NFL

The Broncos have one last hurdle to climb to punch a ticket to Super Bowl 60

ballervisions 2026年1月20日

The Denver Broncos’ streak of defeating the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round matchup ended quickly. After hearing the mysterious news quarterback Bo Nix broke his ankle in the second-to-last game of overtime, it seemed as if Denver’s miracle season had come to a dangerous end—despite getting their biggest win in a decade.

From near the top of the mountain back to the bottom of the trailhead. Certainly, the Broncos’ chances of defeating the New England Patriots were very strong. But this year’s Broncos are battle-tested and have overcome many hardships. Who’s to say they can’t do the same against New England on Sunday?

Without Nix, the Broncos will turn to sixth-year Jarrett Stidham to help guide Denver’s offense to a win over the New England Patriots on Sunday. Many people in the media are counting the Broncos. Although Head Coach Sean Payton remains optimistic that Stidham has what it takes to help Denver win the AFC Championship game.

What happens on the field does not exist. That is a big area and a good reason for concern. Still, what has happened in practice and behind the scenes gives Payton plenty of confidence in Stidham’s ability to compete at a high level on Sunday.

“We’ve been here for three years. In our three years, we’ve watched him every day that you can get to. He’s going to be ready to go and ready now,” Payton said in support of his first game back against the Patriots in the battle that will decide who will represent the AFC in Super Bowl 60.

New England has a defense that can do a lot of damage and make a lot of turnovers. They are one of the best units in the league and love to play big games. Just like Denver was able to accomplish against Buffalo, the Patriots defense got five turnovers from CJ Stroud and the Texans on Sunday.

Limiting mistakes and not turning the ball over will be the first thing Stidham must accomplish to help Denver get a shot at the franchise’s fourth Lombardi Trophy. While the Broncos running back only had ten plays against the Bills, expect Denver to be more active and committed to establishing the run. If JK Dobbins can play, that would help matters. If not, Jaleel McLaughlin and RJ Harvey will have a chance to make an impact in the biggest game of their careers.

Although don’t discount Stidham’s ability as a passer. In the preseason and in camp, he had great success working on Payton’s rushing game and bringing scoring punches to the middle of the field. He also has a stronger arm than some might think. All things considered, Coach Payton knows that playing to Stidham’s strengths will be a key factor in making the trip to Santa Clara.

“Strategy always has to be shaped by the type and skill set of your teammates. So, are there certain things that Bo does differently than ‘Stiddy’? Absolutely. That’s where the work begins,” Payton added.

The Broncos don’t need a Herculean effort from Stidham to beat the Patriots. They just need him to perform well and reduce the number of his mistakes. I have every confidence that Payton and Davis Webb will set Jarrett up for success and help Denver advance to the Super Bowl. And I have a feeling that Stidham is going to play a lot better than people think.

Every coach and player in that locker room will be working hard this week to prepare for the Patriots. They will give everything they have and then some. It’s the greatest moment they’ve ever had in their football journey.

And with a defense like Denver’s, you can never count the Broncos out. If we’ve learned anything from this year’s team, it’s that they don’t usually fold when the going gets tough. That’s when they seem to be at their best. And I believe they will prove the doubters wrong this Sunday.