Broncos Season Recap and Weekly Reaction

The NFL Scouting Combine is taking place in Indianapolis this week and soon the new league year will begin in March and the NFL offseason will be in full swing. Everyone will start to look forward to the 2026 season. I wanted to do a week by week review/reaction to the Broncos 2025 season before we start thinking about 2026. I wanted a place to revisit my thoughts one last time on the special year that Denver had in 2025. Let's take a look back.....

Week 1: Denver-20 Tennessee-12: I was worried about the high expectations that Denver was getting in the preseason leading up to this Week 1 game against the Titans. Everyone was expecting an easy Broncos win to start the year. It wasn't easy at all. A sloppy game by Bo Nix made this a lot closer than expected, but Denver won the game-which is all that matters. A win is a win and it was nice to start the year 1-0.

Week 2: Indianapolis-29 Denver 28: This game really bothered me. The Broncos had a lot of chances to put the game away in the second half, secure a road win, and they just couldn't do it. They made too mistakes and basically gave the game away to the Colts. The worst part was watching Indy miss a 60 yard field goal on the last play of the game only to have Denver get called for a penalty for a lineman using leverage to try and block the field goal. Indy made the 45 yarder with no time left and won the game. This game really bothered me because I was worried that it would come back and bite Denver down the road. The Broncos were 1-1 but should have been 2-0

Week 3: LA Chargers-23 Denver-20: This game was just as frustrating as the Indy game. Denver again had a lot of chances in the second half to put the game away, but couldn't do it. Justin Herbert was amazing in the 4th quarter and pulled the game out. At 1-2, I wasn't freaking out and there was a lot of football ahead, but I was just pissed at how Denver blew back-to-back road games. They should have been 3-0

Week 4: Denver-28 Cincinnati-3: The Broncos caught a break for this Monday Night Football game at home against the Bengals. Joe Burrow got hurt in Week 2, so they had Jake Browning, coming off an awful loss the week before, coming to Denver for this MNF game. I felt good about the game and Denver's defense eased my nerves as they teed off on Browning all night long. This wasn't a stressful game, and Denver was in control for most of the game. It was nice to get to 2-2, but I knew there would be tougher tests ahead. 

Week 5: Denver-21 Philadelphia-17: All week I felt confident the Broncos were going to play well in this game- even though it was in Philly. The Eagles were 4-0 but didn't look great in those games. Denver should have been 4-0 instead of 2-2. Down 17-3 going into the 4th quarter, Denver stormed back and won the game 21-17. This was the game that really made me believe in this team and in Bo Nix. He rallied the Broncos in the 4th quarter and had his signature win of his career. I was so happy and proud of the Broncos after they won this game. At 3-2, I felt Denver really had something brewing. 

Week 6: Denver-13 NY Jets-11: I hate the London Games, and I hated the fact that Denver was in this one against the Jets. You never know what you are going to get in these London games, so this game made me nervous. It was an ugly game, but I remember thinking that the Broncos just had to get out of there with a win, and that is what they did. It didn't matter how, but just get back to Denver at 4-2.

Week 7: Denver- 33 NY Giants-32: This was the craziest game of the year. Denver looked slow and out of sorts coming back from the London win over the Jets and not having a bye after that game. The Giants looked sharp and took a commanding 19-0 lead going into the 4th quarter. I took my dog for a walk when Denver was down 19-0 and I was so pissed. 5-2 seemed so much better than 4-3. That 4th quarter will go down as the greatest 4th quarter in Broncos history. Bo Nix rallied his team once again and pulled off one of the greatest regular season wins in my lifetime. It made me feel like something special was happening with this team. 

Week 8: Denver-44 Dallas-24: The was an ass-whipping at home for the Broncos. Dallas was coming into the game playing very well, and Denver was a slight favorite. The Broncos just handed it to the Cowboys with their best performance of the year for the offense and Bo Nix. This was just a great game from start to finish, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The Broncos were 6-2 and it was their best record after 8 games since 2016. I felt at this point that the AFC West was definitely in play for the Broncos this season.

Week 9: Denver-18 Houston-15: This was a game that I thought Denver was going to lose. The Texans were playing better after a 0-3 start, their defense was one of the best in the NFL, and this was a road game in the early window for the Broncos. That all added up to a loss. I really was convinced they were losing this game, but somehow they found a way to pull it out. Bo Nix once again used his 4th quarter magic and Denver won on a late field goal 18-15. They were now 7-2 and I was wondering when they were going to lose a game again. The vibes were really good after this one.

Week 10: Denver-10 Las Vegas-7: This was another ugly win in a similar fashion to the Jets game in London. It was a Thursday night game in Denver, and the Broncos were big favorites over the dismal Raiders, but Denver's offense just couldn't get it going. They did what they had to do to win a very ugly game, and I remember thinking to myself that no matter what the game looked like it didn't matter because they won. The Broncos were 8-2 and that's that mattered to me.

Week 11: Denver-22 Kansas City-19: The Broncos proved a lot of people wrong in this game in Denver against the Chiefs. KC was 5-4 and in the playoff picture at this point of the season. Denver was 8-2 and everyone was shitting on them for how they played against the Raiders. Most people picked the Chiefs to win this game, but I was confident that Denver would play well. I was so excited for this game. This game was the first time that Patrick Mahomes didn't scare me in a game against the Broncos. The Broncos defense played great and Bo Nix made plays again down the stretch to win it late. At 9-2, I started thinking not only about the AFC West crown but also the #1 seed in the AFC. It felt like a changing of the guard moment in the AFC West.

Week 12: Bye Week: I felt really good about the Broncos at the bye week. The Broncos were 9-2 and atop the AFC West. It was a good week to relax and reflect about how great this season was in Denver.

Week 13: Denver-27 Washington-26: This will always be a special game for me. I got tickets to this game for me and my two sons. We got great seats for really cheap, and we got a nice little hotel not far from the stadium. We got to Landover on Sunday morning, tailgated in the parking lot before the game, went in to watch warmups, and just soaked in the atmosphere. There were so many Broncos fans there. It was such a cool experience. The crowd was great and we stood the whole game. The game was great too. Denver pulls out the 27-26 OT win with Nik Bonitto knocking down a two-point conversion pass to win the game. I was so happy the Broncos won and were now 10-2. I didn't want to go to this game and watch them lose-even though it wouldn't have killed our season. Special game and special moment for me and my family.

Week 14: Denver-24 Las Vegas-17: The Broncos were in control of this game throughout. There was never a doubt in my mind about this game. This game was 24-7 with like 3 minutes to go. Denver took care of business and even as a fan you could tell. It was about as ho-hum of a game all year for the Broncos on their way to 11-2. 

Week 15: Denver 34 Green Bay 26: This was another signature game of the year for the Broncos. The Packers came in at 9-3-1, and one of the top NFC contenders. Everyone was picking Green Bay to win this game. The game had a playoff feel to it. The Broncos crowd was into the game early on, and it just felt like a huge game. Even when the Broncos fell behind, I still had confidence they would come back and they did. This was probably Bo Nix's best game of the year and he threw four TDs to lead Denver to the win. Patrick Surtain made the defensive play of the year when he intercepted Jordan Love on a play that turned the tide in the second half. Just a great game and great performance, and it really made me believe that this team could go on and get to the Super Bowl this year.

Week 16: Jacksonville-34 Denver-20: The Jaguars came in red-hot and came to Denver and whipped the. Broncos. It was 17-17 in the third quarter, but Jacksonville took over from there and was the better team down the stretch. I had a feeling that Denver would have a tough time in this game, and I had a feeling they could finally lose a game since September. I was bummed about the loss, but the Broncos were still 12-3 and in control of their own destiny for the AFC West title and even homefield advantage.

Week 17: Denver-20 Kansas City-13: The Broncos went into Arrowhead and beat the Chiefs on Christmas night, who were without the injured Patrick Mahomes. KC was already eliminated from playoff contention, so the Broncos took advantage of that. This game was similar to the Raiders game a few weeks earlier. Denver did what it had to do to get the win and move on. It was still nice to see Denver win in Arrowhead for the first time since 2015 and it was nice way to end Christmas and head into the final week of the season at 13-3

Week 18: Denver-19 LA Chargers-3: Denver clinched the AFC West when the Chargers lost to Houston in Week 17, so Denver was playing for homefield advantage and the #1 seed, while the Chargers were resting a bunch of starters with their wild card spot locked in. This game was an interesting one because once again it looked like Denver was just doing what they needed to get by on offense. The defense feasted on the Chargers without Justin Herbert and it was nice to clinch the #1 overall seed in the AFC at home in Denver. It was a special game, and I just couldn't believe this Broncos team finished 14-3, won the AFC West, and will host their first playoff game since 2015.

AFC Divisional Playoff: Denver-33 Buffalo-30: This is a classic that Broncos fans will watch on replay and certainly all offseason. I just remember how nervous I was about the facing the Bills and the buildup all week going into that game. I remember how I analyzed it from every angle. One day, I was convinced the Broncos would win. Another day, I was convinced the Bills would win. The hype was so exciting leading up the game on that Saturday. The game was a classic and I went through every range of emotions. I lost my voice by the end of it, and I'll never forget celebrating with my family at the end. Obviously, everything changed when we found out after the game that Bo Nix would be out for the rest of the playoffs with the ankle injury, but nothing will ever take away the joy of watching that game seeing Denver knock off the Bills and advance to the AFC Championship Game.

AFC Championship Game: New England-10 Denver-7: There's nothing really to say about this. I don't think I'll ever re-watch this game or watch the highlights of it again. Bo Nix's injury changed the whole outlook of the game. If Nix plays, then Denver wins. The 4th and 1, Jarret Stidham's fumble, and the blizzard in the second half all contributed to the Broncos losing. It was a crappy way to go out after such an amazing season. 

Broncos Post Super Bowl Outlook

 The Super Bowl is over and the 2025 has officially ended. The offseason will begin in a few weeks with the Scouting Combine, Free Agency in March, and then the NFL Draft in April. The 2025 Broncos will go down as one of the best seasons I have witnessed in my lifetime. Outside of the three Super Bowl winning seasons, this year is up there with 2012 and 2013 Peyton Manning seasons, the 2005 team with Champ Bailey and Jake Plummer, the 1991 season with John Elway's Drive Part 2, and of course the 86, 87, and 89 seasons. To watch Denver go 14-3, win the AFC West, get the #1 seed in the AFC, win their first playoff game in 10 years, and advance to another AFC Championship Game was special. The Broncos won so many close and exciting games this season that it really was a fun season from start to finish. This offseason I will spend a lot of time re-watching some of those games and highlights from this year-especially the epic Divisional Round Playoff win over Buffalo. I'll have that game for the rest of my life. It will also be tough to realize just how close Denver was to winning a Super Bowl this year. The biggest "What If" in Broncos history will be about Bo Nix and injuring his ankle at the end of the Bills and missing the AFC Championship. As for next year, there is plenty to talk about before we get to that point in September. It will be hard for the Broncos to win 14 games again next year. That is the nature of the NFL. The AFC is loaded with talented QBs and teams, and everyone goes back to the starting line again and Denver has to start all over again in 2026. I'll leave with this thought: Every year on the day of the Super Bowl, I think how close Denver is from being in the Super Bowl. Last year, I thought they were as close as they were in a long time, but that was coming off a 10-7 season and Wild Card blowout loss. This year, they are even closer. They are REALLY CLOSE. So, that is a good feeling as we head into the offseason. They can be right there next year, and as long as Sean Payton and Bo Nix are in Denver, they we have as good as a chance as anyone. 

Super Bowl LX Recap

 The Seattle Seahawks won Super Bowl LX over the New England Patriots 29-13 to win their second Lombardi Trophy. There was not a lot of hype going into the Super Bowl, and the game was one of the most boring I have witnessed in my lifetime. Here are my thoughts on the game...

1) The Seahawks defense dominated the Patriots offense. Drake Maye was awful and this was the fourth straight game in the playoffs that he played poorly. Seattle was just too much for New England.

2) The game was bad. There's nothing else to say. There was no drama, no big moment, and nothing to draw you in. Seattle had a 9-0 lead at halftime and a 12-0 lead going into the 4th quarter. I never felt like the Seahawks were in danger of losing the game. After Seattle scored a TD to make it 19-0 early the 4th quarter, you knew the game was over. Wire to wire it was just a bad game. You could maybe point to the moment when Seattle was up 19-7, and New England got the ball back and had a first down at their own 43, but Drake Maye threw a pick and that effectively ended it. Overall, it was one of the worst Super Bowls in this recent era. 

3) If this was a regular season Thursday night, Monday night, or Sunday night game, I would have turned the tv off and went to bed early.

4) Give the Seahawks credit. They rebuilt their team after trading Russell Wilson to the Broncos in 2022. They made the right choice by moving on from Pete Carroll and hiring Mike McDonald in 2024. They also made the right choice by moving on from Geno Smith and signing Sam Darnold. They built an elite defense and rode that to a Super Bowl title.

5) Sam Darnold didn't play great in the game, but he didn't turn the ball over and was fine. That was all Seattle needed. It is a pretty cool story seeing Darnold win the Super Bowl as the Seahawks QB.

6) I was not really into the Super Bowl because of how the Broncos season ended in the AFC Championship Game. I will say this: If we won the AFC Championship over NE with Jarret Stidham, the Seahawks would have killed the Broncos and Stidham in the Super Bowl. It would not have been close. But, and the big "What If" of all time in Denver will be if Bo Nix doesn't get hurt at the end of the Divisional Playoff win over the Bills. If he doesn't get hurt, then the Broncos beat the Pats in the AFC Championship. There is no doubt in my mind about that one. Also, I think the Broncos have a really good chance at beating the Seahawks in the Super Bowl, and I think Nix would have found a way-like he did all season long-to make plays to win a close game late against the Seahawks.

7) The Rams are the other team that has to be upset watching this Super Bowl. They almost beat Seattle in the NFC Championship Game and had them beat in Seattle in December in that pivotal Thursday night game. After blowing that lead and losing a close game to Seattle in December, Seattle got the inside track on homefield advantage and the 1 seed. If the Rams win that game, them the Rams are the 1 seed and not the Seahawks. Regardless, the Rams gave Seattle a tough game in the NFC Championship and it is clear that the Rams would have beaten the Pats and won the Super Bowl. 

Super LX Preview and Pick

 Super Bowl LX features the Seattle Seahawks going up against the New England Patriots. I'm not that enthusiastic about the game since the Broncos were eliminated in the AFC Championship Game to the Pats a few weeks ago. Plus, this might be one of the most least appealing Super Bowl matchups we have seen in a long time. There are really not a lot of storylines to get into with this game. Here is what I came up with.....

Super Bowl LX Storylines:

I) Sam Darnold: The Seahawks quarterback is looking to cap a remarkable story. From #3 overall pick with the Jets in the 2018 draft to bouncing around from NY to Carolina to San Francisco and Minnesota to now on the verge of winning a Super Bowl with the Seahawks. It would be an amazing for Darnold and it would be a storybook conclusion to a crazy journey for him. 

II) The Patriots are Back: Just seven years after their last Super Bowl appearance, the Patriots are back in the Super Bowl-this time without Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Two years ago, the Pats went 4-13 and fired Belichick. Last year, they went 4-13 under first year head coach Jerod Mayo, and fired him after that season. They hired Mike Vrabel, and second year QB Drake Maye had a MVP type season in a year they went 14-3. They are back in the Super Bowl for the 12th time in team history and are trying to win a 7th Lombardi Trophy. Everyone thought it would be a long time for the Pats to be back to the Super Bowl after Brady and Belichick left, but here they are. 

III) Super Bowl XLIX Rematch: This is a rematch of the classic Super Bowl in which New England beat Seattle 28-24 on the famous Malcolm Butler interception at the goal line with time running out. The Seahawks haven't been back to the Super Bowl since, and now they get a chance at redemption on the Patriots franchise. 

That's it. There are the main storylines for the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl LX

Seattle Seahawks vs New England Patriots

Last Week's Playoff Record: 0-2

Overall Playoff Record: 3-9

A Case for the Seahawks: They are the better team overall. They have a really solid defense. They are well-coached and have been battle tested by going through a tough road in the NFC West. The Sam Darnold story seems like a movie plot, and they are due for revenge from the loss to the Pats in Super Bowl XLIX.

A Case for the Patriots: They are really well-coached too. You could see the Patriots defense getting after Sam Darnold and causing mistakes and turnovers. You can see the Pats offense doing just enough to get by on that Seattle defense. Although Drake Maye hasn't played well in the playoffs, he still had a MVP year, and maybe this is the beginning of his run as an elite player and caps off this season with a Super Bowl win.  

Prediction: New England (+4.5) over Seattle: The Patriots pull off a big upset in the Super Bowl as they defeat Seattle and win their record 7th Lombardi Trophy.

Final Score: Patriots-20 Seahawks-17

Broncos Fall to Patriots 10-7 in AFC Championship Game

 The Broncos lost to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game in Denver 10-7. It was a disappointing ending to a really remarkable season for the Broncos. There is so much to talk about and discuss about the game, but the finality of it ending on Sunday was really tough to take. This was a really great season and to see it end the way it did on Sunday really hurt as a Broncos fans. Here my thoughts on the game.....

1) Let's start with the game: What a start by the Broncos and Jarret Stidham. He hits Marvin Mims on a 50 yard bomb and then throws a TD to Courtland Sutton to make it 7-0 early in the first quarter. It really gave me a sense of hope that the Broncos might not just win-but roll to a victory. The Broncos defense came out and completely stifled the Pats offense, and you really felt good at the end of the first quarter.

2) The play that will long be remembered from this game will be the 4th and 1. At the Pats 14 and facing a 4th and 1, Sean Payton decided to go for it, but the Pats were all over the bootleg, and Stidham's pass was incomplete. At the time, I wanted the Broncos to take the points and kick the field goal. I think they should have done that and gone up 10-0. Payton was aggressive in that spot, just like they were all year long, but it didn't work. I didn't like the playcall either. Of course, if Denver converts and then ends up scoring a TD to make it 14-0, then everyone praises Payton. I would have taken the points, and that will be the lasting moment all offseason for Broncos fans when they think of this game.

3) Stidham's later in the quarter changed the whole game. With 2:59 left in the half and at their own 33 facing a 3rd and 4, Stidham got sacked and tried to throw the ball forward, but it went backwards, which is a fumble, and the Patriots recovered at the Broncos 12 yard line. They scored two plays later and the game was tied 7-7. All Stidham had to do was throw the ball away earlier or just take the sack and set up the punt. It was a disastrous play that Stidham should not have made. That play killed Denver and was a main reason why they lost the game.

4) The forecast called for snow flurries in the second half. Well, it turned into a blizzard. The weather completely changed and it became a huge factor in the second half. The key drive was the Patriots getting a field goal to start the half and made it 10-7 before the weather really got bad and neither team could do anything the rest of the game.

5) As much as Denver couldn't move the ball in the second half, they still got the ball back at the NE 33 yard line with 6:55 left to play and down 10-7. They lost three yards on the drive and Will Lutz missed a 45 yard field goal that was partially blocked. That was really their last chance at winning the game. 

6) As for the big picture aspect of this game, the first part that stands out is that Bo Nix being injured cost the Broncos a chance to win a Super Bowl. If Nix plays in this game, there is no doubt in my mind the Broncos win. He would have helped them score points in the first half to take a lead, and the Broncos defense would have shut the door like they did. Even if it was close in the second half, Nix would have found a way in the snow to move the ball and help Denver win. Losing Nix will be the big "What If" of this game.

7) This will be an opportunity that the Broncos let slip by. They had the AFC Title game at home, and their defense held the Patriots to barely 10 points, and they lost the game. Forget what would have happened in the Super Bowl, AFC Championships last forever. They hang banners for AFC titles, and t-shirts and trophies are handed out. This missed opportunity will really hurt for long time. There was no Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, and Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs. The Broncos knocked off Josh Allen in the Divisional Round. This might have been their best chance to get to the Super Bowl, and they couldn't get it done. Yes, you have to incorporate the Bo Nix injury into the equation, and it adds up to huge missed opportunity for this franchise to go to another Super Bowl. 

8) It was a great season that exceeded a lot of expectations. The Broncos finished 14-3, won the AFC West for the first time in 10 years, and won a playoff game for the first time in 10 years as well. We will always have that moment when they beat the Bills in that epic playoff game in overtime. But, the thing about the NFL is that there is no guarantee that they get back to this point next year. In fact, it will be hard for them to do so. The last two times Denver lost in an AFC Championship Game (1991 to Buffalo and 2005 to Pittsburgh) they missed the playoffs the next season. It will take a lot just to make the playoffs next year-let alone the AFC Championship Game. You just don't know when you will get back there again. 

9) For me, the memories of this season will always be fond. Just like I look back at 1991 and 2005 with great memories of those seasons. The best part of being a Broncos fan now is that I get to share it with my kids. My boys are 16 and 13 and they are huge Broncos fans. We watched every game this season together. We made every game an event. We even went to the game against Washington in November. It was such an awesome year to follow, and I am happy that they got to experience it with me. I just want them to experience the feeling of seeing Denver go and win the Super Bowl. That's the ultimate, 

Broncos-Patriots and Championship Sunday Picks

The Broncos host the Patriots in Denver on Sunday in the AFC Championship Game. Both teams finished the season 14-3, but since Denver is the #1 seed in the AFC, they will host. It is quite a turnaround for both of these teams. It is hard to believe that these two teams would be in this spot from where they were just a couple of years ago. The Broncos were navigating the first year of Sean Payton and the end of the Russell Wilson situation, and the Pats were moving on from Bill Belichick and looked liked they were rebuilding. Well, here we are now in the 2025 AFC Championship, and these two teams have some playoff history. The most famous that everyone will remember was the 2015 AFC Championship Game. It was the last game ever between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. The Broncos won a thriller 20-18 and won Super Bowl 50. Now, here we are: 10 years later and the Patriots are visiting Denver to take on the Broncos in the AFC Title game. Here are my thoughts on the game and the storylines involved.....

1) The obvious storyline is that Bo Nix is out for the rest of the playoffs after fracturing his ankle late in the OT win over Buffalo week in the Divisional Round. It is such a crushing blow to lose Nix at this point in the year, and it will be hard for Jarett Stidham to come in and win this game for Denver. The Patriots have a really good defense, and that defense has been playing great in the playoffs, and you can see where they just tee off on Stidham and make things really difficult for him all game long. You just can't lose Bo Nix for the AFC Championship Game and feel like Denver will be okay under Stidham.

2) The Patriots have had a lot of bad history in Denver in the playoffs, so they might be due to reverse that trend. They are 0-4 all time in Denver in the playoffs and that includes two AFC Championship Game losses in 2013 and 2015. It feels like they are due to win at some point in Mile High.

3) The Patriots are a really good team. They went 14-3 in the regular season and won the AFC East. Drake Maye is an emerging superstar at QB and he might win the MVP this year. They are well-rounded on offense with a good running game and playmakers in the passing game. They have really good defense. They are extremely well-coached with Mike Vrabel. There is absolutely a case in which they go into Denver and just handle the Broncos in this game. 

4) As good as the Patriots have been this season, they have benefitted from a historically easy schedule and now they get a huge break by having to take on Denver in Mile High without Bo Nix. It feels like it is set up for them perfectly to go back to the Super Bowl.

5) It might be too much of an emotional let down for Denver after winning that game over Buffalo last week and then getting the news of Nix being out for the season. Can the crowd get back that emotion and be loud again for another week? Can the team get back that emotional high of last week and bring it agin this week? 

6) If you are picking the Broncos in this spot, you are banking on the fact that they are at home, they are underdogs, their defense, and Sean Payton. You have to hope for a close game, and the Broncos defense makes plays and forces turnovers. You are hoping for the crowd to affect a young QB like Maye in his first road playoff game. And, you are hoping that Sean Payton did everything in his power to prepare, motivate, and then coach his team to an upset win without their starting QB. Also, one more thing for the vibes factor in Denver's favor: the honorary captain for the Broncos in this AFC Championship Game: John Elway. That's right. Elway will be out there for the coin toss, and if Denver wins, he will be presenting the AFC trophy to Denver. Let's go!

7) It would make for a great story if Jarret Stidham plays a great game and helps Denver win. Jeff Hostetler and Nick Foles both stepped in and led their teams to Super Bowl wins, but those guys played in regular season games to end the season. Stidham hasn't played since 2023. It would be a Disney movie storyline if Stiddy comes through, but it might be asking too much.

8) I feel like it is an emotional letdown for me as well. After that epic win over Buffalo, the feeling of going to the AFC Championship Game was amazing. But, the injury news to Nix took the air right out of it. It was a gut punch. It is certainly a different feeling going into the AFC Title game this week. It just doesn't feel the same knowing that Nix is out.

9) With that said, the AFC Championship Game is special. It is a special day for me-even if the Broncos are not a part of Championship Sunday. This will be my 10th time the Broncos are in the AFC Championship Game in my lifetime. It is a really cool feeling waking up the day of the AFC Championship knowing your day is playing and they are one game away from the Super Bowl. I've seen the Drive in 86, the Fumble in 87,  and the "We'll show up" blowout win over Cleveland in 89. I saw the Gary Kubiak almost comeback in the 10-7 loss to Buffalo in '91. I saw Elway get back over the hump in '97 over the Steelers in Pittsburgh. I saw the win over the Jets in '98 after being down 10-0 in the 3rd quarter in Elway's last game ever in Mile High. I saw the great ride of 2005 end at home with a loss to Big Ben and the Steelers. I saw the masterclass by Peyton Manning to beat the Patriots in 2013. I saw Von Miller's dominant performance to knock off Brady and the Pats in 2015. Now, maybe I get a chance to witness the Jarett Stidham game in 2025. We'll see but I don't want to diminish how special these Championship Games are. 

Prediction: New England (-5.5) over DENVER: I think the Pats and their defense will be too much for Jarret Stidham. He will play admirably, but in the end it is too tall of an order in this spot. This amazing Broncos season falls one game shy.

Final Score: Patriots-27 Broncos -13

Last Week's Playoff Record: 1-3

Overall Playoff Record: 3-7

NFC Championship Game

(5) Los Angeles Rams at (1) Seattle Seahawks

A Case for the Rams: They are battle-tested after two road wins in the playoffs so far. They won a brutally frigid game in Chicago last week. They are the best team overall left in the entire playoffs. This could be Matt Stafford's final ride.I'm taking him over Sam Darnold in any scenario. The Thursday night game in December in Seattle was a classic, and the Rams probably should have won the game. It feels like they are the better team over the Seahawks.

A Case for the Seahawks: They are at home and that will be a huge factor. The Rams have to go on the road for the third straight playoff game. The Seahawks defense is really playing lights out right now. You could see the combination of homefield and defense carrying the Seahawks to victory.

PREDICTION: Rams (+2.5) over SEATTLE

Final Score: Rams-26 Seahawks-23

Broncos Defeat Bills 33-30 in Overtime Divisional Playoff Thriller

 The Broncos defeated the Bills 33-30 in overtime in the AFC Divisional Playoff on Saturday in Denver to advance to the AFC Championship Game next Sunday. It was a classic, great game that will go down in Broncos history. There is so much to talk about the game and then the aftermath of the game with the Bo Nix injury news. Here are my thoughts on the game.....

1) This game had it all. It was an all-time classic. This game will long be remembered in Broncos history. The range of emotions from the pre-game to during the game was just all over the place. At one point, I thought the Broncos were going to win when they were up 23-10 in the 3rd quarter, then when Buffalo took the lead at 24-23 early in the 4th quarter, I felt like the Broncos were going to lose. It was over three hours of just pure emotion. I was spent by the end of the game.

2) Bo Nix had his moment in this game. If there was ever a doubt about Nix, he shut it down in the biggest game of his life. He threw for 3 TDs, and drove the Broncos down for the leading touchdown with a minute to play and gave Denver a 30-27 lead.  That TD pass to Marvin Mims will be one of the great throws by any Broncos QB in history. He led the team all game long and outplayed Josh Allen.

3) It is always interesting to see how some of the pre-game narratives played out during the game. All week, there was the narrative of the Bills being able to run the ball on Denver's defense with James Cook. The Bills and Cook were able to do that. There was the narrative that Josh Allen would outplay Bo Nix. That was not the case as Nix actually out-dueled Allen. There was the narrative about the Broncos running the ball on the Bills weak run defense and struggling against the pass defense. Well, Denver didn't even really try to run the ball consistently and instead attacked the Bills pass defense all game long. There was the narrative that the Broncos defense might not be able to hold up in some parts and that was true as well, but the Broncos defense forced 5 Bills turnovers and make some huge plays to stop Buffalo in key moments.

4) I thought all week that Sean Payton would be a big factor in this game with his gameplan and play-calling. He was really good in this moment. He dialed up some great calls for Bo Nix and even threw in a little trick play with a tackle eligible TD pass to Frank Crum. Give Payton credit. He deserves it.

5) If you are looking for turning points in this game, then you have to look at the sequence right before the end of the first half and to start the second half. Denver scores on a beautiful 29 yard TD pass from Bo Nix to Lil'Jordan Humphrey to make it 17-10 Denver with 22 seconds left in the first half. Buffalo gets a kick return and has the ball at their own 20 with 16 seconds left and no timeouts. They try to complete a pass, Josh Allen scrambles, gets stripped by Nik Bonitto, and Denver recovers at then Bills 32 with 2 seconds left in the half. Denver kicks a field goal and is now up 20-10 going into halftime. I don't understand what the Bills were doing there in that spot. The, Buffalo gets the ball to start the 3rd quarter, and Bonitto strip sacks Allen and Denver recovers at the Bills 17. Denver settles for a field goal but is now up 23-10. That was a huge right there.

6) There always seems to be controversy at the end of these games. This one will be remembered for the play that Jaquan McMillian made on Brandin Cooks in overtime. The Bills forced a Denver punt on the first possession of OT, and all Buffalo needed was a field goal and they win the game. On 3rd and 11 from his own 36, Allen throws a deep ball to Brandin Cooks. Cooks gets his hands on it but as he is going to the ground, McMillian rips it out, gains possession, and the referee calls it an interception at the Denver 20 yard line. Right away, even Gene Sterratore in the CBS booth said it was an interception. The call stood and Denver got the big turnover in OT. At first glance, it looked like an interception and even after seeing the replay, I think it was. There's a lot of debate about it, but the rule made it clear that it wasn't a catch. Then, the Broncos got two pass interference calls. The first one gave Denver the ball at the Buffalo 37 and the second one got the ball to the Buffalo 8 yard line to set up Will Lutz for the game-winning field goal. The first pass interference call was a bit ticky tack, but it didn't matter because Joey Bosa got flagged for roughing the passer anyway. The second pass interference was blatant because if Marvin Mims didn't get interfered with he was going to make the catch and score. It sucks that a great game will sometimes be remembered for controversial plays, but I do think they were the right calls in the right moment. 

5) Where does this game fall into memorable Broncos playoff games in my lifetime? It is definitely in the top 10 and probably top 7. Here is my list:

- The Drive

-The Fumble

-The Drive Part 2 vs the Oilers 

-Super Bowl XXXII

-Tebow to Demaryius Thomas 2011 AFC Wild Card

-2015 AFC Championship Manning vs Brady

-2025 AFC Divisional against Buffalo 

 

6) Unfortunately, what will always be remembered about this game was the aftermath. About a hour after the game ended, the news came out that Bo Nix fractured a bone in his ankle late in the overtime, and he is out for the rest of the playoffs. It was an absolute stunner because he finished the game and did the postgame interview and it didn't seem like anything was wrong. Nix hurt his ankle when he was running the ball in overtime. The next play he threw a deep ball to Marvin Mims, which threw a pass interference. That set up a kneel down and then the game-winning kick. It was absolutely heartbreaking to hear that after the game. When the game ended, I celebrated with my family and texted some friends about the game. My boys wanted to go to their friends house, so I took them there, and when I came home, I was going to pour myself a drink and watch the Seattle-49ers game and enjoy the Broncos victory. Just as I poured the beer, my son texted me the news about Nix. It was such a gut-wrenching moment, and took away from the celebration of that game. I will always remember the feeling of the Broncos winning that game, but I will also never forget the feeling of hearing about Nix getting hurt. 

7) The thing that I will cherish the most about this game will be the fact that I was able to enjoy it and experience it with my family-especially my two sons, Nick and Anthony. I have seen Denver go to 7 Super Bowls in my lifetime and now 10 AFC Championship Games. I just wanted them to experience a big playoff win at this stage in their life, and I am so happy that happened. Nick was 7 and Anthony was just about to turn 5 when Denver last won a playoff game-Super Bowl 50. They have followed in my footsteps and have become huge Broncos fans. We watch every game together, and it is so much fun to have that bond with them over the Broncos. To see them experience this win, at ages 16 and 13 respectively, is just so special. That is why this game will be forever special to me.