On a cold Sunday afternoon, the Denver Broncos hosted the Super Bowl champs in the Kansas City Chiefs. Their task was simple; win and you are a shoe in the playoffs.
Fortunately for the Broncos, the Chiefs decided to rest most of their starters so the Broncos would have to wait on a redemption game against Patrick Mahomes. A few weeks ago, the Broncos were in Kansas City to face the Chiefs in a game that the Broncos outplayed the Chiefs and on the last play of the game the Broncos lined up to take the lead on a potential walk-off field-goal that ended up getting blocked.
Despite Denver having to wait to play Patrick Mahomes the Broncos came out with a purpose on Sunday and that purpose was to accomplish one thing, secure the seventh seed in the playoffs.
Bo Nix was phenomenal in the first half, going 18 of 19 for 215 yards and three touchdowns (TD) with one 47 yard TD. The Broncos led 24-0 at the half and could have added another if not for a holding penalty.
The second half started with a Kansas City possession that only produced 10 yards of offense. By the end of the third quarter, the Broncos added another Marvin Mims touchdown, which gave them a 31-0 lead.
The Broncos added a rushing touchdown by running back Audric Estime to defeat a mostly second string Kansas City Chiefs team.
With Sunday’s win, the Broncos locked up the last AFC spot in the post season, sending the Cincinnati Bengals packing and giving Denver their first post-season appearance since their Super Bowl almost ten years ago.
The Broncos will now head to Buffalo New York to face ex-Bronco, Von Miller and MVP league candidate Josh Allen. Sunday’s game is scheduled for 11 a.m. with a good chance of snow.
Bo Nix has been a breath of fresh air in the City of Denver, brining a screeching halt to Denver’s quarterback carousel and becoming the new face of the franchise next to the leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY), Pat Surtain, II.
Surtain, II had a phenomenal season and is considered to be the premiere cornerback in the league. Surtain, II was matched up with some of the league’s best wide receivers where he blanketed most allowing little to no yards, consistently all season.
When asked about his nomination for DPOY, Surtain II told reporters last week, “It’s pretty special for sure,” adding, “Just the work I put in, obviously it was a goal I had in mind, but that’s not my main goal. My main goal is to continue to be the best version of myself to help this team win. Get to that next step, which is playoffs and hopefully get to that Super Bowl run.
The Broncos are currently 8.5-point underdogs going into Sunday’s game, a point differential that is similar to their game with the Bills last season when they defeated the Bills at home 24-22.
