decision-makers, the coach. They’ve done a great job since they’ve been here. They’ve built (a) championship team. Being able to add to that already, we’re in a great spot. We’ll be in a good spot for a while.”

    Yeah, but you’ve got to strike now. Nix is on a rookie contract through 2027. That time is going to fly by. Like the Nuggets with Jokic and Murray and the Avs with MacKinnon and Makar, this is the window. Right here. We going for this? Or not?

    “Obviously, we need some key players to come in and do what they need to do by getting points on the scoreboard,” veteran left tackle Garett Bolles noted Monday. “(We’ve) got a phenomenal defense. We have everything we need. We just need a couple more playmakers, and sky’s the limit for this team.”

    Almost everything. Nix can sling it with Sam Darnold all stinking day. What do the Super-Bowl-bound Seahawks have that the Broncos don’t? A bell cow tailback (Kenneth Walker) who has averaged 15 games per season over his career. And a No. 1 wideout (Jaxson Smith-Njigba) who’s putting up seven catches and 86 receiving yards per game this postseason.

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    Sean Keeler

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  • Patriots are heading to their 12th Super Bowl, seeking an NFL-record 7th victory

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    Drake Maye, Mike Vrabel and a stifling defense have the New England Patriots back in the Super Bowl for the first time since Tom Brady and Bill Belichick won their sixth ring together seven years ago.

    The Patriots (17-3) beat the Denver Broncos 10-7 on Sunday in the AFC championship game to advance to their 12th Super Bowl.

    They’ll face the winner of the NFC championship game between the Los Angeles Rams (14-5) and Seattle Seahawks (15-3).

    Either way, it’ll be a rematch.

    Brady led the Patriots to a 20-17 victory over the heavily favored “Greatest Show on Turf” St. Louis Rams on Feb. 3, 2002, for the franchise’s first Super Bowl title.

    And the Patriots also defeated Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams 13-3 on Feb. 3, 2019, to capture the franchise’s sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy.

    New England edged Pete Carroll’s Seahawks 28-24 on Feb. 1, 2015, when Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson’s pass from the 1-yard line.

    Maye scored on a 6-yard touchdown run in the second quarter after a critical turnover by Jarrett Stidham, who made his fifth career start filling in for injured Broncos quarterback Bo Nix.

    “The Pats are back, baby,” Maye said. “Now, gotta win one.”

    Playing through a snowstorm in the second half, Maye only threw for 86 yards and ran for 65. Stidham had 133 yards passing and one TD, one interception and one costly fumble.

    The 23-year-old Maye, a finalist for AP NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, will become the second-youngest QB to start a Super Bowl behind Dan Marino. He’s the fourth second-year QB in the past seven years to lead his team to the NFL title game. Patrick Mahomes (2018) won it while Joe Burrow (2021) and Brock Purdy (2023) lost.

    Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a linebacker for the Patriots in the 2000s, turned the team around in his first season as coach. New England went from 4-13 last year under Jerod Mayo to 14-3.

    Vrabel is trying to become the first person to win a Super Bowl as a head coach and player for the same team. Tom Flores, Mike Ditka, Tony Dungy and Doug Pederson won Super Bowls playing for one team and coaching another.

    “I can’t tell you how proud I am to be associated with these guys and this organization,” said Vrabel, who is a finalist for AP NFL Coach of the Year. “I won’t win it. It’ll be the players that’ll win the game, I promise you. It won’t be me that’ll win it and I promise you I’ll do everything that I can and our staff to have them ready for the game.”

    No team has played in the Super Bowl more than the Patriots, who are 6-5. They’re tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most wins.

    It’s been a long road back to the top for New England, which came off consecutive four-win seasons and only had one winning season after Brady’s departure in 2020.

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    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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  • From ‘Steady Stiddy’ to starter, Broncos’ backup QB takes the spotlight with teammates’ trust

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    ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Even without Bo Nix, the Denver Broncos are radiating plenty of swagger heading into the frigid AFC championship game against the New England Patriots behind backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham.

    “No, I don’t think the vibe’s any different,” right tackle Mike McGlinchey said after Friday’s workout, part of which was outdoors in 20-degree temperatures and icy wind. “Obviously, it was a tough situation. You don’t want to see a guy that’s your leader and the life of your team go down, especially in such a big moment.

    “But Stiddy’s done an unbelievable job this week stepping in and commanding the huddle, commanding the team. He’s ready for it and the rest of the team is, too.”

    Stidham exudes a quiet confidence that long ago secured him the nickname “Steady Stiddy” and belies the fact that he’ll throw his first pass in a game in more than two years Sunday.

    That tranquility has apparently rebuffed any possible angst over the loss of Nix, who underwent surgery on his broken right ankle this week in Alabama. Nix showed support for his backup, posting on Instagram, “I couldn’t be more confident in Jarrett. And I couldn’t be more excited for what’s next.”

    Which, he trusts, is a trip to the Super Bowl.

    Coach Sean Payton set the tone for the week shortly after his stunning announcement of Nix’s injury after Denver’s 33-30 overtime win against Buffalo last weekend. Of Stidham, Payton said, “He’s ready. I said this at the beginning of the season: I feel like we have a (backup quarterback) who is capable of starting for a number of teams. I know who feels the same way. Watch out. Just watch.”

    Even before this opportunity, Stidham has long been the one setting the tone and the tunes in the Broncos’ locker room, and he’s never been shy about ribbing Denver’s defenders after burning them on the scout team.

    “Jarrett’s got a little swag to him,” wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey said. “He’s a little swaggier than you’d probably expect him to be.”

    There’s no telling what sort of drop-off, if any, there will be Sunday with Stidham leading the Broncos (15-3) in place of Nix, who engineered winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime of six games this season.

    His coaches and teammates haven’t shown a hint of doubt that Stidham can lead them past the Patriots (16-3) at Empower Field at Mile High, where it’s forecast to be 23 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-5 Celsius) and windy at kickoff.

    One teammate he won’t have alongside him, however, is running back J.K. Dobbins, who returned to practice this week after having foot surgery in November. He was ruled out Friday along with Nix, who’s recovering from surgery but won’t go on injured reserve until the weekend.

    All-Pro defensive lineman Zach Allen said Stidham has always been first to arrive at team headquarters and prepared as if he were the starter: “So, we’re really excited to see what he does. And obviously he goes against the defense in practice all the time.”

    And holds his own, too.

    “He’s really, really smart,” Allen said. “He’s like a second quarterback coach out there and on top of it he can make every single throw.”

    Edge rusher Nik Bonitto said Stidham isn’t shy to trash-talk defenders.

    “He’s actually funny because he’ll be in there, you know, he’ll be throwing dots, like throwing no-look passes in practice, and then he’ll let us know about it too, man, talking trash to whoever,” Bonitto said.

    “So he has ultimate, you know, confidence in himself, and you got to have that playing that position, and that’s why I’m really excited for him to go out. You know, he’s earned this opportunity to go out and show off his talents, and I can’t wait to see him.”

    Payton said he’s not fretting over Stidham as his starter.

    “I say this respectfully and I told the team, ‘I’m not worried about Stiddy in this game. I’m worried about everyone else, all right, and how we play,’” Payton said. “And that really is the truth.”

    The Broncos were a loose bunch all week as they embraced being the largest home underdog (five points) in conference championship history.

    Cornerback Riley Moss was asked if he thought Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and second-year quarterback Drake Maye would target him like many teams do to avoid Pat Surtain II on the other side.

    “Yeah, no doubt,” Riley replied. “And you know the entire world knows that, I know that, you guys know that. It’s going to be exciting. I’m excited for it. It’s going to be a good challenge. It’s going to be sweet, and yeah, I look forward to it.”

    Over the last two months, Moss has largely avoided the pass-inference calls that dogged him early in the season.

    “He responded well, man. He’s battle-tested,” Surtain said. “His confidence level never wavers. People always say he’s getting targeted but I say try him at your own risk because he’s going to eventually come back to bite you. He’s going to make a play.”

    NOTES: Rookie WR Pat Bryant, who sustained a concussion against Buffalo, was a full participant in practice Thursday and Friday and is ready to go. “He was asymptomatic the very next day,” Payton said. WR Troy Franklin (hamstring) is questionable.

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    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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    ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer

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  • Keeler: Here’s why Broncos QB Jarrett Stidham makes Patriots fans in Denver nervous

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    Justin Grant had Tedy Bruschi on his back and Brock Osweiler on the brain.

    “I don’t like the storyline with Jarrett Stidham,” he told me as we shivered on the second-floor deck at Jackson’s LODO early Saturday night.

    Then he corrected himself.

    “I hate the storyline,” Grant continued, adjusting his bright blue Bruschi replica Patriots jersey.

    “Why?” I wondered.

    “Because we drafted him. And he gave us two years and then he left. And now he’s, like, the guy who’s coming in. I just don’t like the storyline.”

    New England rolls an MVP-caliber quarterback into Denver — only to get beaten by a Broncos backup? Justin’s seen the movie before. He always ends up crying at the end.

    The last time Grant, who calls Colorado Springs home but grew up in Maine, saw his beloved Pats at Empower Field was November 2015. When Osweiler rallied the Broncos past Tom Brady in the snow.

    Talk about your classic PTSD — Pats Traumatic Stress Disorder.

    “I’m 0-and-1, man,” Grant laughed on the eve of the AFC Championship between the Broncos and Patriots. “We don’t have a good record here.”

    Sure don’t. The Pats are tied with the Steelers for the most Super Bowl victories (six) since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. But they’ve never won a postseason game in Denver (0-4). Brady went 0-3. Empower Field was the one mountain too high for even the GOAT to climb.

    New England Patriots fan Brian Kureta screams among his fellow fans on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Jackson’s LODO in Denver. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)

    “Honestly, man, after losing two Super Bowls to Eli Manning and one to Nick Foles,” Grant’s friend Jordan Buck, a Pats fan from Lakewood, told me, “I’m not overlooking anybody. But you’ve got to be confident in your squad, so I like my team’s chances.”

    Love them, though?

    Not after Osweiler. Or Foles. Or Eli twice.

    “Yeah, (Stidham) hasn’t played in a long time,” Buck shrugged. “But I mean, he played for us for three years, so he knows us well.”

    What did Broncos fans and Pats fans have in common Saturday? Stidham, who’ll make his first postseason start against New England in place of injured Broncos QB Bo Nix, was on the lips of both teams’ fans the hours before the biggest football game at Empower Field in a decade.

    New Englanders packed into Jackson’s LODO for a pep rally just within shouting distance of Coors Field. Most of the shouts were distinctly of the NC-17 variety.

    Patriot Pat signs New England Patriots fan Sumaya Faggan's bag on Saturday at Jackson's LODO in Denver. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)
    Patriot Pat signs New England Patriots fan Sumaya Faggan’s bag on Saturday at Jackson’s LODO in Denver. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)

    “I LOVE DRAKE MAYE!” a Patriots fan cried.

    “(EXPLETIVE) THE BRONCOS!” Another screamed.

    The “Night Before” rally was a brainchild of the Pikes Peak Pats fan club. PPP typically hosts a night-before primer on the eve of an AFC title game in Denver, but it’s been a while. January 2016 brought roughly 700 Front Range Pats fans together. PPP president Anne Stone told me they were expecting at least 1,000 this time around — if not more. With the sun setting and temps falling at 5:15 p.m., a line of at least 100 patrons was seen snaking out from the front door of Jackson’s and around the block.

    Near the DJ stage on the second floor, the Patriots’ “All-Access”  television show did a live shoot for the locals back in Beantown. Pat Patriot danced in one corner. A giant ice sculpture of the New England logo rested in another. Former New England kicker Adam Vinatieri, the Patriots’ honorary captain for Sunday, showed up for his “All-Access” cameo as faithful waved tiny cardboard heads of New England rookie tackle Will Campbell.

    “We all we got?” Vinatieri asked.

    “We all we need!” they cried.

    “We all we got?” Vinatieri repeated.

    “We all we need!”

    “That’s what I’m talking about!” Vinatieri said.

    Former New England Patriots cornerback Logan Ryan signs autographs for fans on Saturday at Jackson's LODO in Denver. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)
    Former New England Patriots cornerback Logan Ryan signs autographs for fans on Saturday at Jackson’s LODO in Denver. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)

    It’s OK to roll your eyes. But not at the cause. PPP ran a raffle during the rally on Saturday, with a plethora of signed Pats items, in order to raise money for the Pikes Peak Region Peace Officers Memorial.

    As a Boston native, Stone’s accent is thicker than chowdah, bless her, with a laugh that lilts like a fly ball onto Lansdowne Street. She moved to the Front Range 30 years ago when her husband got a new gig — and never left.

    The Pikes Peak Pats Club started in 2006. Stone became president a year after that. PPP counts about 90 active members now. Before the pandemic, it was closer to 400. Things are more transient now, with East Coast military transplants looking for a good watch pah-ty coming and going as Uncle Sam ships them in and out of the Springs.

    “It’s good,” Stone said. “You get to meet new people all the time.”

    Pats owner Robert Kraft has even visited PPP tailgates and parties over the years, although he wasn’t on the guest list for Saturday’s rally.

    And if Stone’s got any PTSD, deep down, she sure as heck wasn’t showing it.

    “To tell you the truth, in all honesty, I think a lot of people, all of my Pats friends, everyone’s hearts are broken for poor Bo Nix,” Stone said. “Some of us are old enough that he could be our son. Here was a 25-year-old who spent the night crying. It’s just awful.”

    A pause.

    And cue the “but” …

    “That being said, I don’t think we’re a shoo-in,” Stone continued. “I do think we’re going to win. That’s my gut reaction. You know what they say: ‘Any given Sunday.’ It’s true. And we don’t have good luck (in Denver).”

    Oh and four.

    As in, uh-oh and four.

    “That worry you?” I asked Grant.

    “Yes, it does,” he replied. “It worries me a lot.”

    He just wishes Stidham would stop giving him that old Osweiler vibe.

    “So hopefully,” Grant said nervously, “history doesn’t repeat itself.”

    Stiddy as you Bo, man. Stiddy as you Bo.

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    Sean Keeler

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  • Cold weather can’t stop Broncos Country as fans plan to rally in Denver

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    DENVER — Broncos Country is bracing for cold weather as Denver gears up for a busy and chilly weekend of playoff celebrations ahead of the AFC Championship Game.

    On Friday, Mayor Mike Johnston officially renamed Bannock Street to “Broncos Way” outside the City and County Building, a temporary but symbolic show of support for the team’s historic season.

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    “We are delighted to be here today on AFC Championship weekend,” Johnston said. “We tried to make the weather as inhospitable as possible for the Patriots.”

    Johnston also proclaimed Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, as “Orange Friday,” encouraging fans across the metro area to wear their Broncos gear and show Mile High pride.

    Denver Broncos

    Broncos game forecast: Snow chances increasing for bitterly cold AFC title clash

    The celebration continues Saturday at Larimer Square, where the Denver Broncos will host a free conference championship fan rally from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Organizers say fans can expect live DJs, giveaways and photo opportunities with Broncos cheerleaders and team mascot Miles.

    “We’re expecting enormous crowds,” said Chip Soares, director of retail operations at Huckleberry Coffee, one of the businesses preparing for the influx of fans. “There’s DJs, there’s Miles the mascot coming, and we’re just super excited to be a part of the excitement.”

    Fans visiting Denver for the weekend say the energy is worth braving the cold. Christina Nakanaga and Michael Daily traveled from Oregon for the festivities and are hoping to score tickets to Sunday’s game. Daily is native to Denver and did not want to miss this historic game.

    fans couple.png

    Broncos Fans

    Christina Nakanaga & Michael Daily

    “We’re going to hang out, watch the game, celebrate down here and just take in the environment,” Daily said.

    With Saturday’s high expected to reach just 15 degrees, city leaders and local businesses are reminding fans to dress for the weather. Heat lamps and fire pits will be available throughout Larimer Square, and nearby restaurants and coffee shops are preparing to help fans warm up.

    “The heated jacket makes all the difference,” Daily said. “I use it for cold weather games and sporting events all the time.”

    Soares said Huckleberry Coffee will be fully staffed throughout the rally and offering multiple hot drinks to help fans stay warm.

    “We’re staffed up, rearing them, ready and excited to serve all our Broncos fans,” Soares said. “We’ve got some phenomenal seasonal drinks out right now, including our Orange Crush carrot cake chai in honor of that legendary Broncos defense.”

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    Denver Broncos

    The Broncos fan rally runs Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Larimer Square, with organizers encouraging fans to layer up, arrive early and come ready to celebrate.

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  • Keeler: How can Broncos’ Jarrett Stidham beat Patriots? Gary Kubiak, Bubby Brister see a path

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    Eight no mountain high enough.

    “Oh shoot, I mean, he knows what he’s doing,” Gary Kubiak said of quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who’s slated to start Sunday’s AFC championship against New England. “He’s been preparing with Sean (Payton), he’s been preparing with Bo (Nix), each and every day.

    “I just think, as a coach, and I’m sure Sean (and Bo) have done that, just remind the kid what kind of team he’s on.”

    Funny how history rhymes, isn’t it? Kubiak wore No. 8 as John Elway’s understudy for almost a decade. Stidham now sports that same 8, Kubiak’s old number, as Nix’s relief, one cruel ankle twist away from the throne, over the last two seasons.

    Speaking as one No. 8 to another, our man Kubes, who coached the Broncos to the franchise’s last Super Bowl win a decade ago, offered Stidham eight simple words of advice.

    “Just get in there,” the ex-Broncos backup QB told me by phone earlier this week, “and do your job.”

    Handed the keys to a stock car in the middle of the race? Thrust into the driver’s seat on short notice? Asked to drive your team to the Super Bowl? Kubes has been there.

    Kubiak was Elway’s stand-in from 1983-91, the Cal Naughton, Jr. to John’s Ricky Bobby, a couple of buds shaking and baking all over the AFC West. While Elway was forging one of the great QB careers in NFL history, years of preparing and processing alongside No. 7 molded Kubiak into a championship coach.

    “Sometimes, you’ve got stretches where you may go a year or two years (of not playing),” Kubiak said. “Or you may get out there in a crazy spot.”

    Kubes landed one of the absolute craziest, right at the very end. He was carrying the clipboard for Elway at the ’91-’92 AFC Championship Game in Buffalo when the Broncos icon had to leave the game with a deep bruise in his right thigh.

    Kubiak had already made up his mind before the playoffs that the 1991 season would be his last, that he would retire whenever the ride came to an end.

    “And all of a sudden, there I am in the game,” the former Broncos signal-caller recalled. “It was kind of ironic for me, (spending) all those years backing up John, here I am playing in the AFC Championship Game and had a really good chance to win.”

    Gary literally went into that contest cold. Although he does remember it being surprisingly warm for upstate New York in mid-January.

    “It was an unseasonable 32 degrees in Buffalo,”  he laughed. “I couldn’t have played if it was cold. My back was too bad. I’m glad the Good Lord gave me a game I could play in.”

    Kubes played admirably, too. No. 8 completed 11 of 12 throws for 136 yards. His touchdown run with 1:46 left got the Broncos to within 10-6 before the extra point.

    Denver recovered the ensuing onside kick, but, alas, on the next play, Steve Sewell fumbled the ball back to Buffalo. Three missed field goals at Rich Stadium proved fatal. The Broncos ultimately fell, 10-7.

    “Our defense was really good (in ’91) — a lot like this Broncos team,” Kubiak said. “We were in a lot of low-scoring games. We missed a few plays in the second half. We had ourselves in a position there at the end and unfortunately, the ballgame got away from us … we had our opportunity, but it just didn’t end the right way.”

    How can this one end better? Kubiak likes that Payton doubled down on Stidham publicly, and almost immediately, after getting the worst injury news imaginable.

    “I used to tell my teams, when you’re a coach, you’re going to go through some QB issues and lose a QB,” Kubiak explained. “And I used to always remind guys that when you start to worry about what’s going on at other spots on the team, then you don’t take care of your job. Just stay focused on your job, what you do. ‘We’ve got Stiddy here, he’s going to be ready to play.’ You have to stay focused and (then do) what you have to do to help him out.”

    Bubby Brister went 4-0 as Elway’s No. 2 in the fall of 1998, keeping things afloat as the Broncos eventually repeated as Super Bowl champions. Brister told me Tuesday that he thinks 90% of the battle for Stiddy, to paraphrase Yogi Berra, will be half mental.

    “I believe Jarrett knows he can do the job,” Brister said via text. “He also knows he has a great team and staff around him. Not to mention Sean Payton is in his ear, one of the best ever at calling plays.

    “To top it off, (there’s a) big advantage playing at home with our awesome fans and at Mile High. Just go play! Just go do your job.”

    Even if that means jumping on a moving train. Sportradar says Stidham is only the seventh NFL QB since 1950 to start a playoff game during a season in which he never started once.

    The last three guys who’ve been thrust into that position since 2000 — Joe Webb (Minnesota, 2012), Connor Cook (Oakland, 2016) and Taylor Heinicke (Washington, 2020) — went 0-3. Their average stat line? 216 passing yards, one passing TD, two picks.

    Their teams scored 10 points, 14 points and 23 points, respectively. That’s about 16 per game. Which is asking an awful, awful lot of your defense. Even one as good as Vance Joseph’s.

    “He’ll be all right,” Kubiak said of Stidham. “The thing I always go back to is, it’s all about the team.

    “Denver’s got a great football team. Stidham, that’s Sean’s hand-picked guy. He trusts him. And he’s on a great football team. It’ll be fun to watch the young man. He’ll do a great job.”

    Eight no valley low enough. And just because Frank Reich was a leprechaun doesn’t mean you can’t get lucky all over again.

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    Sean Keeler

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  • How Broncos’ Marvin Mims Jr. roasting Pat Surtain II in practice led to go-ahead TD vs. Bills

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    Before the Broncos even knew they’d be playing Buffalo in the AFC divisional round, Sean Payton decided to pull a play off the shelf and put it into Denver’s postseason plans.

    During the team’s OTA-style practices on Jan. 9 and 10, Payton emphasized good-on-good work.

    The No. 1 offense worked against the No. 1 defense. No contact, of course, but Payton and his staff put as much as possible into making the situations competitive.

    During one of those practices, receiver Marvin Mims Jr. ran a double-move against reigning defensive player of the year Pat Surtain II and, as Payton tells it, roasted him.

    Parker Gabriel’s 7 Thoughts after Broncos’ wild OT win vs. Bills, including why Sean Payton trusts Jarrett Stidham

    “We just hadn’t called that play in a while and it looked so good in our joint practice, I was like, ‘Man, that’s got to go to the call sheet,’” Payton said Sunday morning after the Broncos beat Buffalo, 33-30 in overtime, to advance to the AFC Championship Game.

    Part of the Broncos’ normal team meeting the night before a game is to go through what Payton calls the touchdown reel. It’s a compilation of the plays he thinks players have a chance to score on the next day.

    Payton had a message for Mims.

    “When we did our video the night before and I put the practice clip up, I said, ‘You’re beating the No. 1 corner in the world,’” Payton recalled. “‘I don’t care who they put over there in the game tomorrow. We’re running this play.’”

    The moment arrived in the final 61 seconds of regulation.

    Mims motioned from the right slot to outside on the left.

    He closed the gap to Buffalo corner Dane Jackson, stuttered and took off up the field. Jackson did a fairly good job sticking with him, but Mims pulled away by just enough and left space to allow Nix to put the ball to his outside along the sideline.

    The 26-yard touchdown put the Broncos momentarily in front with 55 seconds to go.

    “There’s a few times I’ll say to the (coaches) in the booth, ‘guys, we can’t finish this game with me not having called that play,’” Payton said. “That was one of those plays. We cannot finish this game with me not having called that play.”

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    Parker Gabriel

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  • Road closures lifted through downtown Denver as protest winds down

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    Updated 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17: Hundreds of demonstrators marching through downtown Denver on Saturday afternoon caused rolling road closures, police officials said.

    Streets around the state Capitol were intermittently closed because of the demonstration, the Denver Police Department said at 1:20 p.m.

    All road closures were lifted as of 3:15 p.m.

    Protesters gathered on the steps and lawn of the state Capitol at noon on Saturday to demonstrate against actions by President Donald Trump’s administration, including the recent surge in immigration enforcement in Minneapolis and the fatal shooting of Renée Good[cq comment=”cq” ] by a federal immigration officer.

    Original story: Denver police and Regional Transportation District officials on Friday were bracing for potentially disruptive demonstrations downtown on Saturday before and during the Denver Broncos’ football playoff game and other high-traffic events.

    The Denver Police Department “respects people’s right to demonstrate” and will monitor planned demonstrations, agency officials said in an emailed statement. “DPD’s approach to demonstrations is to allow people to march or gather peacefully, and to conduct traffic control to help ensure safety. It’s those assaultive, destructive, and/or highly dangerous behaviors that prompt police intervention.”

    RTD officials issued an alert Friday morning, warning demonstrations may disrupt the public transportation they’re suggesting Broncos fans use to get to the game, saying they are “taking steps to prepare.”

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  • ‘Do this one for Bo’: Broncos fans deal with gut punch after ‘the most incredible game’

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    DENVER — Saturday was a roller coaster of emotion for Broncos fans, who watched their team advance to the AFC Championship in “the most incredible game” only to get devastating injury news about Bo Nix in the hours after the game.

    Denver7 was alongside fans outside of Empower Field as they soaked in the big win.

    “This is the best feeling right now to be a Broncos fan,” said Steve Padilla.

    Padilla said the atmosphere was electric throughout the game. Fans like him described the experience as both exhilarating and nerve-wracking.

    “We needed a big win,” said Jason Zegan. “We finally got one.”

    Jacob Curtis, Denver7 Photojournalist

    Callers into the Denver7 Broncos Voicemail Hotline were literally singing the team’s praises after the win:

    One caller said she had “25 heart attacks” during the wild win, which went back-and-forth in the fourth quarter and overtime:

    Even the kiddos got involved in cheering on the team:

    But 80-year-old Susan captured the emotion being felt by many across Broncos Country later in the evening after news broke that Bo Nix had fractured a bone in his right ankle and would require season-ending surgery:

    Despite Nix’s season-ending injury, fans said they’re hopeful the team can pull off another win next weekend.

    “Go Broncos! Super Bowl baby!,” shouted Hawk & Chase Vanek.

    Super Bowl QBs 2018 AP Was There

    Denver Broncos

    Feeling blue after the Nix injury? Remember this backup QB who won a Super Bowl

    Landon Haaf

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    Claire Lavezzorio

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  • Broncos QB Bo Nix will have season-ending surgery for broken right ankle

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    Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted Josh Allen’s deep throw in overtime, and Bo Nix led the Broncos into position for Wil Lutz’s 23-yard field goal that sent Denver to the AFC championship game with a 33-30 win over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.McMillian’s pick was Denver’s fifth takeaway of the game — the Broncos went into the playoffs at minus-3 in turnover differential. McMillian wrested the ball away from Brandin Cooks at the Broncos 20-yard line when a field goal would have won the game for Buffalo.Video above: Auburn quarterback Bo Nix confirms broken ankle on social media in 2021The Broncos (15-3) will face either New England or Houston for the AFC title next Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High, where top-seeded Denver has won 14 of its past 15 games.Following the game, it was announced Nix will have season-ending surgery for broken right ankle suffered late in Denver’s playoff win.“We played a really good football team,” Nix said. “They played really well tonight. They gave us a great shot on a short week after a tough game last week, so hat’s off to them. We found a way to win again and our defense made stops and I’m just proud of our guys. I’m just proud of this organization. I’m proud of the way we compete, we fight.“We’re just never out of it and I think that’s just the character piece. It wasn’t always pretty, we had a good lead and they came back and it wasn’t looking good, but the fourth quarter and overtime, we just found a way to win.”Broncos coach Sean Payton lamented Denver’s sputtering offense and 1-for-4 performance in the red zone: “We weren’t good in the red zone. But we were good enough when it mattered.”The Bills (13-6) were flagged for pass interference twice on Denver’s final drive.Former Broncos kicker Matt Prater nailed a 50-yard field goal with 5 seconds left in regulation, knotting it up at 30-all. That came after Nix’s 26-yard touchdown throw to Marvin Mims Jr. with 55 seconds left had given Denver a 30-27 lead.Allen, who hadn’t turned the ball over in his previous six playoff appearances, threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles. P.J. Locke also picked off Allen.“Extremely difficult,” a teary-eyed Allen said afterward. “I felt like I let my teammates down.”The Bills failed once again to reach the Super Bowl with Allen under center even though Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson weren’t standing in his way this time as that trio of franchise quarterbacks all missed the postseason party.Payton insisted the game should have ended earlier in overtime when a Denver defender was held in the end zone before Allen escaped from the end zone on second-and-9 from his 8.Coming off the first road playoff win of his career, Allen’s first three turnovers helped Denver built a 23-10 lead before he threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Keon Coleman and a 14-yarder to Dalton Kincaid to give Buffalo a 24-23 lead early in the fourth quarter.Allen also fumbled the ball at the Denver 23 late in the fourth quarter but right tackle Spencer Brown recovered the loose ball, setting up Prater’s 31-yarder for a 27-23 Buffalo lead.Also in the second half, Allen threw an interception when P.J. Locke cut in front of wide receiver Curtis Samuel, who appeared to be wide open for what would have been a 43-yard touchdown.The Broncos scored 10 points in the final 22 seconds of the first half to take a 20-10 lead into the locker room, and they got their third takeaway just two plays into the second half on Bonitto’s strip-sack of Allen that was recovered by Malcolm Roach at the Bills 17, leading to Lutz’s short field goal to make it 23-10.Nix’s 29-yard TD pass to Lil’Jordan Humphrey broke a 10-all tie and then Bonitto stripped Allen of the ball after a long scramble up the middle. Devon Key recovered for Denver with 2 seconds left before halftime and Lutz’s 50-yarder as the half expired made it 20-10.The Broncos’ other touchdown in the first half came from an unlikely source. They went ahead 10-7 when Nix threw to tackle-eligible Frank Crum, a second-year pro from Wyoming, Allen’s alma mater. He caught the short pass and tumbled into the end zone for a 7-yard score.James Cook ran for 117 yards on 24 carries but lost a fumble.When the Broncos lost to the Bills 31-7 in Buffalo last playoffs, Payton said, “We have to figure out how to get these games at home.”They did it by leading the league in sacks (68), tying a franchise record with 14 regular-season victories, winning 11 one-score games and having 11 comebacks.“We weren’t ready last year,” Payton said. “But we were ready today.”

    DENVER —

    Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted Josh Allen’s deep throw in overtime, and Bo Nix led the Broncos into position for Wil Lutz’s 23-yard field goal that sent Denver to the AFC championship game with a 33-30 win over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.

    McMillian’s pick was Denver’s fifth takeaway of the game — the Broncos went into the playoffs at minus-3 in turnover differential. McMillian wrested the ball away from Brandin Cooks at the Broncos 20-yard line when a field goal would have won the game for Buffalo.

    Video above: Auburn quarterback Bo Nix confirms broken ankle on social media in 2021

    The Broncos (15-3) will face either New England or Houston for the AFC title next Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High, where top-seeded Denver has won 14 of its past 15 games.

    Following the game, it was announced Nix will have season-ending surgery for broken right ankle suffered late in Denver’s playoff win.

    “We played a really good football team,” Nix said. “They played really well tonight. They gave us a great shot on a short week after a tough game last week, so hat’s off to them. We found a way to win again and our defense made stops and I’m just proud of our guys. I’m just proud of this organization. I’m proud of the way we compete, we fight.

    “We’re just never out of it and I think that’s just the character piece. It wasn’t always pretty, we had a good lead and they came back and it wasn’t looking good, but the fourth quarter and overtime, we just found a way to win.”

    Broncos coach Sean Payton lamented Denver’s sputtering offense and 1-for-4 performance in the red zone: “We weren’t good in the red zone. But we were good enough when it mattered.”

    The Bills (13-6) were flagged for pass interference twice on Denver’s final drive.

    Former Broncos kicker Matt Prater nailed a 50-yard field goal with 5 seconds left in regulation, knotting it up at 30-all. That came after Nix’s 26-yard touchdown throw to Marvin Mims Jr. with 55 seconds left had given Denver a 30-27 lead.

    Allen, who hadn’t turned the ball over in his previous six playoff appearances, threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles. P.J. Locke also picked off Allen.

    “Extremely difficult,” a teary-eyed Allen said afterward. “I felt like I let my teammates down.”

    The Bills failed once again to reach the Super Bowl with Allen under center even though Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson weren’t standing in his way this time as that trio of franchise quarterbacks all missed the postseason party.

    Payton insisted the game should have ended earlier in overtime when a Denver defender was held in the end zone before Allen escaped from the end zone on second-and-9 from his 8.

    Coming off the first road playoff win of his career, Allen’s first three turnovers helped Denver built a 23-10 lead before he threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Keon Coleman and a 14-yarder to Dalton Kincaid to give Buffalo a 24-23 lead early in the fourth quarter.

    Allen also fumbled the ball at the Denver 23 late in the fourth quarter but right tackle Spencer Brown recovered the loose ball, setting up Prater’s 31-yarder for a 27-23 Buffalo lead.

    Also in the second half, Allen threw an interception when P.J. Locke cut in front of wide receiver Curtis Samuel, who appeared to be wide open for what would have been a 43-yard touchdown.

    The Broncos scored 10 points in the final 22 seconds of the first half to take a 20-10 lead into the locker room, and they got their third takeaway just two plays into the second half on Bonitto’s strip-sack of Allen that was recovered by Malcolm Roach at the Bills 17, leading to Lutz’s short field goal to make it 23-10.

    Nix’s 29-yard TD pass to Lil’Jordan Humphrey broke a 10-all tie and then Bonitto stripped Allen of the ball after a long scramble up the middle. Devon Key recovered for Denver with 2 seconds left before halftime and Lutz’s 50-yarder as the half expired made it 20-10.

    The Broncos’ other touchdown in the first half came from an unlikely source. They went ahead 10-7 when Nix threw to tackle-eligible Frank Crum, a second-year pro from Wyoming, Allen’s alma mater. He caught the short pass and tumbled into the end zone for a 7-yard score.

    James Cook ran for 117 yards on 24 carries but lost a fumble.

    When the Broncos lost to the Bills 31-7 in Buffalo last playoffs, Payton said, “We have to figure out how to get these games at home.”

    They did it by leading the league in sacks (68), tying a franchise record with 14 regular-season victories, winning 11 one-score games and having 11 comebacks.

    “We weren’t ready last year,” Payton said. “But we were ready today.”

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  • ‘Looking forward to revenge’: Broncos fans pack Empower Field for first home playoff game in decade

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    DENVER — Saturday is a pivotal day in the Mile High City as the Broncos take on the Bills once again, this time at Empower Field for Denver’s first home playoff game in a decade—a chance for redemption and revenge.

    Fans, whether from out of state or Colorado, gathered to support the top-seeded Broncos at Empower Field early Saturday morning.

    One such fan, Jonathan Martinez, made the six-and-a-half-hour drive from New Mexico to cheer on the Broncos.

    “We’ve been coming here for years,” he exclaimed. “I was born in Denver. I live in New Mexico now, but I come up here with my cousin and my friends. We always set up a tailgate, cook, make extra food, give it to everybody around us, and just have a great time enjoying the Broncos.”

    Another devoted attendee, Timothy Lawrence, a season ticket holder who has been to every home game, drove in from Nebraska.

    “I parked out here about eight o’clock last night. I’m staying at the hotel right at the top of the hill,” said Lawrence.

    Amid the electrifying energy and cheers Saturday morning, a theme was clear among fans: revenge. Last year in Buffalo, the Bills defeated the Broncos 31-7 in the playoffs.

    “People say that, can you say revenge if it was a blowout last year? And I think you can, because the Broncos went out there. They didn’t put together a very good game, but now they have the chance here to come back and really show that they’ve grown a lot over the last year,” said Kevin Dandino, another Broncos fan. “Broncos Country has waited so long for not just a really solid chance in the playoffs, but to be playing in the playoffs here in Denver.”

    Travis King, decked out in Broncos gear, echoed the day’s rallying cry: “We know Buffalo is good, but I’m looking forward to some revenge today.”

    And King’s task for Broncos fans at Empower Field:

    “I need at every down, for Broncos Country to be on their feet. Get loud, and let’s make it hard for Josh Allen here, and let’s make it hard on that Bill’s offense. That’s the key to the victory,” said King. “Broncos Country is going to show out and show up, and we’re going to get loud, just like Payton said in the huddle.”

    Meanwhile, Denver7 also met some Bills fans early Saturday, who attended last year’s game in Buffalo.

    “We’re wearing the same exact things we wore to that game, just to ensure that we’ll get another W. Go Bills! We’re pumped!” said Robyn Kraft.

    No matter Saturday’s outcome, however, fans say their loyalty to Broncos Country will remain.

    “Win, lose, tie. Doesn’t matter. I’m going to bleed orange and blue,” said Dandino.

    Kickoff for the big game is at 2:30 Saturday afternoon at Empower Field.

    Denver7

    Denver7 | Your Voice: Get in touch with Lauren Lennon

    Denver7 morning reporter Lauren Lennon tells stories that impact all of Colorado’s communities, specializing in stories of affordability. If you’d like to get in touch with Lauren, fill out the form below to send her an email.

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    Lauren Lennon

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  • Renck: Broncos need to run Jaleel McLaughlin to stop critics from running their mouths

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    Three weeks. That is all it took for the country to turn on the Broncos again. They are corn to a garden. The worst seed ever.

    Failing to score more than 20 points in three straight games to end the season was all America’s armchair quarterbacks and well-paid analysts needed.

    The offensive impotence is catnip for critics.

    So, it is no wonder that the AFC’s top dog is an underdog. Fine.

    There is a way to win every game, as Sean Payton reminds us weekly, and the path Saturday involves mud flaps, not a cockpit.

    The Pat Bowlen Fieldhouse has hidden its secret long enough.

    Want to beat the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round? Run Jaleel McLaughlin. Trust him. Treat him like a weapon, not a diversion.

    The idea that the outcome of the Broncos’ biggest game in a decade hinges on a running back who has been inactive for nine weeks is ridiculous. You are probably laughing at this premise. Cackling at the idea that Payton will actually lean on the ground attack.

    But Payton has made a career of pushing the right buttons and finding answers. And this one is staring at him from inside the fieldhouse walls, where McLaughlin can often be found after practice getting in extra reps to stay sharp.

    All Payton needs to do is follow the script written by Gary Kubiak, the last Broncos coach to win a playoff game.

    As Denver clumsily reached the end of the 2015 season, creating doubts about reaching the Super Bowl, Kubiak spent part of his day checking video from Peyton Manning’s workouts with receiver Jordan “Sunshine” Taylor inside the fieldhouse as he recovered from a plantar fasciitis injury.

    Kubiak refused to close the door on Manning returning. And Manning was tired of waiting. At one point, he flipped off the cameras, knowing Kubiak would see it. Kubiak finally took the suggestion, turning to Manning in the second half of the season finale, a move that triggered a Super Bowl 50 victory.

    McLaughlin does not possess the gravitas to give his coach the middle finger. And he is not the key to a championship run. But he is the key to winning this game.

    You see, backs have run through the Bills like Taco Bell after a night on Pearl Street. Only the 2006 Indianapolis Colts allowed more than 5 yards per rush and won the Super Bowl, per CBS Sports. The Bills have yielded 5.2 in 18 games. It is their fatal flaw.

    McLaughlin can expose it. His entire football journey has built up to this moment. He never had a backup plan. He slept in a car for a time growing up. He refused to give up on his dream. His resilience helped him make the roster three years ago as an undrafted free agent.

    This is different. He can go from a feel-good story to the headliner.

    Look, this might backfire. But he is the best option to exploit the Bills, even if injured defensive lineman Ed Oliver returns. The trade deadline long ago passed, and Denver declined to deal for Breece Hall.

    Then J.K. Dobbins got hurt, and R.J. Harvey has not filled his cleats. Forget attacking downhill, Harvey has been going downhill. He has averaged 3.36 yards per carry over the past three games on 36 carries, and if you subtract his 38-yard touchdown against the Jaguars, it shrinks to 2.37.

    Compare that to McLaughlin, who has 118 yards on 18 carries during the same stretch. That is 63 percent of his season total, and 6.56 a pop.

    “He outworks just about everybody in the building,” right tackle Mike McGlinchey said. “It’s not a shock to anybody that, when his opportunity came, he did a great job with it.”

    So, lean on McLaughlin and call more designed runs for Bo Nix (102 rushing yards since Dec. 21).

    Who says no? Payton?

    Not so sure. Not this time. He appears to have learned his lesson from abandoning the run last year at Buffalo, from turtling against the Chiefs and Chargers.

    It was encouraging to hear Payton’s tone publicly last Friday when asked if he held stuff back over the final two weeks. He made no excuses. Used zero qualifiers. Made it clear that the Broncos have to execute better and become more explosive.

    If Payton is not stubborn, the Broncos will win because of the run game in general and McLaughlin specifically.

    Don’t believe it?

    The Jaguars are watching this weekend because they simply did not run the ball enough. They were gashing the Bills on the ground, and inexplicably finished with 30 passes and 23 carries. They posted 154 yards rushing, and Liam “Keep Your Head Up” Coen decided to keep putting the ball in the air.

    If Payton is similarly hard-headed with Nix, the Broncos will follow the Jaguars to the emergency exit.

    My insistence on running is rooted in winning.

    The best way to neutralize Josh Allen is to play keep away. If the Broncos produce long drives and impose their will upfront, it will create urgency from the Bills.

    We all know Josh Allen is not going to play like Woody Allen. It is safe to assume the Broncos are going to struggle at times as Allen bullies his way for yards or finds his tight ends and running backs for easy completions. How Denver’s defense performs in the red zone will be critical.

    But the offense has to do its part.

    It won’t be easy. It never is with this group. The Broncos have only reached the red zone five times in the last three games, scoring two touchdowns, and only once in a goal-to-go situation.

    That won’t cut it on Saturday.

    Let McLaughlin provide the body shots. And Harvey or Nix, the haymaker (the Bills have allowed eight touchdown runs of 30-plus yards, most in a season in NFL history).

    McLaughlin was already known for rolling up his sleeves and breaking a sweat before the sun wakes. But he added night duty to stay sharp, to be ready, when he lost his role on game day as the fourth running back in the three-man rotation of Dobbins, Harvey and Tyler Badie.

    “It was a real challenge just because I am so competitive,” McLaughlin said. “But I just had to trust and believe in what coach Payton was telling me.”

    Everyone is running their mouths again. All the Broncos need to do is run the ball with McLaughlin to shut them up.

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    Troy Renck

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  • Broncos QB coach Davis Webb explains where he’s seen Bo Nix grow in Year 2

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    Steve Spagnuolo tried to throw a changeup on a Christmas night third-and-6.

    Bo Nix didn’t hesitate.

    The Broncos this season saw more zone coverage from opposing defenses than any team in the NFL, according to Sumer Sports data.

    The undermanned Chiefs delivered a heavy diet in Week 17.

    “We saw a ton of zone coverage, soft zone,” Denver coach Sean Payton said after. “They were going to force us to rope-a-dope a little bit.”

    Do Broncos own advantage over Bills because of week off?

    Kansas City did just that and kept the Broncos close throughout the game.

    On this third down, though, Spagnuolo, the Chiefs’ veteran defensive coordinator, brought pressure and played man coverage behind it.

    Nix, operating out of the gun, started a half roll to the right. Kansas City’s pressure overloaded from his left and tight end Adam Trautman did a good job pushing defensive lineman Charles Omenihu up the field on the right side.

    Nix never even hit the top of his drop. He recognized the coverage and the gaping ‘B’ gap in front of him, bailed out of his drop and took off for 14 yards.

    If Nix stepped through an ankle tackle by George Karlaftis, he’d have broken a huge gain and perhaps even a 55-yard touchdown.

    “He saw it, he shot his shot and it worked out really good,” Denver quarterbacks coach Davis Webb told The Post recently.

    Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) in the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on Thursday, December 25, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)

    Rhythm, recognition and calmer feet

    Nix is through two regular seasons now as a starter. He’s played 35 NFL games, including last year’s wild-card loss to Buffalo.

    His Year 2 numbers look, on the whole, a lot like his Year 1 numbers. He didn’t make the leap into the stratosphere. Completion percentage? Slightly down. Quarterback rating? Same. Estimated points added per drop back? Slightly up. So on and so forth.

    Stats, of course, don’t tell the entire story of Nix’s 2025 season. His coaches saw improvement, particularly in the second half of the season, after some weeks of considerable struggle.

    Now, at the helm of a 14-3 team and two home postseason wins from the Super Bowl, Nix is tasked with trying to guide the Broncos on a run toward a world championship.

    How is he, in particular, better equipped to do so than a year ago?

    “I think the offense as a whole has found a decent rhythm in regards to how we want to play it, run and pass,” Webb said. “He’s done a good job, really the last seven or eight weeks, of really controlling the line of scrimmage. In and out of the huddle, operation, protections.

    “He’s made a jump in recognition.”

    Also on the list: calmer feet and a more decisive approach for when to take off and run. They’re all related and intertwined. The third down against the Chiefs shows all three at work and perhaps provided a blueprint for how Denver can maximize Nix’s effectiveness in the postseason.

    Start with the recognition.

    Nix has now seen Spagnuolo’s defense four times in his career. Same for Los Angeles Chargers coordinator Jesse Minter and Las Vegas’ Patrick Graham. All three draw high praise from Payton and the Broncos’ coaching staff.

    But it’s not just specific coordinators.

    Webb and the Broncos quarterback room talk frequently about coordinator “families.”

    “Jesse Minter, he comes from the Baltimore family,” Webb said. “So that’s Wink Martindale, that’s Mike Macdonald in Seattle. His first game ever was against Mike Macdonald. So you can pull from those experiences.”

    The more you see, the more you know, the more you can cross-reference, the more comfortable you get.

    Each coordinator has his own wrinkles for each matchup and preparation matters, but there’s not much substituting for experience.

    Nix has some familiarity with Buffalo and Sean McDermott, of course, since they played a year ago in the postseason. He also has a terrific resource in Webb, who spent three seasons as a player with the Bills and knows McDermott well.

    The staff also sees Nix’s footwork calming as the season progresses.

    In mid-December, offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said Nix’s feet, “have gotten a lot better,” since just before the Broncos’ Week 12 bye, noting “the way he handles himself in the pocket and just trusting the protection.”

    For Webb, that carried through the latter stages of the regular season. In part because of Nix’s between-snap habits, but also because of the leap in recognition.

    There’s a time and a place for happy feet. There are times and places where being too itchy to get moving can wipe big-play potential off the board.

    “It’s not allowing a pressure or something to affect him for the next throw,” Webb said. “‘Hey, deep breathe it out, understand this is the game within the game.’ Understand when the pocket is clean and we’ve got guys with either space or a coverage beater or a man-to-man matchup. That’s the time to have conviction with your throws as opposed to ‘uhhhhh’ and thinking about what happened before.

    “He’s done a good job of that as of late.”

    Bo Nix (10) of the Denver Broncos scrambles for a gain against the Los Angeles Chargers during the third quarter at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver on Sunday, January 4, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
    Bo Nix (10) of the Denver Broncos scrambles for a gain against the Los Angeles Chargers during the third quarter at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver on Sunday, January 4, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

    Escaping pressure

    Interestingly, Nix has also done something else lately: He’s taken off and run more.

    Part of that is opponent and plan-driven. Part of it is pressure-driven. Nix’s two highest scramble totals, per charting by The Post, have come against the Chargers. Perhaps not surprisingly, those two games are also the two highest pressure rates against Nix.

    In Weeks 17 and 18, though, Nix scrambled 10 total times. That’s Nix running on a designed pass play, so not including anything that looks like a designed run option for him or quarterback draws, sneaks and kneeldowns.

    Before Week 17, he’d scrambled 10 times in Denver’s previous nine games.

    Payton, during the Christmas game, told Nix and Webb he thought there were running lanes to exploit, but Nix said after Week 18 that he doesn’t think that’s what’s led to the uptick.

    “Sometimes I see or feel good lanes, sometimes I don’t have it that day and it’s harder to feel,” he said after Denver’s 19-3 win over L.A. earlier this month. “Some of that is doing it early and feeling it early. I think today, the third play of the game, we got a pressure. It just happens and you escape, you get there and it sort of gets you involved. It’s like hitting a free throw early in a basketball game. You just feel what it feels like, see the ball go through.”

    Nix scrambled a season-high six times against the Chargers for 48 yards. The week before: Four for 32.

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    Parker Gabriel

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  • Broncos to host Buffalo Bills in playoff rematch in AFC Divisional Round

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    DENVER — The Denver Broncos will host the No. 6-seed Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional playoff round on Saturday, Jan. 17.

    That result was cemented when the No. 7-seed Los Angeles Chargers lost to the No. 2-seed New England Patriots Sunday night. Denver was set to host the lowest remaining seed after the Wild Card round.

    Kickoff will be at either 2:30 p.m. or 6 p.m. MT. TV information is yet to be announced.

    The Bills ended the Broncos’ season a year ago in the Wild Card round with a 31-7 thumping in Buffalo. Denver mustered just 224 yards of offense in that game following what many thought was an improbable run to the postseason in rookie quarterback Bo Nix’s first season.

    This year’s Broncos, of course, finished 14-3 and earned the top seed in the conference. Buffalo finished 12-5, good for 2nd in the AFC East behind New England.

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    Landon Haaf

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  • Defense scores lone touchdown as Broncos beat shorthanded Chargers 19-3 to clinch AFC’s top seed

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    DENVER (AP) — The Denver Broncos secured the AFC’s top playoff seed with a 19-3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers’ bevy of backups Sunday, a victory fueled by Ja’Quan McMillian’s 45-yard interception return for a touchdown.

    Wil Lutz was 4-for-4 on field goals as the Broncos (14-3) tied their franchise record for most victories in a season and earned their first No. 1 playoff seed since 2015, which they parlayed into a third Super Bowl title.

    They’ll get a week off before hosting their first playoff game in a decade, which could be against these same Chargers (11-6) if L.A. beats the Patriots (14-3) at New England in the wild-card round next weekend.

    Broncos quarterback Bo Nix had one of his worst games of the season, throwing for just 38 yards in the first half and 141 overall, but he tied Russell Wilson’s record of 24 wins in his first two NFL seasons.

    • Call the Denver7 Broncos Voicemail Hotline at 303-832-0111 and make your voice heard about the AFC’s top team!

    With no chance to win the division, the Chargers treated this game much like a bye week as they prepare to hit the road for the playoffs in the wild-card round. Coach Jim Harbaugh sat several of his starters, most notably quarterback Justin Herbert, safety Derwin James and OLB Tuli Tuipulotu.

    QB Trey Lance made his sixth career start and first with the Bolts. His fourth pass went off the hands of KeAndre Lambert-Smith and into the arms of McMillian, who raced down the Broncos’ sideline for a 45-yard touchdown and a 10-0 lead.

    Lance finished 20 of 44 for 136 yards. Lambert-Smith later left the game with a hamstring injury.

    After five fruitless drives, Cameron Dicker’s 30-yard field goal with 3 seconds left in the second quarter pulled the Chargers to 10-3 at halftime.

    The Broncos had four sacks, none bigger than Nik Bonitto’s strip-sack at the Los Angeles 20-yard line early in the fourth quarter. That led to Lutz’s third field goal, from 41 yards, and a 16-3 lead with 11:45 left.

    The Broncos’ four sacks gave them a franchise-record and NFL-high 68 for the season, four shy of the 1984 Chicago Bears’ NFL-record 72 sacks.

    The game was profitable for at least one Chargers player — wide receiver Keenan Allen, whose seven catches for 36 yards allowed him to reach contract incentives worth $1 million in bonuses Sunday.

    Winter wonderland

    Temperature at kickoff was a 69 degrees, which is the warmest on record in Denver, besting the old mark of 67 degrees in 1956. The average temperature for the Broncos’ nine home games in the regular season was 68.2 degrees, a franchise high. The coldest game was on Nov. 6, when it was 60 degrees on a Thursday night kickoff against the Raiders.

    Injuries

    Chargers: RB Omarion Hampton (ankle) and LT Jamaree Salyer (hamstring) were inactive. CB Donte Jackson (ankle) left in the first quarter. Lambert-Smith pulled his let hamstring with 6 seconds left in the second quarter and walked gingerly to the sideline. S Kendall Williamson injured an ankle in the third quarter.

    Broncos: LT Garett Bolles (ankle) got hurt with 5:55 left in the first half and headed to the locker room. He returned on the ‘ opening drive of the second half. S P.J. Locke (leg) also was injured in the second quarter and didn’t return. Locke has been starting in place of injured S Brandon Jones.

    Up next

    Chargers: visit the No. 2 seed New England Patriots in the wild-card round.

    Broncos: get a much-needed bye before hosting their first playoff game since the 2015 season in the divisional round.

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    The Associated Press

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  • Will run game undermine Broncos without J.K. Dobbins?

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    Troy Renck: The Broncos offense was a chore to watch on Christmas. Like eating vegetables. While it is fair to suggest Denver is a year ahead of schedule in its return to excellence, the Broncos are here, so their flaws must be examined like cells under under a microscope. They can secure the No. 1 seed with a win over the Chargers on Sunday. But a lingering issue persists: Will Denver’s run game, led by rookie RJ Harvey, become the Broncos’ undoing?

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    Troy Renck, Parker Gabriel

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  • Broncos kickoff time for Week 18 home game vs. Chargers announced

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    The Broncos will play for the No. 1 seed in the AFC on Sunday afternoon.

    Denver is set to host the Los Angeles Chargers at 2:25 p.m. Sunday at Empower Field. CBS has the broadcast.

    The NFL announced the full set of games for the final week of the regular season on Sunday night.

    The Broncos have put themselves in the best position of any team in the AFC. When the Chargers lost Saturday to Houston, Denver clinched the West division championship.

    Their ideal scenario is simple: Beat the Chargers and clinch the No. 1 seed in the conference, a bye through the Wild Card round and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

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    Parker Gabriel

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  • Broncos win first AFC West title in a decade, ending Chiefs’ reign, and eye No. 1 seed

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    ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos won their first AFC West title in a decade Saturday when the Houston Texans beat the Los Angeles Chargers 20-16.

    That means they’ll host their first playoff game since January 2016. They can wrap up the AFC’s No. 1 seed as early as Sunday, if the Patriots, Jaguars and Bills all lose or tie their Week 17 games.

    The Broncos’ division title ended a nine-year run by the Kansas City Chiefs (6-10), whose run of seven consecutive AFC championship game appearances came to an end with an injury-riddled season that included a serious knee injury to Patrick Mahomes.

    If the conference’s top seed is still in play after Sunday’s slate, the Broncos can clinch the top seed and the first-round by that comes with it by beating the Chargers (11-5) at home next weekend.

    The Broncos (13-3) have lost all three games to the Chargers since Jim Harbaugh took over as their coach last season.

    When the Texans won Saturday, the Broncos tweeted “AFC WEST CHAMPS” with a green checkmark next to Goal No. 1 and the message, “And we’re still climbing.”

    After the Broncos clinched a playoff spot earlier this month, coach Sean Payton insisted several times that there was nothing to celebrate yet because they hadn’t reached any of their three goals:

    1. AFC West title.

    2. Highest playoff seed possible.

    3. Super Bowl 60.

    Asked after their 20-13 win at Kansas City on Christmas night if it would be weird clinching the division from the couch this weekend, Payton retorted, “No. It will be relaxing, it will be nice.”

    Broncos quarterback Bo Nix was so focused on winning in Week 18 that he swore he wasn’t paying much mind to the Houston-L.A. game Saturday.

    “At the end of the day, none of it really matters,” Nix said after Denver’s first win at Arrowhead since 2015. “We have to play the final game, and we have to take care of it. They (the Chargers) are going to be a good football team. Some other team could help us along the way, but at the end of the day, it is going to come down to us versus them. We are excited to have them at home.”

    The Broncos are 7-1 at Empower Field at Mile High this year and have won 12 of their last 13 home games.

    “It is going to be a really good environment and atmosphere,” Nix said. “It is honestly playoff atmosphere. It is going to be tough. I have not beaten them, but it is going to be a good nine days of preparation. On the tenth day, it will be all you have got for four quarters or however long it takes.

    “We are excited about it. It will be good to have rest. It will be a good long weekend for us.”

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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    ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer

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  • Broncos win AFC West for first time since 2015

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    A decade-long drought is over.

    The Broncos are AFC West champions again.

    The long wait ended Saturday evening in the midst of a long weekend for the Broncos, who beat Kansas City on Christmas night and then watched with joy as Houston knocked off the Los Angeles Chargers two days later.

    That result cemented the Broncos’ status as division champions by knocking the Chargers to 11-5, two games behind with just a Week 18 tilt between the teams at Empower Field remaining.

    Head coach Sean Payton has said since the beginning of the season that the team’s three goals, in order, are to win the division, earn the best seed possible and then play for a Super Bowl title.

    Now the first of those goals is achieved. Next weekend Denver will play for the second.

    The game against the Chargers loses some juice because, had Los Angeles won Saturday, it would have been a division championship game. Still, the stakes are plenty high for Payton’s team. A win secures the No. 1 seed in the AFC, a bye through the Wild Card round and the assurance that the playoffs will run through Denver as long as the Broncos are playing.

    Regardless of what happens in Week 18 — the NFL sets the playing slate after Week 17 action finishes, meaning the Broncos and Chargers could play Saturday or Sunday — Denver is assured of a top-3 seed in the conference and a home playoff game.

    The difference between the top spot and any other, though, should be plenty to keep Payton’s team motivated as it returns to the practice field this week.

    “We have to play the final game and we have to take care of it,” quarterback Bo Nix said Thursday night after beating the Chiefs but before the division was secured. “They’re going to be a good football team. Some other team could help us along the way, but at the end of the day, it is going to come down to us vs. them. We’re excited to have them at home. It is going to be a really good environment and atmosphere. It’s honestly a playoff atmosphere. It is going to be tough.”

    Now the Chargers have only seeding to play for, but Jim Harbaugh’s team has been a thorn in Payton’s side. Harbaugh to date is 3-0 against Denver since returning to the NFL before the 2024 season.

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    Parker Gabriel

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  • Broncos’ Bo Nix explains fear of dogs to Kirk Herbstreit after first interaction went viral

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    We continue to learn things about Bo Nix that surprise us.

    Last year, we found out he does not curse. On Christmas Day, he revealed his fear of dogs to Kirk Herbstreit after an awkward meeting with the broadcaster’s famous golden retriever Peter went viral last month.

    Herbstreit reunited the pair, with Nix petting the pup during warmups before the Broncos beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 20-13.

    “My wife (Izzy) will be shocked,” Nix said.

    Herbstreit travels the country with Peter, who took over the role of unofficial ambassador after his brother Ben passed away last November following a battle with leukemia and lymphoma.

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    Troy Renck

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