When I was younger, I used to say, “I believe in Mile High Magic” quite often. What I believe in more nowadays is the grit and determination of our Denver Broncos. I’m so proud of how this team plays every
game, giving every ounce of effort possible in pursuit of excellence.
This was such a special playoff game. There was so much stress, drama, wins, losses, and heroics on both sides of the ball from start to finish.
Also, let me say that I hate that the Buffalo Bills, their fans, and especially Josh Allen lost. I have a big heart for the Bills and the Vikings, as I know exactly what it feels like to have a team that just can’t find a way to win a championship.
We’ve got a lot to unpack here, so let’s dig in.
Offense
Sean Payton’s play design was on point in this game. We saw a fake shotgun spread quarterback sneak. We got a gimmie touchdown to backup tackle Frank Crum on a play-action rollout. He threw everything and the kitchen sink at the Bills, with only 4 healthy wide receivers by the end of the game.
The only nit I have to pick on the playcalling is not understanding how we didn’t use McLaughlin more. I get that he fumbled, but the defense gets paid too, and we could have used his 5.3 yards per carry.
Quarterbacks
Bo Nix is the truth. This guy is a winner, a leader, and the future of our franchise. It absolutely sucks that he broke his ankle. He was an absolute beast to stay out there to end the overtime drive and help this team win.
Throughout the season, I’ve picked on his need to fine-tune his accuracy, but let me tell you that that isn’t the problem with this offense. The problem is that he throws perfect passes to his receivers, and they drop them. Bo will set records when this team puts weapons around him that can consistently catch.
As I had expected, they had plenty of Nix runs wrinkled into the gameplan and his legs were a big key in extending drives.
His interception was partially not on him (more on that below), but that route was not open at all. I don’t know the thinking there, but it sure did look like he was locked in on the crosser by Engram and decided that’s where he’s throwing it before he even hiked the ball. It was mystifying, though, as there was a zone linebacker standing where the route was going that was going to most likely break up the pass if not intercept it.
Line
Even with our third-string center playing, this line is still playing great football. They allowed zero sacks, which is always impressive.
The one thing I’d like to see more of is engagement by our line on pass plays. On the interception, Bolles just let his guy watch Bo and jump up to intercept it. He has to engage and not let his guy jump for free in the passing lanes.
Big shout-out to Frank Crum for his touchdown. That was a heck of a tricky play design that confused the outside defender and let him run free with no defender for one of the easiest touchdown plays I’ve seen this season.
Running Backs
If Bo Nix didn’t run the ball, this group would have run 10 times for 41 yards. I’m amazed that McLaughlin wasn’t utilized more. He runs the ball so well and makes football plays consistently. Early in the game, with poor blocking, he spun through players for a good pickup that should have been stopped for a loss. If we’re so damn scared to use him, let’s please let this guy go to a team that will.
RJ Harvey continued showing us some fairly lackluster football. He fumbled a simple handoff that almost got picked up by the Bills. Luckily, it bounced to Bo, and he threw it away to bail them out of a bad play. He got a big lane on one play for 12 yards that looked superb. Outside of that play, he was 5 rushes for 8 whopping yards running. He did get 46 yards passing on 5 catches, which definitely is a plus.
Receivers
I’ve been saying all season that Marvin Mims needed to be used more in this offense. He delivered big time in this game, catching all 8 of his targets for 93 yards and a touchdown. He had a seam route for 27 yards, made a key 3rd down conversion after the 2-minute warning, had a big gain in the 2-minute drill, and scored a touchdown on a corner route to put the Broncos up in the 4th quarter.
Courtland Sutton is absolutely killing me with his inability to catch the ball. If we weren’t stuck with him in 2026 due to his contract, I’d let him take his inability to catch balls that hit him in the hands to another team. I counted 3 big drops by Sutton. One of them I almost kinda get (he had to extend to get his hands around it), but in overtime, he dropped two passes. In big moments, we need our players to make plays. I do give him credit for that sideline pass where he dragged his feet to get a first down. It was awesome to see…but in my books, it doesn’t outweigh the negatives. He was targeted 9 times in the game and only caught 4.
It was crushing to see Pat Bryant get knocked out of the game with a concussion after a big hit. He had 3 superb catches (and is one of the Broncos’ more reliable receivers) and looked like he was going to have a big role in the game plan. I’m not a doctor, but with two concussions so close together, my worry is that we’re letting him come back too soon.
Lil Jordan Humphrey had the worst drop of the game in the end zone early. It looked to me to be a play designed just for him and had worked to perfection. Bo dropped it right into his chest perfectly, and it just went through his hands. To his credit, at the end of the second quarter, he won on a post route to score a touchdown on 29 yard pass from Nix.
Defense
To be completely fair, this defense got worked by the Bills. Vance Joseph’s defense gave up 117 yards to Cook. Allen rushed for another 66 and almost threw for 300 with 3 touchdowns. All game long, the Bills just marched down the field, only to be stopped by turnovers.
From a defensive standpoint, it was a garbage fire of a game.
You have to give credit to Cook and Allen as they are elite players, but I still expect more from a defense that was being compared (laughably) to the No Fly Zone earlier this season.
Where they do get credit in this game is in the turnover department. They honestly reminded me of our defenses in 97-98. They played very opportunistically and forced big mistakes often in this game, which was absolutely key to this team winning.
Front 7
Nik Bonitto played inspired football against the Bills. He was held in check for most of the first half until Allen tried to scrabble late with under 20 seconds on the clock. Bonitto chased him down and swatted the ball out. All-Pro Devon Key recovered to help the Broncos put another 3 points on the board. He was hungry for more, so in the first play of the 2nd half, he did it again with a strip sack. Bonitto forced two fumbles, had a tackle for loss, a quarterback hit, and a sack on the day.
Alex Singleton laid a bone-crushing hit on Cook with his hat on the ball to force a fumble that Hufanga immediately secured. He got picked on often by Allen in the passing game. On one play, he lost his crosser and gave up a 10+ yard gain as he tried to play catch-up after being flat-footed. If you like a guy giving up plays while making a lot of tackles, Singleton is the football player for you.
Malcolm Roach had a huge game for the Broncos from the interior of the defensive line. He got a shared sack with Zach Allen on a stunt for a loss of seven. Later in the same drive, he sacked Allen, who tried to sneak by him. He also pitched in a tackle for loss, 3 quarterback hits, and a fumble recovery.
Secondary
The hero of the secondary this week was easily Ja’Quan McMillian. I love seeing this nickel corner balling out with a chip on his shoulder. McMillian plays his tail off. In overtime, Josh Allen noticed that he had McMillian singled up on his deep option and tried to test him. Allen got served with an interception as McMillian scooped it away from Cooks for the biggest play of the game.
Pat Surtain II gave up a touchdown as he was fooled into thinking his motion guy was going across the formation. He also got beat on 3rd and 10 with some lackadaisical coverage that gave far too much cushion for Allen to zip the ball by him.
Riley Moss had a pretty down day with some passes converted on him, including a touchdown where he leaped at his receiver’s shoestrings at a poor angle to try and make a tackle.
Talanoa Hufanga absolutely killed Knox on a crossing route with a huge hit. Knox may have held onto the ball, but he got his bell rung for it. His pass defense was somewhat porous though, as he gave up several passes, including a fade in the end zone.
PJ Locke made one hell of a play, picking off Josh Allen on a deep pass. He read the quarterback, broke on the ball, and leaped in front of the receiver with perfect timing to snag the ball before it got to the receiver. Last year, Locke was one of the guys who got picked on. I feel like he completely redeemed himself with how he accounted for himself in this game. He forced a fumble and had a pass defense on the day as well.
Special Teams
Jeremy Crawshaw, in overtime, made the best punt we’ve seen from him in his rookie year with a booming 55-yard punt to the sidelines that went out at the 7-yard line.
As always, we have to give love to “Captain Ice-Water-In-His-Veins” Will Lutz. He had another perfect game with 3 extra points and 4 field goals on the day, including the game-winner in overtime. I don’t take any of these kicks for granted, especially watching other games this postseason with way too many missed kicks aplenty.
Referee Notes
Let’s address the gripes with the officiating (since that’s been something I haven’t shied away from this season). The major whining I’ve been hearing is people saying that Cooks caught the ball and was down before McMillian took it away. You can’t freeze-frame the play to make it look like that is the truth. This game is a game of action, and there are clear rules. Feel free to take a peek at Rule 8 Section 1 Articles 3 c, which states,
Quote
- after (a) and (b) have been fulfilled, clearly performs any act common to the game (e.g., extend the ball forward, take an additional step, tuck the ball away and turn upfield, or avoid or ward off an opponent), or he maintains control of the ball long enough to do so.
Cooks didn’t maintain control of the ball long enough to establish the catch. It is as simple as that. He didn’t catch the ball and take a step, so he has to keep possession all the way through to the ground. McMillian took it away and maintained possession, so it is in essence his reception.
The one complaint I will back is that the first of the two pass interference calls in overtime was absolute horse crap. It was a great pass over Sutton’s shoulder, but the defender played it perfectly and shouldn’t have been flagged at all (and let me assure you that Riley Moss would 100% agree as well). The difference on this play would have been 7 yards farther back up the field, as there was a roughing the passer 15-yard penalty that happened on the play as well by the Bills. The other interference call was absolutely a spot-on call as the defender interfered clearly before the ball got there.
Final Thoughts
First and foremost, let’s wish a full recovery for Bo Nix with nothing but love and appreciation from Broncos Country. Nix has put the NFL on notice with his play this season. He’s a clutch quarterback for this team and is going to win a whole lot of games in orange and blue.
Now, let me reassure you, Broncos Country. This team is not done. We didn’t win 15 games so far this season, only because of a quarterback. Also, I remember being impressed with how Stidham has played in the preseason the past couple of years. Sean Payton can absolutely win with a backup quarterback. He’s done it before. You may even be surprised to see what Stidham can do with the ball (I honestly think he’s a better deep ball passer than Nix).
The Pats still have to come to our house to play. This defense is still full of dogs. This team has been playing for each other all season long. It isn’t going to stop just because Nix got injured. Cheer loud and proud for this team next weekend. We are still in this dance.
