Sean Payton’s team has already put the league on notice
The Denver Broncos are finally back in the playoffs. And yeah, I used a shameless clickbait headline, but I am just so thrilled to be a playoff blogger again.
That being said, Sean Payton has built a team that can compete with the best teams in the NFL. While it would be a major upset, it wouldn’t shake the NFL to its core if Bo Nix was able to lead Denver to a surprise win over the Buffalo Bills.
As Ian St. Clair and I discussed on Odds and Endzones, the Broncos went to Buffalo and won a game with Russell Wilson as their QB in 2023. They already have the blue print.
Defensively, Denver matches up well with what Josh Allen and company want to do. The secondary won’t be faced with a Ja’Marr Chase/Tee Higgins style duo at WR. There isn’t a Derrick Henry rusher to worry about. They play solid offense, but Allen is the lynchpin.
The Broncos defensive line should be able to keep Allen from getting too comfortable, and with Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto doing what they have done all year, it could be a struggle for the Bills.
Offensively, the Bo-liefe is real. Nix has grown this season into a solid starting QB. He can take what the defense gives him, he can stretch the field, or he can run around and make things happen with his legs.
Courtland Sutton has been his security blanket, but with Marvin Mims Jr.’s arrival as a dynamic threat, Nix has some fun weapons to play with. Add to that the three headed RB committee in Audric Estimé, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Javonte Williams, Denver has the ability to control the tempo of the game.
Here I sit, firmly entrenched in a world of orange and blue. I know that my hopes could be dashed at a minutes notice. The Buffalo Bills are the 2-seed in the AFC playoffs for a reason. I am not declaring victory just yet.
What I am recognizing – what we probably are all recognizing – is that the Denver Broncos look like a threat. The process is working. The ride we were promised when a certain QB was traded for feels like it might be fixed with this new QB.
Would the Broncos beating the Bills in a Wild Card game be an upset? Of course. Would it shock the world? Not even a little bit.