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[Denver Broncos]

Winners and Losers from the Broncos 27-26 victory over the Commanders

What a game.

It was FAR from the Broncos’ best effort, but in the end, they still found a way to come away with the victory. The Commanders, led by backup quarterback Marcus Mariota, had the Broncos on the brink of losing. He led a game-tying drive at the end of the 4th quarter and had a touchdown drive in overtime, and was a 2-point conversion away from the upset.

However, Nik Bonitto Dikembe Mutombo’d Mariota’s pass, and the Broncos leave Washington with the victory.

As for the winners and losers, it was a sloppy game on both sides of the ball that saw some highs and lows throughout the game. No one really came out of this game without some stink on them, but there were some notable winners who stood out.

With all that said, here are your winners and losers from the Denver Broncos’ 27-26 victory over the Washington Commanders.

WINNER- Nik Bonitto​

Bonitto was getting after the passer all game, and despite not getting the big sack, he made his impact on the final play of this game. The Commanders just scored a touchdown in overtime, the momentum was firmly on their side, and the Broncos looked to be on the verge of a disappointing upset loss. Mariota dropped back to pass and had a WIDE OPEN receiver for a go-ahead 2-point game-winner…but Nik Bonitto was going to have none of that. He put both of his hands up and deflected the Mariota pass, and gave the Broncos the victory.

NIK BONITTO DEFLECTS IT AND THE BRONCOS WIN!!!pic.twitter.com/cTJSWsuvf3

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) December 1, 2025

It may have just been a 3-win Washington club on a potentially forgettable Sunday Night game, but this might go down as one of the more iconic Broncos victories in recent memory. They have had a few this season, and this one might be at the top.

Bonitto and the defense were far from perfect tonight and probably had their worst collective outing since the Indy game, but they still found a way to come up big at the end of the game and get the win.

Now, to talk about the bad.

LOSER – Broncos defense​

We talked about the good, but now, time for the bad.

What the hell was that?

The Commanders had 419 total yards. Marcus Mariota had 294 yards passing, 2 passing touchdowns, and 55 yards rushing. They also ran for 143 yards, had 30 first downs, were 8 for 17 on 3rd downs, which included at least two third-and-long run plays to convert, while also going 3 for 3 on 4th down.

On top of all that, they only sacked Mariota once, and it probably should have been flagged for tripping.

Zach Ertz has 10 receptions for 106 yards, Terry McLaurin had 7 receptions for 96 yards, Deebo had a big play late, which set them up for the OT touchdown, and they allowed Treylon Burks to potentially have the catch of the year earlier in the game.

The defense is not going to be elite for 17 games, and bad games will happen, but man, it was disappointing that tonight was one of those nights.

With all that said, they won, which makes this performance suck a good deal less, but still, not great.

LOSER – Broncos run game​

Rookie RJ Harvey did have 2 rushing touchdowns and needs to be praised for that. However, the overall effort was not good.

The Broncos had just 87 yards rushing in this game. Harvey led the way with 35 yards, but averaged just 2.7 yards per carry. Jaleel McLaughlin was not much better as he went 6 carries for 24 yards, with 16 of those yards coming on one play.

This is their second game without running back JK Dobbins, and in both games, the Broncos’ run game was lackluster. The Commanders’ run defense has not been great all season, but still, the Broncos struggled to do anything on the ground.

If the Broncos want to make a deep postseason run, they need more from their run game.

WINNER – Evan ‘Joker’ Engram​

Engram started the game with a couple of bad drops, which had fans like me calling him out. When he was signed, he was advertised as this playmaking weapon, and he has been mostly an afterthought all season. However, Engram improved as the game went on and had one of the biggest offensive plays of the season for the Broncos in overtime.

He took a Bo Nix pass for 40+ yards to get the Broncos in the red zone, where they eventually scored the go-ahead touchdown.

The Joker, Evan Engram with a huge play in overtime for the Broncospic.twitter.com/O8DbEpg1xa

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) December 1, 2025

Engram finished with a team-leading 6 receptions for 79 yards and had his best overall game as a member of the Broncos. Before this big play, he was Nix’s most trusted target and converted multiple first downs throughout the game, but the 41-yarder is certainly the highlight of his season thus far.

The Broncos will need more from Engram as they head into December and eventually into the playoffs. He was advertised as their ‘Joker,’ and it’s time for him to consistently play like one.

WINNER – QB Bo Nix​

Nix had a very up-and-down game and was trending towards being a loser before halftime. However, he stepped up big in overtime and led what would end up being the Broncos’ game-winning touchdown. Before that, the highlight of his night was a highlight reel touchdown pass to Cortland Sutton, where he threw the ball while falling down, but kept his knee up, and was able to throw an accurate touchdown pass.

BO NIX WITH AN INCREDIBLE PLAY AND THROW TO COURTLAND SUTTON FOR A TOUCHDOWN pic.twitter.com/EILbbwsLkA

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) December 1, 2025

However, it wasn’t all pretty. Nix would throw an ugly interception to the cement-footed Bobby Wagner. Nix didn’t see him and threw the ball right into his chest. The Commanders would score 3 on this play, which factored into the ending of this game. It also ended a drive where the offense had a chance to put this game away.

Speaking of that, Nix and the offense failed to put the game away multiple times in the 4th quarter. At least one three-and-out and multiple failed third-down plays. One first down would have basically ended it, or at worst, made the Commanders use their timeouts and punt the ball away to them with very little time left.

Yet, they failed to step on their throat and end the game.

As I mentioned, he would rebound in OT and lead the offense down the field for a quick go-ahead score. Due to this OT game-winning drive, Nix lands on the winners’ list tonight, but he could have easily been a loser.

WINNER – LB Alex Singleton​

Three weeks ago, Alex Singleton found out he had cancer and needed immediate surgery to remove a growth. This news would cripple most people, but Singleton stayed strong, thankfully received wonderful news about his diagnosis, and, miraculously, was back on the football field after missing just one game.

Huge play on 3rd down by Alex Singleton pic.twitter.com/iZkd42FYN8

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) December 1, 2025

While we may be upset about how that game went, we all should take a step back and appreciate this great story unfolding right infront of us.

What could have been a tragic moment for Singleton and his family turned into something wonderful and memorable.

Other notable winners and losers​

• WINNER – RB RJ Harvey: The run game sucked tonight, but Harvey did find the end zone twice and deserves some recognition.
• WINNER – WR Courtland Sutton: He didn’t have a super impactful game, but did catch Nix’s lone touchdown pass
• LOSER – Broncos OL: I am no offensive line expert, but the Broncos OL seemed to struggle tonight. Nix was under pressure all night, and it seemed like defenders were in the backfield consistently blowing up run plays.
• WINNER – S Talanoa Hufanga: He made some great plays tonight, but also had a few misses. I believe the good outweighs the bad, and Hufanga continues to be an electric player for the Broncos’ defense.
• LOSER – WR Marvin Mims: It seems like his role on offense has diminished
• WINNER – WR Pat Bryant: It felt like he made more plays than he did, but he continued to step up and had a key play to get the Broncos into the red zone.
• WINNER – LB Dre Greenlaw: Greenlaw had the Broncos’ lone turnover of the game, and he took points off the board from the Commanders
• LOSER – Broncos pass rush: Where did you go?
• LOSER – Lil’Jordan Humphrey: Pinning the Commanders at the 1 could have been game-changing, but you stepped on the line
• WINNER – Double-digit wins: The Broncos are only the 2nd team to hit double-digit wins in the NFL. I don’t care if they’re ugly wins or not; that’s exciting, and the Broncos have won 9 straight games.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...s-alex-singleton-bonitto-mariota-nix-mclaurin

 

[Denver Broncos]

Broncos make their own luck by making ‘one more play’

Call it luck if you want, but 10 wins, nine of them in a row, is not the luck that just happens to you.

It’s the luck you make happen.

Bo Nix understands this acutely.

Last year the Broncos lost multiple close games. They didn’t call it unlucky. They knew they just didn’t make the last play.

So you move on and figure out how to make that last play.

It’s been happening all season and no game proved that more obviously than last night’s OT thriller over the Commanders.

“At the end of the day, we scored one more point than they did and that’s the difference in a game in this league.”

BO NIX

“I understand what it’s like to be on the other side of things, but you just, kind of, keep moving on and you got to have a belief that you’re just going to find a way,” Nix said after the victory. “You know, it didn’t look great there for a minute, but we just found a way to make the next best play. At the end of the day, we scored one more point than they did and that’s the difference in a game in this league.”

In fact, it felt like the “last play” happened over and over.

After Nix led a touchdown drive that was so seamless you might have forgotten how inept the offense appeared much of the night – or at least in the fourth quarter. Thanks to solid run from RJ Harvey to start the drive, a huge gain from Evan Engram and a clutch catch from Courtland Sutton to set up Harvey’s easy TD from the five, the offense changed all the momentum and put the pressure on Marcus Mariota and the Commanders to respond.

Which they did.

It seemed like the defense was going to get a fourth-down stop until a pass interference call denied the Broncos an instant win and gave the Commanders new life.

A Mariota-to-McLaurin touchdown was called back for offensive holding, turning the tide once again in the Broncos favor, giving Denver a new chance for a stop.

But five plays later Mariota drilled McLaurin for an easy three-yard touchdown, and the Commanders were in the driver’s seat.

When the offense lined up for a two-point conversion, going for a win rather than settling for a tie, both teams knew one last play would decide their fates.

Thanks to a timeout, a perceptive play call change from Vance Joseph and an incredibly athletic gamble on staying on course for the sack or being prepared to bat down a pass to a wide open receiver were the confluence of factors that allowed the Broncos to create their own good luck.

It cannot be overlooked that in a split second @nikkkkbonitto recognizes that the REAL play was not a sack but to go after the ball.

I love this team.#DENvsWASH #BroncosCountry @Broncos https://t.co/k5h3Bg9FcU

— Doctor of Words (@docllv) December 1, 2025

“We got incredible belief no matter what. We just feel like we’re going to figure out a way to win the game, make the next play,” Nix said, adding his admiration for Mariota’s performance all night. “We’ve played some really good teams and we’re going to play more. We just got a good belief that we’re going to find ways to win.”

Nik Bonitto, the guy most responsible for that win, said his confidence level is at “1000 percent.”

“I mean, we’ve been battle tested all year. There’s no situation that we’re new to,” he added. “It was just a matter of just finding another way to win the game, and we did that.”

Head coach Sean Payton admitted the Commanders “were a handful all night.”

“It’s a great game to win; it’s a tough one to lose,” he said.

For Nix, games coming down to the last possession are what he’s used to, what he’s expecting.

And he looks at it as good practice for the bigger road ahead.

“I feel like we’ve seen any game possible, all the outcomes, but I know there’s going to be many more,” the quarterback said, adding that he looks at the pressure as a privilege.

“I was told a long time ago by one of my many offensive coaches that pressure is a privilege, and not many people get to be in that opportunity. So, if it’s going to be me who gets this opportunity, I am going to make the best of it,” Nix said. “It doesn’t always go your way. Fortunately for us, it’s gone our way in these games.”

“Statistics can’t grow legs and go out there and score touchdowns for you.”

BO NIX

To Nix and the rest of the team, this pressure is practice for the bigger and even more important games where only winners move on.

“As much as we feel like we’ve had success, there’s a lot of guys in that locker room that are eager to perform better,” Nix said. “We know that there’s a higher ceiling that we could play up to, and that’s what we’re gonna continue to practice hard to do and continue to work.”

Because the goal isn’t a 10-win season. It’s not round one of the playoffs. It’s not even the divisional round.

Whether you believe with them or not, the Broncos have their eyes on the Super Bowl.

And the players know it’s theirs for the taking.

“Statistics can’t grow legs and go out there and score touchdowns for you,” Nix said.

“We’ve shown great improvement but we definitely don’t want to stop here. …We didn’t wanna get to December and be ten and two. That wasn’t our goal,” the QB added. “Our goal was to make a deep playoff run and we’re clearly not there yet. We haven’t even had time to get there yet, so we’re gonna continue to battle, continue to fight.”

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...s-make-their-own-luck-by-making-one-more-play

 

[Denver Broncos]

NFL Playoff Picture: Broncos remain the 2 seed in the AFC

Week 13 in the NFL officially concluded Monday Night with the New England Patriots retaking the number one seed in the AFC with a dominating victory over the New York Giants. The Broncos, coming off another thrilling victory, remain the number 2 seed, but after that, we have some big changes to the AFC playoff picture.

The biggest change was the Jacksonville Jaguars overtaking the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South and moving to the 3 seed in the AFC, while the free-falling Colts are now the 6th seed and in danger of missing the postseason entirely. Despite their Thanksgiving Night loss, the Ravens are at the top of the AFC North, while the Chargers and Bills are your other two wildcard teams.

After their thrilling OT victory over the Commanders, the Broncos remain the number 2 seed in the AFC with a chance to be the 1 seed with a win over the Raiders this Sunday pic.twitter.com/6AtM40XF5w

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) December 2, 2025

If any of those teams slip up in the coming weeks, the Texans and their dominating defense are knocking on the door for a wildcard spot. Meanwhile, the free-falling Steelers and Chiefs are watching their postseason hopes slip away, and could Joe Burrow ignite a late-season AFC North run for the Bengals?

With all that said, here is your AFC playoff picture coming out of week 13 of the 2025 NFL season.

Division Leaders​

1. New England Patriots (11-2)​

The Patriots continue to roll and improve to 11-2 on the year after a dominating victory over the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. Second-year quarterback Drake Maye is getting MVP chants, and Head Coach Mike Vrabel has this team playing good football. Are they taking advantage of a last-place schedule? Sure, but they’re playing good football and appear to have the best odds of being the number one seed in the AFC.

They are heading into their Bye week this upcoming week and will have some time off before two big matchups vs. the Bills and Ravens. The outcome of those two games will likely decide whether or not they can clinch the one seed or not.

After their home game vs. the Bills and road game vs. the Ravens, the Patriots finish out the year with a road game vs. the Jets and a home matchup vs the Dolphins in the season finale. If they can get past the Bills and Ravens, they have a clear path to the one seed.

Remaining Games: BYE, vs. Bills, at Ravens, at Jets, and vs. Dolphins

2. Denver Broncos (10-2)​

The Denver Broncos improved to 10-2 on the year after an overtime thriller vs. the Washington Commanders. Despite being doubted, they continue to find ways to win and now have a good shot at being the number 1 seed in the AFC and winning the AFC West.

While it may not always be pretty, the Broncos continue to grind out one-score victories led by quarterback Bo Nix, leading multiple game-winning drives and a suffocating defense. They have proven they can compete with any team in the NFL, and their only two losses on the year came on last-second field goal attempts by the opposing team. They’re a gritty team and one that appears poised to make some noise in the final month of the regular season and into the postseason.

Looking ahead, the Broncos have another road game, this time against the Raiders, before home games vs. the Packers and Jaguars, before finishing out the year with a Christmas Night game in Arrowhead vs. the Chiefs and a home finale vs. the Chargers. It won’t be an easy road ahead for the Broncos, but they have the potential to win out and challenge for the one seed in the AFC.

Remaining Games: at Raiders, vs. Packers, vs. Jaguars, at Chiefs (Christmas Night), and vs. Chargers

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4)​

With the Colts losing to the Texans and the Jags blowing out the Titans, we have a new King of the AFC South. Liam Coen’s Jacksonville Jaguars sit at 8-4 and are now leading the AFC South and are currently the number 3 seed in the AFC.

Coen has quarterback Trevor Lawrence playing good football, they have a strong run game, and their defense has played well this season. With all that said, the AFC South is far from settled. The Jags and Colts play twice before the end of the season, and the Texans are not far behind both teams.

This Sunday, the Jaguars host the Colts in a game that will have huge playoff implications, followed by another home game vs. the Jets. After that, the Jags have another big game against the Broncos at Mile High before finishing out the year against the Colts on the road. They’re sitting pretty right now, but two games vs. the Colts and a road game vs. the Broncos will ultimately decide their postseason fate.

Remaining Games: vs. Colts, vs. Jets, at Broncos, at Colts, and vs. Titans

4. Baltimore Ravens (6-6)​

Despite a disappointing Thanksgiving Night loss to the Bengals, the Ravens remain at the top of the AFC North due to the Steelers losing to the Bills on Sunday. They sit at 6-6, which isn’t great, but good enough to be leading the AFC North this season.

They started the year 1-5 and looked completely out of it, but then won 5 straight before falling to Joe Burrow and the Bengals on Thanksgiving. They probably are still the favorites in this division, but it doesn’t seem like anyone really wants to win it right now, and it’ll likely go down to the regular season finale before this one is decided.

They play their first of two games vs. the Steelers this Sunday in a game that will have huge postseason implications. Following that, they face the Bengals again on the road, have a tough home game vs. the Patriots, another tough road game vs. the Packers, before finishing out the year on the road vs. the Steelers.

It won’t be an easy road ahead for the Ravens.

Remaining Games: vs. Steelers, at Bengals, vs. Patriots, at Packers, and at Steelers

Wildcard Teams​

5. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4)​

The Chargers defeated the Raiders on Sunday to improve to 8-4 on the year, but quarterback Justin Herbert would suffer a fractured non-throwing hand that would require surgery. Thankfully for the Chargers, it doesn’t seem like he’ll miss any games from this, but we’ll know more by the end of the week. Still, not something you want to see happen to your starting quarterback.

Like most years, the Chargers are dealing with multiple injuries to key players on their team, including both starting tackles. This has led to Herbert taking a lot of hits in recent weeks, and now he’s dealing with a fractured hand. Despite all this, they sit at 8-4, two back of the Broncos in the west and comfortably in a wildcard spot. However, a few losses could have them out of the playoffs entirely.

Looking ahead, the Chargers have a big Monday Night game vs. the Eagles, followed by a tough road game vs. the Chiefs in Arrowhead. They will then head to Dallas to take on the surging Cowboys before finishing out the year against the Broncos at Mile High. That’s a tough road ahead, and the Chargers cannot afford to lose many games in this ultra-competitive AFC playoff race.

Remaining Games: vs. Eagles, at Chiefs, at Cowboys, vs. Texans, and at Broncos

6. Indianapolis Colts (8-4)​

The Colts have fallen from the 1 seed to the 3 seed, to now being the 6th seed and no longer leading the AFC South. Now, they face a tough upcoming schedule and face the very real possibility of missing the playoffs entirely.

Quarterback Daniel Jones is dealing with a fractured fibula, Jonathan Taylor has cooled off these past two weeks, and they have lost 3 out of their last 4 games. The AFC is very competitive this season, and they cannot afford many more losses if they want to remain a playoff team.

This Sunday, they have a big “must-win” game on the road vs. the Jaguars in a game where they can retake the lead in the AFC South. Following that, they have a tough road game vs. the Seahawks, home games vs. the 49ers and Jaguars, before finishing out the year on the road vs. the Texans.

That’s a brutal upcoming schedule for the Colts, who have been passed by the Jags and have the Texans right on their heels.

Remaining Games: at Jags, at Seattle, vs. Niners, vs. Jags, and at Texans

7. Buffalo Bills (8-4)​

The Bills defeated the Steelers on Sunday to improve to 8-4 on the year and bounced back from a disappointing Thursday Night loss the week prior.

Currently, the Bills are the final team in the postseason and have the Texans, Steelers, and Chiefs on their heels, looking to take their spot in the postseason. They’ll need quarterback Josh Allen to carry this team on his back if they want to make the playoffs and cannot afford many more losses.

Unfortunately for the Bills, they do have some tough games left on their schedule. They will host Joe Burrow and the Bengals this Sunday, followed by a key road matchup vs. Drake Maye and the Patriots, a road game vs. the Browns, a home game vs. the Eagles, and ending the year at home vs. the Jets.

The games vs. the Bengals, Patriots, and Eagles will be very important for the Bills, and may ultimately decide if they make the playoffs or not.

Remaining Games: vs. Bengals, at Patriots, at Browns, vs. Eagles, and vs. Jets

In The Hunt​

8. Houston Texans (7-5): They got back quarterback C.J. Stroud and have one of the best defenses in the entire NFL. They are firmly in the AFC South race and have a huge game on the road vs. the Chiefs this Sunday. This very well might be a must-win for them if they want to win the AFC South and/or make it in as a wildcard team.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6): The Steelers have lost 3 out of their last 4 games and are a bit of a mess right now. Despite this, they’re still in the AFC North race and have a big game vs. the Ravens this Sunday. Like the Texans, they may need to win this game if they want to stay in the division/wild card conversation.

10. Kansas City Chiefs (6-6): They have lost 3 out of their last 4 games and are currently the 10th seed in the AFC. They have little to no room for error moving forward and have a big must-win game at home vs. the Texans this Sunday. A loss may very well end their postseason hopes this season, while a win would keep them knocking on the door for a wildcard spot.

11. Miami Dolphins (5-7): The odds of the Dolphins making a late-season run are slim, but with the AFC up in the air right now, it’s not impossible. They will need to win out and get some help to make it happen, but there’s a chance, even if it is a slim one. They’re only getting mentioned here because I believe the 12th seed could very well win the AFC North still.

12. Cincinnati Bengals (4-8): Joe Burrow is back, and the Bengals upset the Ravens on Thanksgiving night. They’re only two back of the Ravens and Steelers, and despite their 4-8 record, not out of the AFC North race. If they can string together a strong final month, they could make things very interesting in that division. One major hurdle will come this Sunday when they’ll head to Buffalo in December to take on the Bills.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...ars-ravens-bills-chargers-colts-chiefs-texans

 

[Denver Broncos]

Broncos sign veteran wide receiver Elijah Moore to their practice squad

According to NFL Network’s league insider Tom Pelissero, the Denver Broncos are signing former second-round pick, wide receiver Elijah Moore, to their practice squad. Moore worked out for the Broncos on Monday and is now joining their practice squad.

Veteran WR Elijah Moore is signing to the Broncos practice squad, per source.

Now on his fourth team in five NFL seasons, Moore has 209 career catches for 2,274 yards and nine TDs. pic.twitter.com/d1uj8LQRAQ

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 2, 2025

Moore was a second-round pick by the New York Jets in the 2021 NFL Draft and played two seasons for them before requesting a trade. In March of 2023, Moore was traded to the Cleveland Browns for a third-round selection and played there for two seasons. This past season, Moore signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills before being waived by the team on November 26th, and is now joining the Denver Broncos.

Throughout his five-year career, Moore has appeared in 70 games, including 42 starts, and has totaled 209 receptions for 2,274 yards and 9 touchdowns. Last season for the Browns, Moore had 61 receptions for 538 yards and 1 touchdown, including an impressive performance against the Broncos, where he had 8 receptions for 111 yards. This season with the Bills, Moore had 9 receptions for 112 yards before being waived by the team.

Moore is a 5’10”, 178-pound receiver who ran a 4.35 40-time at his Pro Day during the pre-draft process. He gives the Broncos yet another explosive playmaker for quarterback Bo Nix. He also gives them another veteran receiver to pair with their young core of receivers who play alongside veteran Courtland Sutton.

I do not think Moore would be signing with the Broncos if he did not have a chance to play. He is an established wide receiver in the NFL and has produced throughout his career. With that said, it’ll be interesting to see where Moore fits into the Broncos’ wide receiver rotation. Sutton is the Broncos’ WR1, while Troy Franklin and rookie Pat Bryant have stepped up and seen their playing time increase in recent weeks. All-Pro returner Marvin Mims Jr. has seen his role on offense diminish recently as well, so it’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Giving quarterback Bo Nix another explosive deep threat for their postseason run is never a bad idea. Moore has talent, and hopefully, Sean Payton and the Broncos can revitalize his career and turn him into a productive player who can help them make a deep postseason run.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...receiver-elijah-moore-to-their-practice-squad

 

[Denver Broncos]

Denver Broncos power rankings around the web for Week 14

The Denver Broncos continue to win in the most amazing ways. On Sunday Night Football, they needed a Nik Bonitto batted pass on a two-point try in over time to move past the Washington Commanders.

At 10-2, they are one of just two double-digit win teams in the NFL after thirteen weeks of football. At the end of the day, all that matters is wins and losses and the Broncos are stacking the wins in incredible fashion. The more wins they stack, the harder it will be for national media to throw shade on these Broncos.

Here is where the Broncos rank heading into Week 14:

NFL.com: 3rd​

Perhaps we should start looking at Denver’s late-game heroics as a feature, not a bug. I know it’s difficult when you see a team living as dangerously as the Broncos are, but no one has been able to make them pay for their mistakes since mid-September. They’ve won nine straight games now, seven of those by one score. The past four victories came by a total of 10 points. Can they keep living on the razor’s edge? Well, these Broncos seem to thrive amid the danger, perilous as it might feel. Sunday night’s 27-26 overtime win at Washington nearly slipped away from them a few times, and they were on the right end of some fortunate calls, but the results are ultimately what matter most. The Chiefs won nine straight last season in similar fashion and ultimately got to a Super Bowl. Who’s to say the Broncos are not capable of a similar outcome, even with the doubt they cast?

Yahoo Sports: 3rd​

The Broncos have a great record and a good shot at the No. 1 seed in the AFC, but the lingering issues kept them from moving up this week. Their offense could not put away a game against the Commanders in the fourth quarter Sunday night, whiffing on all four drives while they nursed a small lead. The defense gave up two long drives to Marcus Mariota with the game on the line, though it got the play it needed when Nik Bonitto knocked down a pass on a 2-point conversion. But Broncos head coach Sean Payton believes there’s value in winning close games. “The journey of a good team’s season involves games like this, and then you believe you can do it again,” Payton said.

CBS Sports: 2nd​

It wasn’t pretty in Washington, but good teams find a way. They just keep on winning close games.

ESPN: 3rd​

With J.K. Dobbins on injured reserve (foot), Harvey is clearly the team’s RB1 and the only “big” back on the roster at 205 pounds — no other player at the position is over 200 pounds. He has shown improvement in pass protection, so that should give him some additional third-down snaps in the weeks ahead. But the Broncos need him at his decisive best as a runner if their run game is going to be more than ornamental.

Pro Football Talk: 2nd​

The No. 1 seed is inching within reach.

USA Today: 5th​

In some respects, they resemble a Rocky Mountain version of the Seahawks, sporting an often dominant D and a quarterback who can be great … and also a total wild card.

Fox Sports: 3rd​

They’ve now won nine straight games despite trailing at some point in each one. Their past four wins were by a combined 10 points. Why do they make everything so hard?

Sports Illustrated: 7th​

Opponent aside, I thought this was another great survival test for the Broncos who, despite the circumstances, are getting the critical plays when necessary, be it an efficient rushing drive or the generation of a free runner on defense who can shut a play down. That’s a coaching difference and remains Denver’s biggest advantage to this point.

---

The consensus seems to be that the Broncos are among the top three teams in the NFL right now. The outlier being Sports Illustrated who dropped the Broncos from 4th to 7th after their win on Sunday. That writer is off his rocker, obviously. By and large, the Broncos record is demanding the respect most of these writers don’t want to give. That will likely continue even if they win another game next week over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Respect is earned and beating the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs wasn’t enough. The real test will come in those final four games against the Packers, Jaguars, Chiefs, and Chargers. The stars are aligning for one heck of a finish to this regular season.

Do you think the Broncos are being fairly ranked heading into Week 14?

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...272/denver-broncos-nfl-power-rankings-week-14

 

[Denver Broncos]

Broncos Film Review: Garett Bolles vs the Commanders

There are three things that we can always expect: death, taxes, and Garett Bolles being the cornerstone of this offensive line. This guy is the definition of consistent, and he’s consistently great. It doesn’t matter the opponent, place, or time, Bolles always shows up to the occasion, and Sunday night was no different.

The Denver Broncos were once again pass-heavy on offense when they took on the Washington Commanders, and you can be that kind of team when you have an offensive line like they do, especially when they have an uber-reliable talent protecting the blind side. Today we get to take a look at the kind of game that Bolles had in prime time, and I think I might’ve already spoiled the general vibe of it.

But let’s take a look at the game Garett Bolles had against Washington.

Stat crunch​

Garett Bolles played all 69 of Denver’s offensive snaps. 21 of them were designed runs and 48 of them were designed passes.

Bolles had zero blown blocks and gave up zero TFLs.

He gave up two pressures in pass protection, but gave up zero QB hits and zero sacks.

He committed zero penalties.

Bolles would finish the game with two “Bad” blocks, two “Meh” blocks, six “Alright” blocks, and 59 “Good” blocks for a score of 64.5 points out of a possible 69, or 93.5%.

He was nearly perfect in run protection, scoring a 98.8% as he had one “Alright” block and 20 “Good” blocks. In pass protection he put up a 91.1%.

In general​

There wasn’t much thrown at Bolles that he couldn’t handle all night long.

His run protection mostly consisted of either a sealing of the backside B gap or the washing out of the playside DE. He was just usually building a wall as that’s what the role of the offensive tackle is on Inside Zone. He looked athletic in this part too, as throughout the run game he handles the space he has to work in well. He’s able to get to the defender efficiently, but still under balance and does a great job at closing the door when the defender attempts to make a move to the inside.

It’s typically Bolles’ athleticism that impresses me in his run game. The Broncos almost exclusively run their series of Crack Tosses or Pin-and-Pulls to the left as Bolles does a great job of getting around the block and into space on the boundary and lays a clean block. He just handles space so much better than most tackles around the league.

And when it came to his pass protection in this game, outside of those two pressures, it was almost comical watching him play. Bolles looks so nonchalant out there, like he’s not even trying that hard. The DE has almost no chance of getting to Nix on any given play. It’s almost like there’s a reason that he’s the only tackle in the league who has yet to give up a sack.

We’ll take a look at one of his pressures specifically, but one was due to him lowering his head on initial contact with the DE, which is just a bit of a mental/ physical lapse by him. Usually he has no issue with that mistake. And the other play, in my opinion, was a lack of effort, thinking he would just be on the backside of the play and not chasing after an extra rusher. But that’s rare to see out of Bolles, so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and say that this won’t really be an issue moving forwards.

The specifics​

Pass play – Drop back – Good block

The first think I like about this clip is the patience that Bolles shows. The DE is playing a wide-9 tech and it’ll take some time for him to close the gap. The worst thing you can do is to try and go out to him, vertically or horizontally. If you play up to him, then you have no base and can get speed-moved easily. If you go out horizontally then you open up a massive gap inside for him to take. Bolles does neither.

He sits and as the DE tries the bull rush, Bolles sits into it, gets his feet behind him and chops them, and then bring his feet back underneath his body to completely absorb the attack.

Pass play – Drop back – Bad block

This is one of the two pressures that he gave up on Sunday. In the last clip he did a great job of absorbing the bull rush. This clip he does a poor job against the same rush.

The main issue is his posture at the initial point of contact. He drops his head and his chest gets too far out over his toes. But most importantly, his left foot is off the ground when the DE lands his hands. Bad timing of the feet and bad posture leads to him getting driven back, collapsing the pocket. And since Bo Nix now feels like he has to step up, the DE is able to get a hand on Nix. Somehow Nix is able to escape and get the ball out before he takes the sack. It’s quite remarkable how good Nix is at this stuff.

Pass play – Drop back – Good block

This clip shows off more of Bolles’ patience, and also how good he is at hand fighting.

He does a great job of first just using his inside hand to keep the DE at distance (in pass protection you want space between you and the dline, the opposite of what you want in run protection). At the initial contact the DE is only in range of Bolles’ right hand, and if he tried to get his left hand on, that would cause him to lean over.

Instead he waits for the DE to attempt his pass rush, and then after that he counters by placing his left hand right into the DE’s chest, stopping him in his tracks. And then the cherry on top is Alex Palczewski coming over to pop the DE a little.

Also I still can’t believe this pass by Nix.

Pass play – Drop back – Good block

While the focus is on Bolles and how well he takes over the slanter on this stunt, this clip is a highlight of Palczewski and Luke Wattenberg too.

Check out how Palczewski sees that the DE is looping back inside, so he gives the DT a big shove right across Bolles, making it easy to pick up the DT. He then slides back inside and gets right onto Wattenberg’s hip and they both completely shut the door on the looper. This is a great rep by all three guys, as well as Bolles.

Run play – Outside Zone Lead – Good block

Don’t worry, I didn’t just pick pass plays to look at. It just so happened that the sample size of pass plays vs run plays is a little lopsided.

With this Outside Zone concept, Bolles is tasked with the job of reaching the DT. With a reach block, you must always be working to get to the playside of the defender as long as that opportunity presents itself (you can turn the block into a wash if you absolutely have no other option). Bolles shows off the rip technique, throwing his backside arm across the defender and running him across the field. It’s a dang near perfect use of this technique.

Side note: for those that care, I was pretty torn of trying to figure out if this was Inside or Outside Zone. The slice block by Trautman make it seem like IZ, and where Jaleel McLaughlin attempts to rush makes it seem like IZ, but the reach blocks by the offensive line and how they’re declaring rushing lanes by flipping their hips seems to be more of an Outside Zone concept. Either way, good block by Bolles.

Final thoughts​

Garett Bolles is simply playing like one of the best offensive tackles in the game at this point, and there is little that he’s unable to do. This offense works in great part due to him. He is a joy to watch every week.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/bron...oncos-film-review-garett-bolles-vs-commanders

 

[Denver Broncos]

Broncos vs. Raiders: Wednesday practice participation report

The Denver Broncos have a mix of good and bad news to start their Week 14 preparation to take on the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. First, the good news. Edge rusher Jonah Elliss is a full participant to start this week after a multi-week rehab on a hamstring injury. It sure looks like he’ll be ready to return to action barring any setbacks there.

The bad news is interior defensive lineman D.J. Jones was a non-participant in practice on Wednesday. He was seen watching practice without a helmet, but no other status update on his potential availability for Sunday’s game.

Here is your full practice report for Wednesday.

Denver Broncos Injury Report​

Player	Pos.	Injury	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Game Status
Jonah Elliss	OLB	Hamstring	FULL
Reese Taylor	CB	Chest	FULL
Nate Adkins	TE	Knee	DNP
D.J. Jones	DT	Ankle	DNP

Las Vegas Raiders Injury Report​

Player	Pos.	Injury	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Game Status
Jamal Adams	LB	Knee	FULL
Will Putnam	C	Shoulder	FULL
Maxx Crosby	DE	Knee	LIMITED
Jordan Meredith	C/G	Ankle	LIMITED
Geno Smith	QB	Foot	LIMITED
Alex Bachman	WR	Thumb	DNP
Michael Mayer	TE	Ankle	DNP
Dylan Parham	G	Back	DNP
Dont’e Thornton	WR	Concussion	DNP

BOLD – Indicates change in status; NIR- Indicates not injury related; *- Team conducted a walk-through / report is an estimation
STATUS DEFINITIONS: Did not participate (DNP); Limited: means less than 100 percent of a player’s normal repetitions; Full—100 percent of player’s normal repetitions; Out: will not play; Doubtful: Unlikely to play; Questionable: Uncertain to play

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv.../broncos-vs-raiders-wednesday-practice-report

 

[Denver Broncos]

Broncos at Commanders: The No Bull Review

I have never felt quite so exhausted after watching a football game as I did Sunday night. I owe my apologies to my neighbors for the late-night emotions, frustrations, and exclamations of joy (Thank you for your tolerance of our family being football fans).

I did not expect a close game this week. I did not expect the most exciting game of the year on a cold night in Maryland.

I have two big points to start off my review.

Look out for the Washington Commanders next year​

No seriously.

That football team gave the Denver Broncos their best shot, and it was damn near enough to topple them.

What I saw from them was a love of the game, no quit, and lots of talent on their roster. They need their starter back, and they need to make some improvements in their secondary. Do that, and they are going to do some damage in the playoffs next season.

Also, a big hat tip to Marcus Mariota. What a great game from their backup quarterback. I’d take him as a backup any day of the week. He played with grit and talent. I did not feel safe, pretty much on any snap with how their offense was playing.

That referee crew was abhorrently heinous​

I can not for the life of me understand how this crew of “referees” got paid to officiate an NFL game. I stopped counting at 6 false starts by the Commander’s that were obvious and went uncalled. I stopped counting at 5 blatant holding calls in the 2nd quarter that went uncalled (in case you wondered why the Broncos’ pass rush wasn’t working, it largely had to do with their line being able to get away with murder). The Commanders scored a touchdown on an obvious OPI pick. Bonitto got flagged for unnecessary roughness just for moving a guy when he got shoved into the dirt (both were penalties for the record…both players should have been flagged). Nix had a helmet-to-helmet hit that was as clear as day, where if you watch it, the umpire was looking into the stands like a moron, which was why it didn’t get flagged (the other ref didn’t have an angle to see it clearly from what I could see).

Amazingly, in overtime, the Commanders won the toss and said, “We want to kick it that way.” And the refs let them get away with it. The winner gets to choose to receive the ball or defer, while the loser gets to choose the direction.

And their ineptitude did not only happen to our team. We got an intentional grounding call because screw the Commanders, I guess. Pat Surtain had a clear early hit on a pass breakup that went unflagged. Our team had 2 false starts that I saw go unflagged.

I will affirm any and all calls of terrible officiating about this game by fans of either team without question. The only saving grace at all was that the game was bad both ways, so I guess that’s fair entertainment(?).

Offense​

This was always going to be a game where the run game was shaky as they work on figuring things out with their less beefy running backs. I thought that aspect went well, and the team ran well enough to win. If they can keep popping some decent runs here and there, it will do the job of keeping defenses honest.

I think there is a clear opportunity for growth, though with more edge runs being mixed in. Both Harvey and McLaughlin can kill on runs wide if you can block it up well and get a good pull to lead block. I expect to see a bit more of that in the next couple of games.

I loved how the offense mixed up the play calls at different levels of the field. It was largely dictated by the Commanders’ playing sound zone defense (this is no mystery with Dan Quinn coaching them). The Broncos threw every look at them, practically speaking, and got targets to 11 different receivers through the game.

Quarterbacks​

If Bo Nix ever gets receivers who don’t drop balls that hit them in the hands or numbers, watch out. The drops cost this team probably two more scores and an extra 100 yards receiving easily. The throws were there. This was another pretty great accuracy game for Nix, with maybe two passes I thought were bad. One of those was obviously his interception, in which he stared down one receiver like a rookie and ignored the zone defender just in the way underneath.

What I loved seeing from him throughout this game was the clear understanding of where the soft spots in the zone were and where to go with the ball to let his guys make plays. That wasn’t just dropping short passes to his outlets, either. He hit gaps at all levels of the field through this game, with some of them being completed against very sound coverage.

Let’s also say that his pass to Sutton for a touchdown as he was getting sacked was straight fire. You will not see a better throw from an NFL quarterback this season.

Line​

This was a scrappy outing from the offensive line. They gave up only one sack. They opened up holes in the run game. They avoided getting flagged constantly for penalties (benefit of the doubt here, as covered above, this ref crew didn’t know their ass from their elbow).

I loved the constant effort of the linemen to help push their ball carriers forward. They were constantly hustling to the ball to help gain inches.

I also liked how well they protected, no matter where the rush was coming from. The blocking backs and line all adjusted superbly to overloads to either side. They get to block for a mobile quarterback that understands the art of rolling out of trouble to buy time, and it has helped this offense tremendously.

Running Backs​

R.J. Harvey is getting some very precious carries at this point in the season. While I don’t see a lot of #1 RB potential, I love how capable he looks as a back that can catch out of the backfield. That’s not to say he sucked. His first run was up the middle for 11. I absolutely loved seeing him get some carries at the goal line. He got two crucial touchdowns for the Broncos and showed the line that if they block it, he will score it. Also, the dude gets a ton of love from me for his blitz pick up on the throw before his overtime touchdown.

Adam Prentice got another fullback carry with a yard to go and got 3. I’m honestly curious why he doesn’t pick up more carries in short-yardage situations. He chipped in a catch for 11 yards as well. Having these kinds of players all over the roster that make big positive plays when only seeing 16 snaps is a real blessing.

Jaleel McLaughlin has jets, man. He had a great run late in the 4th quarter to rattle off 14 yards. When I talk about more plays to the edge, he’s the main guy I’m talking about.

Receivers​

Evan Engram started the game slowly with multiple drops. He really started clicking as the game wore on and was a guy who really benefitted from the Commanders playing so many zone looks. He led the team, catching 6 of 9 targets for 79 yards. His overtime catch and run was one of the most impressive explosions of speed I’ve seen after a catch in quite some time.

Pat Bryant, thankfully, is getting more of the snaps and targets than Troy Franklin, though you could easily argue he had a rough game of it. He had two very bad drops that hit him squarely in the hands. When he got going, it was spades, though. He had a 3rd down catch with Bo scrambling right, where he leaped up into the air to high-point the ball and got leveled coming down. It got cancelled out by a penalty, but it was impressive to see him hang onto that ball. Bo wasn’t shy about giving him targets even after his drops.

Adam Trautman converted a 4th down on a crossing route that got him matched up on a corner. He hilariously sat the guy down with a push to his helmet and rumbled for 22 yards. I love seeing a solid blocking tight end have so much versatility in the receiving game. That’s yet another tool in the belt of Sean Payton to help create easy plays for this offense.

Defense​

It seemed to be pretty tough sledding for the Bronco defense this week. The pass rush was being stymied by the Commander line, who protected well even when they weren’t holding.

What I was most impressed with was how good the secondary looked with Pat Surtain back on the field. The team notched 9 pass defenses, which is rare to see.

What was head-scratching to me was how often Vance Joseph dialed up a blitz that had so little impact. Mariota took a page from Mahomme’s book and was getting rid of the ball as fast as possible to help nullify our defense.

Front 7​

You can hold him. You can double-team him. You can chip the guy to keep him in check. But eventually, Nik Bonitto is going to make a play. He is inevitable. He was one of two players to get a sack (h/t to Dondrea Tillman). He made THE play of the game, batting down the final pass that was going to be an easy walk-in 2-point conversion had the ball gotten past him.

I’m so excited to see Dre Greenlaw rounding into form at the linebacker position. I spoke this offseason about how his ability to cover was such a big plus to this team, and he showed why this week. He did a superb job dropping deep into coverage deep down the sideline, and making a pick.

Big props to Alex Singleton with a gargantuan pass defense late in the 4th quarter by punching the ball out on a deep pass to the middle of the field. He notched two pass defenses in the game. It was so cool to see all the love he got from the team, as well as see how much love this guy has for the game. This guy is going to get a big bag of cash next offseason, and it will be well deserved.

Secondary​

Pat Surtain, II, was such a breath of fresh air to see take the field again. He got an early illegal contact penalty that was absolutely necessary – he was flat-footed and beat for a touchdown if he didn’t grab his guy. He battled McLauren quite a few times with ups and downs (McLauren is a freak, and you aren’t going to shut a guy like that down). Surtain’s pass defense in the end zone showed how extraordinary he is at catching up when a guy looks like he has a step.

Riley Moss got tested on the Commander’s first drive, and he played it perfectly to defend the pass. The stat sheet is going to show he got a touchdown thrown on him, but there was not a damn thing he could have done better. He was in a great position, timed his leap well, and fell victim to a perfect pass and a superb one-handed catch. Another PBU on 2nd and 25 in the 4th quarter, perfectly timing his defense to knock the ball away. It was cool to see his change in technique, feeling his receiver instead of grabbing the guy. The guy put in good work this bye week, and it paid off.

Talanoa Hufanga was an unstoppable force in this game. He got a superb blitz up the A gap for a TFL. The guy is just a playmaker at every level. He led the team in tackles with 13. Don’t let the broadcasters fool you when they talk about safeties leading the tackle category being bad…Hufanga is at the line of scrimmage quite a bit, making these tackles out of positions a linebacker would come from. He does get a big minus for that pass interference in overtime. The game was won if he just timed his play to be when the ball got there, and he knew it right away.

Special Teams​

We have to give Reece Taylor love for making one hell of a tackle by the shoestring on a return. He was fast, took a superb angle, and got the returner down immediately, pinning the Commanders deep.

Final Thoughts​

There’s something special we are seeing each and every week from this team that has me absolutely geeked. They play for each other, cheer each other on, and fight every rep to win for the guys they play with. I’ve seen this kind of play many times over the years. Not only is it refreshing to see, but it is a trait that I see a lot from champions.

As much as we love to prognosticate, no one knows how this season will end. I just know that I know that I know this team can win it all. It is a true blessing to see this team grow over the past few years into what it is today. This is great football from top to bottom.

Keep doing what you are doing, Broncos, and good things will come.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/broncos-editorial/165208/broncos-at-commanders-no-bull-review

 

[Denver Broncos]

Broncos at Raiders 5 questions: What’s the future hold for Pete Carroll?

The Las Vegas Raiders are one of the worst teams in the NFL.

After Pete Carroll was hired, there was hope in Raider Nation that Las Vegas could at least compete for a playoff spot.

Coming into Sunday’s game against the rival Denver Broncos, the Raiders are 2-10 and have already been eliminated from playoff contention. Since the franchise’s last Super Bowl appearance in 2003, this type of season is a common occurrence.

As for Sunday’s game, the Broncos head to Las Vegas as -7.5-point favorites. The total sits at over/under 40.5 points, with a lean towards the under at -118.

Given the hiring of Carroll and taking Ashton Jeanty with a first-round pick, was this kind of showing in the cards? And how much of the blame falls on owner Mark Davis?

We go “behind enemy lines” to get a feel for the Raiders heading into Sunday Night Football with Matt Holder from Silver and Black Pride to preview Sunday’s game.

MHR: How much of a disappointment has this season been for the Raiders? When the season started, was this kind of showing in the cards?​

Matt: Pete Carroll spent most of the offseason talking about his resume and began training camp bragging about how many times he’s won 10 games in his career. Also, while Geno Smith was never considered the long-term solution at quarterback, he was supposed to be a quality stopgap option and the best signal-caller the Raiders have had since moving on from Derek Carr three years ago. Obviously, that hasn’t happened since the team already has 10 losses and Smith is tied for the most interceptions in the NFL.

Heading into the season, I didn’t think Las Vegas would be a legitimate playoff contender, but I did think they’d fall somewhere in the seven-to-nine-win range. Instead, they’ve been uncompetitive in the majority of their contests and are clearly one of the worst teams in the league. Long story short, it’s definitely been a disappointing campaign!

MHR: What does the future hold for Pete Carroll? How likely is it that the Raiders move on from Carroll after the season?​

Matt: It’s tough to say because I’m sure Mark Davis isn’t thrilled about the idea of paying another coach to not work for him anymore. Plus, constantly churning through head coaches is part of the reason the organization is in this position, seeing as it’s on head coach No. 4 (five if you include Rich Bisaccia’s interim stint) since moving to Sin City in 2020.

That being said, the Raiders are clearly headed toward a multi-year rebuild, and it doesn’t really make sense to do that with a head coach who will be 75 years old next September. Also, there has been a lot of finger-pointing through the media over the last few weeks, indicating that Carroll and general manager John Spytek are butting heads. Despite the team being out of contention, Carroll is being stubborn and refusing to play the rookies outside of Ashton Jeanty, which has reportedly irked the general manager.

Given all of that, if I had to place a bet on Carroll’s future with the club, my money is on him getting fired.

MHR: How much of the blame for this season and the state of the franchise falls on Mark Davis?​

Matt: Davis has a 93-147 record with two winning seasons since taking over as principal owner in 2011. Meanwhile, he’s hired seven full-time head coaches and five full-time general managers, making him the common denominator in what’s been a brutal 15 years for a franchise that has a strong history.

I’ll give Mark some credit; it’s not like he’s late-stage Al Davis by meddling in football decisions too much. He’s taken a hands-off approach as owner, but the results have been terrible. In my opinion, he should be held accountable for the current state of the franchise. You can only make so many bad hires before it’s clear that you’re the problem. Hopefully, Tom Brady can help steady the ship, but year one of Brady being a minority owner hasn’t exactly inspired confidence in Raider Nation.

MHR: Where is the level of excitement for the future? Is there anything to get behind when it comes to the franchise?​

Matt: This kind of ties into my answer to your question about Carroll’s job security. To me, the most frustrating thing about this season is that the immediate future doesn’t look any brighter since the young guys haven’t gotten much playing time.

I like comparing this season to the 2014 campaign for the Raiders. They finished 3-13 that year, but there was more optimism since that team was led by rookies like Derek Carr and Khalil Mack, among other young players, to give the fanbase hope for the future. The club went on to go 7-9 the following season and then ended the franchise’s playoff drought by going 12-4 in 2016. Meanwhile, the 2025 squad has a defense that’s full of veterans on one-year contracts and a 35-year-old quarterback who is underperforming.

The only exciting part about the Raiders’ future is that they seem destined for a top-five pick, which could yield a long-term quarterback or premier player, and potentially, a new head coach who can develop the nine draft picks on the current roster.

MHR: As for the game, what do you want to see from Las Vegas on Sunday? And what is your prediction?​

Matt: A score prediction is tough because Denver is clearly the better team, but it’s not as if they’re winning convincingly this season, including a 10-7 bout the last time these teams met. Granted, I do think a few players on Las Vegas’ roster are starting to quit, so I could see this week’s matchup being more lopsided. A good example of that comes from their two matchups against the Chargers this year, losing 20-9 in Week 2 and 31-14 last Sunday.

I’ll go 28-10 Broncos.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...stions-whats-the-future-hold-for-pete-carroll

 

[Denver Broncos]

Vance Joseph pleased with progress of youthful defensive backfield

Vance Joseph and the Denver Broncos defense have come a long way since the Miami Dolphins dropped 70 points on them back in September of 2023. At that point in time, many folks across Broncos Country were ready to move on from Joseph. However, Head Coach Sean Payton stuck with the man he hired to get the franchise’s defense back to their winning ways.

Since then, they have embarked on an incredible turnaround. From being the laughingstock of the National Football League to one of the most feared and dynamic defenses over the past two seasons. All things considered, what Joseph, his fellow defensive coaches, and players have accomplished the past two years is nothing short of extraordinary.

Getting after the quarterback has been the biggest asset for the Broncos. That’s a big reason for why they have been so dominant and successful. They led the NFL in sacks last season and are currently doing so once again during their 2025 campaign. Their stud defensive trench players including Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, and Zach Allen have proven to be worth the lucrative extensions they were all given.

However, having an extremely talented and diverse secondary has been just as important in the defense’s remarkable turnaround. After yesterday’s practice, Joseph gave shoutouts to several young players on the defensive side of the ball, in particularly the team’s revamped defensive backfield.

“We’ve had four of five guys that have stepped in and played good football for us. I think players have to understand if they earn the right to play, they should play some,” stated Joseph who acknowledged the growth and development of Kris Abrams-Draine and Jahdae Barron being crucial to the defense’s success this season.

The Broncos have embodied the ‘next man up’ philosophy at several positions on defense this season. When All-Pro Patrick Surtain II was sidelined for several games due to a pectoral injury, both Abrams-Draine and Barron saw a significant uptick in snap count. Without the reigning Defensive Player of the Year on the field, Denver’s secondary didn’t miss a beat. In my opinion, I thought they fared quite well limiting the aerial attacks of opposing offenses.

“It keeps guys engaged, and it just makes you a better football team moving forward. I think it’s a good thing if you can play your young guys some each game and when it’s time to really play, they’re ready to play for you. They’ve earned it, so they play,” added Joseph highlighting the advantages of his young defensive backs getting more meaningful playing time.

Joseph also went on to detail what makes his secondary so special. With respect to his outside corners, he believes they have just the right blend of height, length, and ball skills. For those primarily at the nickel like Barron and Ja’Quan McMillian, he touted their football intelligence, foot quickness, and toughness.

There is no doubt the depth and versatility of the Broncos secondary is one of the best in the NFL. In order for Denver to finish out the season strong, win the AFC West, and potentially snag that #1 seed in the conference, they will have to make an impact in the final five games of the season.

Based on what we have seen to date, fans should be confident in that happening. They aren’t quite up to the same level the Super Bowl winning No-Fly Zone was at, but they are darn close. And you know what’s even better? The secondary is poised to bring back all of its key players from this season back for next year’s campaign as well. That’s a rare luxury to have and one fans should be grateful for.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...with-progress-of-youthful-defensive-backfield

 

[Denver Broncos]

Analyzing the Broncos’ run game without JK Dobbins

The Denver Broncos now have two games this season without JK Dobbins as the lead RB. In those games the Broncos faced the 17th ranked rushing defense and the 27th ranked rushing defense and averaged 3.4 yards per carry, which would be the worst average in the league for the whole season. Dobbins was averaging 5.0 yards per carry and he had a run success rate of 53.6%. A successful rush gains least 40% of yards required on 1st down, 60% of yards required on 2nd down, and 100% on 3rd or 4th down. Denominator is rushing attempts.

For the season RJ Harvey is averaging 3.8 yards per carry and has a success rate of 39.2%. Jaleel McLaughlin has is averaging 3.3 yards per carry and has a success rate of 46.2%.

In the first ten games of the season (with Dobbins) the Broncos were averaging 5.5 yards per carry on first down. In the last two games, the Broncos have gotten 2.8 (KC) and 3.5 (WAS) yards per carry on first down. The 2.8 yards per carry on first down was the worst against any team so far this season for the Broncos. The inability to run on first down has meant lots of 3rd and long plays over the last two games. As always kneel downs have been removed.

The Broncos have gotten 4.0 yards per carry on second down runs this season and 3.5 on 3rd and 4th down runs.

Opp	Quarter	Time	Location	Detail	Yds
Chiefs	1	13:08	DEN 46	RJ Harvey right guard for -1 yards (tackle by Drue Tranquill and Leo Chenal)	-1
Chiefs	1	10:22	KAN 23	Jaleel McLaughlin right tackle for 5 yards (tackle by Nick Bolton)	5
Chiefs	1	6:21	KAN 11	RJ Harvey left tackle for 4 yards (tackle by Michael Danna and Chamarri Conner)	4
Chiefs	1	0:49	DEN 40	Jaleel McLaughlin left tackle for -1 yards (tackle by Charles Omenihu)	-1
Chiefs	2	1:46	DEN 27	Bo Nix scrambles up the middle for 8 yards (tackle by Nick Bolton)	8
Chiefs	3	6:54	KAN 27	RJ Harvey left tackle for 1 yard (tackle by Drue Tranquill)	1
Chiefs	3	4:58	KAN 8	Jaleel McLaughlin right end for 4 yards (tackle by Leo Chenal and Drue Tranquill)	4
Chiefs	4	14:15	KAN 19	RJ Harvey left end for -1 yards (tackle by George Karlaftis)	-1
Chiefs	4	9:51	DEN 28	Jaleel McLaughlin left tackle for 4 yards (tackle by Derrick Nnadi)	4
Chiefs	4	5:17	KAN 40	RJ Harvey right end for 4 yards (tackle by Michael Danna and Chamarri Conner)	4
Chiefs	4	1:58	DEN 41	RJ Harvey up the middle for 5 yards (tackle by Drue Tranquill and Charles Omenihu)	5
Chiefs	4	1:01	KAN 49	RJ Harvey left guard for 2 yards (tackle by Jaylen Watson and Leo Chenal)	2
Washington	1	14:56	DEN 26	RJ Harvey up the middle for 11 yards (tackle by Will Harris and Quan Martin)	11
Washington	1	14:18	DEN 37	RJ Harvey right tackle for no gain (tackle by Jordan Magee and Daron Payne)	0
Washington	1	11:22	WAS 20	RJ Harvey left guard for 5 yards (tackle by Mike Sainristil and Frankie Luvu)	5
Washington	2	14:21	DEN 34	RJ Harvey left tackle for 3 yards (tackle by Daron Payne)	3
Washington	2	10:38	WAS 23	RJ Harvey left tackle for 3 yards (tackle by Frankie Luvu and Noah Igbinoghene)	3
Washington	2	9:27	WAS 12	RJ Harvey left end for -4 yards (tackle by Daron Payne)	-4
Washington	3	9:53	DEN 28	Jaleel McLaughlin left end for 2 yards (tackle by Jordan Magee)	2
Washington	3	8:21	DEN 41	Marvin Mims left end for 9 yards (tackle by Will Harris)	9
Washington	3	4:43	WAS 3	RJ Harvey left tackle for 2 yards (tackle by Quan Martin and Preston Smith)	2
Washington	3	0:44	DEN 14	RJ Harvey right tackle for 1 yard (tackle by Jeremy Reaves)	1
Washington	4	8:42	DEN 20	Jaleel McLaughlin right tackle for 14 yards (tackle by Quan Martin and T.J. Maguranyanga)	14
Washington	4	6:28	DEN 47	RJ Harvey left tackle for no gain (tackle by Jordan Magee and Bobby Wagner)	0
Washington	4	3:31	DEN 29	Jaleel McLaughlin right tackle for no gain (tackle by Eddie Goldman)	0

Since most of these were runs on first and 10, they need to gain 4 yards to be considered a successful run. That’s 10 of 25 successful runs on first down over the last two games. That’s a 40% success rate, with two of those 10 successful first down runs coming from a Bo Nix scramble and Marvin Mims jet sweep.

Some of the problem comes from RJ Harvey still thinking like he is playing against FIU or Memphis where he could always could outside and gain plenty of yards. He needs to learn to follow his blockers or he is going to keep leaving yards on the field like he did against the Commanders.

Harvey decides to go wide on this run. He could have easily gotten five or more by taking either of the well blocked paths. Instead he gets tackled for no gain.

— Joe Mahoney (@ndjomo.bsky.social) 2025-12-04T19:16:59.212Z

Another problem with the Bronco run game minus Dobbins is the inability to run through arm tackles. Both Harvey and McLaughlin are smaller backs (203 and 187 lbs) and neither can run through NFL arm tackles, which is something that Dobbins excelled at. Dobbins had 9 broken tackles in the run game. Harvey and McLaughlin have combined for zero. This plays out in the YAC/att. Dobbins 2.4 was one of the best in the league where RJ and Jaleel have gotten 1.9 and 1.4 so far this season. Tyler Badie has 3.0, but he has two carries so the sample size is tiny.

The Bronco OL has been quite good in run blocking so far this season. Since Harvey is now the lead RB, he just needs to unlearn some of the bad habits he learned in college. Trust the blocking and take the 4 yards. As the game wears on that will become an 8 or more yard run, particularly when the opposing defense is playing at altitude.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...ng-denver-broncos-run-game-without-jk-dobbins

 

[Denver Broncos]

Broncos defensive line depth is a huge part of their success

While the Denver Broncos defense had its first truly poor performance last week, they have been quite great all season long. At various times they’ve been compared to the 2015 Broncos’ defense. While I think that mantra is faded a bit, there is a key different with this defense and that one… depth. The 2015 defense had some quality depth at the edge, but it mostly relied on the starting group everywhere else. That isn’t the case in 2025.

The Broncos have quality depth at nearly every defensive position and nowhere is more impressive than along the defensive line. The edge depth is nearly on par with that 2015 squad, but it is the interior depth that outshines that historic Super Bowl defense.

I preface all this, because head coach Sean Payton was asked about pitch counts on defense and he noted depth being the primary reason.

“I just think that when you have depth, it helps a lot,” Payton said on Friday. “I think it’s one of the harder things to do in our league when you’re playing inside and you’re playing defensive line, these are short wrestling matches every six seconds. There’s a fatigue element to it, rushing the passer, the same thing. I think when you can have guys that can fill in… And it’s not always the case. Sometimes you don’t have that depth.”

With D.J. Jones ruled out in this game, that interior depth will be put the test against Ashton Jeanty and the Raiders on Sunday. Zach Allen was rested up and is a full go and the front got edge rusher Jonah Elliss back after a multi-week absence.

The defense has been a bit tame with the quarterback sacks lately, but Geno Smith should get them back on their record-breaking pace. He has taken 25 sacks over the past four games, which includes the six sacks he took against this same Broncos defense a month ago. Smith had the most sacks of his career last year with the Seattle Seahawks with 50. He is already at 46 with five games to go.

Denver’s depth will have a chance to shine again this weekend.

Horse Tracks​

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...cos-defensive-line-depth-huge-part-of-success

 

[Denver Broncos]

Ultimate Fan: Time for another win over the Raiders

TEN AND TWO, BABY!! This Broncos team has won nine games in a row, and there’s no reason it shouldn’t win a tenth. But it is the Raiders, a division rivalry, and as our new UFGer, Broncs Cheer, points out…those games are their own animal. But as he also points out, the Raiders are a hot mess (yay!) and this should not be a hard game for Denver.

If you’ve been a fan long enough, however, you know that Denver doesn’t really do easy games. Quick side note, I was at last week’s game in D.C. and man, I haven’t been at such an exciting game in a long time. And while those kind of games give me a heart attack, I absolutely choose a comeback win every day and twice on Sundays as the best kind of game — even if it shouldn’t be close!

But I digress…we’re on to the second game against the Raiders and Broncs Cheer has given us another huge victory with his analysis.

Go Broncos!

The Denver Broncos just win games…what else do you want?

Bo Nix’s growth at the LOS is a main reason why they have been so good late in games.

This is the best thing I’ve seen this week as far as QB play goes. https://t.co/v0JpLoHdVW pic.twitter.com/fxE84cZGMT

— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) December 4, 2025

Week 14: Broncos at Raiders​

MHR – The win over the Commanders was…amazing and aggravating. What were your thoughts?
Broncs Cheer: I was more encouraged than discouraged. I’m the kind of fan who rarely expects a blowout. I’ve seen enough surprise performances out of “bad” teams that I more or less buy into the “any given Sunday” cliché. And I think the Commanders came off their bye ready to play. Quinn and Kingsbury had good plans and it was the kind of game that a lot of teams in Denver’s position, even good teams, would have lost. The defense was due for a hiccup game, and while Bo and the offense had an uneven day—which we’re very much used to—Bo, in particular showed some of that sweet, sweet clutchiness that we’re also starting to expect from him.

MHR – The last matchup with the Raiders was a frustrating 10-7 win. Do you anticipate another dogfight or has this Broncos team figured out a few things since then? Or does that even matter in an AFC rivalry game?
Broncs Cheer: Yeah division games are kind of their own animal, but having just said that I rarely expect an easy game, I’m tempted to make this one of the exceptions that proves the rule. The Raiders have done nothing but lose since these teams last played, and they seem like a hot mess. I tend to think that last week’s scare will have a positive impact on the Broncos’ performance. Let’s just say I don’t expect Bo to set a new all-time record this week for fourth-quarter comebacks in a QB’s first two seasons. He’ll have to wait at least a week…

MHR – In the Week 10 matchup I asked about the coaching stability that is finally at the helm of the Raiders franchise. And then Chip Kelly gets fired two weeks ago and reports are that Pete Carroll and the GM are not getting along. Could the Broncos spur a complete meltdown in Vegas with the game on Sunday?
Broncs Cheer: Boy, how sweet would that be. It does seem like Pete looks a little older and lame-duckier every week. A blowout loss at home to one of their most hated rivals might just generate a little tasty chaos over there.

MHR – The Broncos defense against the Commanders looked sluggish to start before stepping up bigtime in the second half while the offense sputtered. Could this be a game where both offense and defense can sharpen their tools in the tool shed to get ready for the gauntlet that will be the final four games? Will you be concerned if they don’t?
Broncs Cheer: It’s unfair because it’s the offense where we need to see the most improvement, but in all honesty, I think I’ll be more disappointed if the defense doesn’t look sharp than if the offense doesn’t. I expect more from the defense. If Denver goes deep in the playoffs, it’ll be on the backs of the defense. And Bo and the offense have shown they can beat good teams without putting up elite numbers. That said, I’d love to see progress from the offense. Gimme some rhythm! I’d like to see Payton trusting Bo a little more to work at a faster tempo without worrying too much that he’s going to wear out the defense with quick three-and-outs.

MHR – Given the above question, what are the chances of the Broncos looking past the Raiders too much and having a down game?
Broncs Cheer: I’m going to say slim to none. In my heart of hearts, I hope the Broncos never look past the Raiders. And I have a lot of faith in this team’s ability to take the games as they come and focus on the task at hand. This is an important game for tiebreaking purposes (pretty sure a win clinches the common-opponent tiebreaker over the Pats), and I’m guessing Sean will be reminding them of that.

MHR – The Broncos offense is getting nicknamed the Cardiac Kids. What are your thoughts overall about the offense constantly having to come back in the fourth quarter but also its ability TO come back in the fourth quarters?
Broncs Cheer: I’ve been a defender of Payton’s play calling, despite getting yelled at by my 90-year-old mother who’s convinced that’s what holding the offense back. And she’s not totally wrong – when the offense is bad, it just seems like Bo and Sean are out of sync. Nix is still growing as a QB, and the offense is kind of growing alongside him.

I think most of the offense’s problems (other than legitimately needing a better big RB) are a function of Bo’s development. His timing seems just a little off. He can string together 3-4 good plays in a row, but I’m still waiting for an overall consistent game against a good defense.

I do think Bo’s got top-shelf intangibles – bad plays don’t stick in his head, he’s a good leader, and he’s at his best in the clutch. That’s stuff you can’t teach.

And call me a Payton apologist, but I just have this hunch that Sean is still playing some kind of long game with Bo, trying to bring him along at a controlled rate to build his confidence the right way. I think he’s got strong ideas about how to do that. And maybe he sticks to those ideas a little too stubbornly at times, but at least for now it’s hard to argue with the results. I’m just hoping that Sean is like some kind of mad genius electrician, getting all the circuits primed and all the wiring run just right so that when the lightbulb comes on for Bo, it shines bright.

There’s no question it can be frustrating as fans to see an offense that is intermittently out of sync, but I’m hoping Bo’s on schedule to put up better performances—and hopefully have a major breakthrough with this offense in the last stretch of the season.

MHR – RJ Harvey had two big touchdowns on Sunday night but the running game still seemed weak overall. Are you concerned about it this week as well as going forward or do you think the running backs are raring into form in time?
Broncs Cheer: I’m a little worried. And I don’t really get it. Our OL should be a good blocking line, but we lack that strong-running back who can run through contact. I’m skeptical that we’ll ever have the capability to be a run-first offense, and after what the Chargers did on the ground last week (Kimani Vidal?? Jaret Patterson??), if Denver can’t punch out some rushing yards this week, I’ll be even more skeptical. I do think we miss Nate Adkins more than people may realize. As far as I can tell he’s still our best blocking tight end.

Analyzing the Broncos’ run game without JK Dobbins https://t.co/pBxx6z08qa

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) December 5, 2025

MHR- FINALLY we saw Evan Engram have a big night. And Sean Payton responded to questions about it as if it has just depended on what the defenses have given them to dictate how to use Engram. Do you anticipate a growing role for him after last week?
Broncs Cheer: I’d love to see Bo and Engram get it going. He’s just what this passing offense needs, and he and Bo have seemed just a little out of sync most of the year.

MHR – I continue to want to see more Courtland Sutton because he is so clutch. But is that realistic when defenses are going to key in on him? With some bigger success for Franklin and Bryant lately, how can this WR room be a big threat to opponents?
Broncs Cheer: Court is still the Broncos best chain mover, but Engram and Bryant are making bids to share more of that load—making the big catch when the team needs one. What I’d really like to see is a big game from little #19! With a couple games under his belt now since his injury, it’s time for Mims to rejoin the offense. My hot take this week is that Mims will lead the team in both receiving and rushing yards—courtesy of a couple deep balls and a jet sweep and/or lateral swing pass.

MHR – Brock Bowers remains a dangerous tight end, but the Broncos limited him to 31 yards last matchup. And Ashton Jeanty racked up a decent 60 yards last time. Will these offensive threats be able to do so again? With Jahdae Barron getting more comfortable in the defense and Dre Greenlaw back in the lineup, will Denver have the upper hand on these two potential game-changers?
Broncs Cheer: Having PS2 back will help with Bowers. It’ll be interesting to see how much they’re matched up after Surtain handled him so well last year, because of the strides the rest of the defense has made at handling tight ends. I still love Jeanty as a back, but he’s gotten shafted running behind that OL. With DJ Jones out, I’d bet he could have as much or more success as last time, but I’d be surprised to see him be a big factor in the game. I’ll be curious to see who gets DJ’s snaps, and I kind of have a feeling Greenlaw is going to make his presence felt this week.

MHR – The defense came up HUGE when it needed to against the Commanders, particularly the play from Nik Bonitto. But there were also interceptions from Greenlaw and Brandon Jones (which was called back due to DPI) and some big PBUs from Riley Moss and Alex Singleton. What is your favorite part about this defense? What do you expect from them on Sunday?
Broncs Cheer: I’m a huge Zach Allen fan. I don’t think he gets enough credit for the yeoman’s work he does every week. Saw a stat today that he leads the league in QB hits, ahead of presumptive DPOY Miles Garrett. I expect him to make some noise this week. I’m also a Riley Moss defender. I appreciate the way he owned up to his “handsiness” (which is real) and set out to fix the problem. And Jahdae seems like he’s coming along nicely. Would love to see a pick from one of those two guys this week. With KAD and McMillian, we have five legitimately talented CBs, which is a huge luxury.

MHR -Sean Payton noted that his motivation to win comes from hating to lose so much. And Bo Nix said he probably loved winning so much that it made him hate to lose. For a philosophical end to this Q&A, what do you think is the proper motivation for the Broncos trying to win out, trying to win the AFC West and ultimately the No. 1 seed and beyond – fear of losing or love of winning?
Broncs Cheer: Philosophically speaking I’m love over fear all day long, but aren’t they really two sides of one coin? And I think that Sean is being just a little specious, or at least he does appreciate the value of both. He rocks the party music in the locker room at Club Dub after each win. He wants his team to love to win AND hate to lose. What has impressed me about this team though is the quality of their belief—in each other and in their ability to do what they need to do as a team to win. I think Payton and Paton have done a masterful job of cultivating that culture as well.

Occasionally live entertainment???

Can't wait to see THAT locker room! https://t.co/80VMNQqGvQ

— Doctor of Words (@docllv) December 6, 2025

Predictions​

Stats for Bo Nix? 26-40 295 yds. 3TD, 1INT

Stats for each Broncos RB? Harvey 14-60, Jaleel 7-31, Mims 4-82 1 td

Number of yards receiving/TDs for the receivers? Sutton 4-49 1TD, Engram 6-50, Franklin 2-29, Bryant 5-45, Mims 3-78 1TD, Harvey with a receiving TD

Longest FG for Lutz? 51

Number of sacks to Geno Smith? 5

Broncos player with the most tackles? Singleton

Who gets the first sack of the game for the Broncos? Zach Allen

How many INTs/FF/FR for the Raiders D? 1INT

How many INTs/FF/FR for the Broncos’ D? 2INT /2FF /1FR

Final Score? 34-13, Broncos

The Favorites​

Favorite John Elway win outside of the Super Bowls? Hard not to say The Drive, but during the Broncos march to the SB in 1989/90 there was an underrated great playoff against the Steelers where Elway led a game-winning drive in the 4th quarter after trailing virtually the entire game.

Favorite Broncos win ever? Unquestionably SB32. Tears of joy….

Favorite Peyton Manning win? SB50

Favorite win over the Raiders? AFCCG New Year’s Day 1978. I was in the stands at the old Mile High. The hated Silver & Black were 4-point favorites. Craig Morton had a bum hip and had been in the hospital for a couple days earlier in the week. Haven Moses ran wild in the Oakland secondary. The goalposts came down and the Broncos were off to their first Super Bowl. And yeah, Rob Lytle did fumble….

Least favorite loss to the Raiders? A Monday night game at Mile High in September of 1988. The Broncos had a 24-0 lead at the half, and the party was rolling! But by the mid 4th quarter, they’d given up the lead—thanks in part to four John Elway interceptions. After Rich Karlis, the barefoot one, gave Denver a FG lead with 3 minutes left, the Broncos and their fans saw Raiders’ kicker Chris Bahr (half of one of four placekicking brother duos in NFL history—bonus props to anyone who can name the other three*) kick his own FG to tie the game at the final whistle and one more to win it for the Raiders in OT, 30-27. The hangover started early…

Most interesting Raiders game attended? I’ve only been to two Broncos road games in my life—one being the excellently memorable game against the Browns at “the Mistake by the Lake” in the fall of 1980, where Randy Gradishar scooped a ball off a fallen Tom Jackson’s chest and ran it back 93 yards for a TD.

The other was memorable for a different reason — against the Raiders at Oakland Coliseum in December of 2007. Through a work/board connection, a friend of mine got hold of two tickets belonging to George Zimmer of Men’s Wearhouse fame (oh, you know you remember those commercials… “I guarantee it”), who, it turns out was, and probably still is, a VIP Raider fan and co-owner of a luxury suite. We got there early and there were only 2 people in the suite, who introduced themselves as Dave and Susan Casper (!)—the HOF tight end looking much smaller than I remembered him with pads on. He was amused at the presence of two Bronco fans in their suite and made a point of good-naturedly mocking us as a steady stream of former NFL players passed through the suite during the game. I told him I had been at the AFCCG in 1977 (where he scored both TDs for the Raiders) and it seemed like he still had a piece of that game stuck in his craw. Something about a missed PI call in addition to Lytle’s uncalled fumble. “I hated playing at Mile High,” he growled.

We were gracious guests and let the hosts win, 34-20 over Jay Cutler’s Broncos, breaking a 5-game winning streak against the Raiders….

Team you love to beat the most in the AFC West? Still and always, the Raiders

Coach you laugh at the most in the NFL? Nate Hackett (*editor’s note: FANTASTIC answer!)

Coach you most want to throat-punch? Josh McDaniels

Team you hate to lose to the most in the rest of the AFC? Pats

NFC team you could cheer for in the Super Bowl? Lions or Rams

NFC team you want to face more than any other in the Super Bowl? Seahawks

Favorite game so far this season? Beating the Chiefs

Favorite Broncos player on the current roster? Courtland Sutton

Favorite Broncos player of all time not named John Elway? Randy Gradishar

Favorite new guy/rookie on the team? Pat Bryant

Food/Snack you have to eat on game day? Popcorn

Favorite game analyst/commentator? I actually like Cris Collinsworth (sue me); Madden back in the day

Who is on your Broncos’ Mount Rushmore? Elway, Gradishar, TD, Rod Smith

*Trivia answer: Besides Chris and Matt Bahr….Pete and Charlie Gogolak, Bill and Martin Gramatica, Anders and Daniel Carlson.

How did you become a Broncos fan? ​

The Orange Crush days branded me, and all those Super Bowl losses in the 80s made sure the branding went more than skin deep. I moved away from Denver nearly 40 years ago but have been and will be a Broncos fan for life.

Road work ahead. #DENvsLV pic.twitter.com/sYn6D6TY9y

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) December 6, 2025

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...ate-fan-time-for-another-win-over-the-raiders

 

[Denver Broncos]

Broncos driven by fear of failure

Good morning, Broncos Country!​

Bo Nix hates to lose.

That’s not really breaking news, but it does give a glimpse into his competitiveness and drive.

That’s a trait the Denver Broncos quarterback shares with Sean Payton. In fact, the Broncos head coach hates losing more than he likes winning. That approach and mindset help explain why Denver sits at 10-2 and in a prime spot to get the No. 1 seed in the AFC Playoffs.

That motivating factor will also be the heart of how the Broncos approach the game today against the Las Vegas Raiders and the final stretch of the regular season.

When Payton was asked earlier this week if winning is addictive, especially since his team is on a nine-game winning streak, he said:

“I just think I hate losing more than anything in the world. I think fear of failure is a very significant motivating factor. I think from a details standpoint, there’s nothing that’s too small that’s not significant. That has to exist outside the lines as well. The entryway, the locker room, the signage, and postgame. In everything we do, there’s been thought given to all of it. Almost maniacal with the details. I just think that eventually the feeling of the player feeling like, ‘They’ve thought of everything.’”

That maniacal approach to the details is one of the traits that is contagious. For the players, coaches, and every member of the organization. When the topic of culture change in Denver and within the franchise is discussed, this is at the heart of that cultural shift.

“Thank goodness for me, I feel like all of my head coaches have been pretty detail-oriented,” Nix said to the local media earlier this week. “That’s why they have gotten to where they were. Coach (Sean Payton is) very detailed, very specific in what he wants, so it honestly makes it a little easier playing for him because you know what he wants, he’s going to explain it to you.

“As a player, you just have to do what he’s asking of you. If you mess up, he’s just going to run it again. Nothing to it. Just do it again, and do it again, and feel it out. Make sure you do it right, and then we’ll move on to the next one. It’s a really important thing I think for the details to be important, and if the details are important, no matter big or small, you’re going to have a good, detailed team.”

As for the fear of failure, Payton said it’s a very good trait for Nix to have.

“That’s a healthy feeling,” Payton said. “There’s that clock, and it’s that race to digest the game plan, the checks, the kills. That’s why a lot of these (quarterbacks) lose their hair and coaches lose their hair, turned gray. There’s a lot that goes into the preparation. There’s a lot of stress that goes into that.”

Although Nix said it’s more the common trait that they both just hate to lose.

“I think that’s more of the common theme that we have,” Nix said to the media. “We’re very competitive. We don’t like losing, and we’re going to do everything we can to win. Because of that, you’re going to get that competitiveness, you’re going to get that drive, you’re going to get the details, you’re going to get the little things all to not avoid the loss and pick up a win no matter what it looks like.”

Whether it’s the fear of failure or sheer hatred of losing, there’s a desire to win now when it comes to the Broncos.

“I sense it,” Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II said to the media. “It’s sort of the new motto for the building, for real. Winning is at an all-time high in this league, and to be able to win games, especially winning nine straight now, I think that’s a pretty big and huge for our confidence moving forward.

“Obviously, we have big goals and aspirations ahead, and every game is not going to be easy. I think Washington, they gave us their best shot, I believe so. But to be able to come out there with a victory just builds more and more confidence and makes us be very optimistic for the future of the season.”

However, Payton still feels a daily fear of failure. That’s one of the reasons Denver is in the position it’s in right now for the first time in 10 years.

“Absolutely, absolutely. Meaning, ‘Did I not cover something well enough? Is there something we’re missing going into this game?’ We talked about the Giants game, and Friday night seeing something and putting it in Saturday, in the event we need it. There we are, out of field goal range. I don’t know how much time is left, and we run that play we put in Saturday. When something like that happens to you, and it’s the difference between winning and losing, then it never stops.

“You have to be careful it doesn’t consume, but you have to … I hate hearing that term, ‘The hay is in the barn.’ You’re constantly looking for that edge, or one more clip of film, one more cut up because sometimes — this can happen. It’s very real. Let’s say there are 43 plays on a cut-up. I can watch that in the morning, and I don’t know if that caffeine hasn’t kicked in or whatever … I can watch that 43 plays, or a coach can watch that, and then this afternoon I can watch it and see like, ‘Oh my gosh.’

“When you get on one of those rolls where the Mountain Dew and the Coke is going, it’s like you just want to … ‘Don’t interrupt.’ Just keep going. There are sometimes when you look at it … For me, sometimes earlier in the week is difficult. You just came off a game. It gets clearer and cleaner as the week progresses. There’s nothing better than when you start seeing a lot of things that can help. Then sometimes when you’re not, just blow out the candles, go outside, take a cold shower, do something to change it up, to try to get back in it.”

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denver-broncos-news/165570/broncos-driven-by-fear-of-failure

 

[Denver Broncos]

Winners and Losers from the Broncos 24-17 victory over the Raiders

Last month, the Broncos played a rough Thursday Night game vs. the Raiders but were able to squeeze out a 10-7 victory. It wasn’t the prettiest game, and it had the media buzzing about how they were frauds. Well, they bounced back this afternoon and walked away with a 24-17 victory over the Raiders.

It was a 24-7 game late in the 4th quarter until the Raiders and backup quarterback Kenny Pickett scored a garbage-time touchdown to make it a 24-14 score. They would attempt an onside kick, but it failed to go 10 yards, and Broncos tight end Adam Trautman would fall on the ball. The Raiders would get the ball back and drive down and attempt a field goal with 5 seconds left, but time ran out, and the Broncos would walk away with a 24-17 victory.

This was a solid effort by the Broncos, who saw all three phases of the game come up big in this one and lead them to victory. With this victory, the Broncos move to 11-2 on the year, have won 10-straight games, and are now the number one seed in the AFC. Due to this, we have a ton of winners and very few, if any, losers from this game.

WINNER – QB Bo Nix​

While he doesn’t have the flashiest of stat lines, it was a very efficient, confident, and productive showing by the Broncos quarterback. Nix would finish the game by going 31 for 38 for 212 yards, including 3 rushing attempts for 15 yards and 1 touchdown.

BO NIX TOUCHDOWN pic.twitter.com/RCCfe3mrci

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) December 7, 2025

Nix was efficient all game, led the offense up and down the field, and controlled the time of possession throughout. After having a few games with happy feet and appearing to lack confidence, Nix has bounced back and played well these past three games.

He didn’t need another 4th quarter/OT comeback performance in this one, but Nix played well, and has led the Broncos to an 11-2 record, their 10th straight victory, and they are now the number one seed in the AFC.

WINNER – RB RJ Harvey/Broncos run game​

After veteran JK Dobbins went down with a potential season-ending injury, rookie RJ Harvey and the Broncos’ run game have failed to get much going on the ground. It was a concerning weakness for an offense that will need to run the ball in the playoffs if they want to make a deep postseason run, but we saw some promising improvements from that unit today

The Broncos as a team rushed for 152 yards on the ground and were led by rookie RJ Harvey, who had 75 yards rushing and 100 total yards from scrimmage while also scoring a touchdown. This was a promising game by the Broncos’ rookie runne,r and hopefully, something we see more of moving forward.

Fullback Adam Prentice added 22 yards rushing, as did Jaleel McLaughlin. Tyler Badie had 16 yards, Bo Nix had 15 yards, and Marvin Mims had 2 yards rushing. This is the type of rushing performance we will need to see from the Broncos moving forward.

WINNER – KR Marvin Mims Jr.​

While his role on offense has diminished, we saw why Mims is a 2x All-Pro and Pro Bowl kick returner. Mims would get his first career punt return touchdown in this game to give the Broncos a 14-7 lead and completely shift the momentum in the game.

ALL-PRO RETURNER MARVIN MIMS PUNT RETURN TOUCHDOWN!!pic.twitter.com/qXDV5CkwKy

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) December 7, 2025

Mims is a big-play threat whenever he has the ball in his hands, and while we have seen his offensive snaps dip a bit, he is still a dangerous returner. He had a big return vs. the Chiefs and now had another game-changing return vs. the Raiders.

Having a returner like this is a luxury, and hopefully, we see more big Marvin Mims returns in the coming weeks and throughout the playoffs.

WINNER – EDGE Nik Bonitto​

While the defense played well today, the real standout player was edge rusher Nik Bonitto. He finished the game with 2 sacks of quarterback Geno Smith and now has 12.5 sacks on the year. He is living up to his contract extension and is once again, one of the better pass rushers in the entire NFL.

NIK BONITTO SACK!! pic.twitter.com/9WTMd4CIGd

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) December 7, 2025

While the defense gave up 10 points in garbage time, the defense overall played well in this game. The Raiders drove down the field for a touchdown on their first series of the game, but would be held scoreless until in garbage time, when backup quarterback Kenny Pickett would throw a touchdown. After the Broncos failed to get a first down while milking the clock, the Raiders would kick a field goal as the clock hit 0:00 to make it a 24-17 game.

Not the way you want to finish a game, but they played well when it mattered throughout.

They added 4 more sacks to their league-leading total and held the Raiders to just 40 yards rushing and 189 yards passing (even though garbage time inflated those numbers). The Raiders were also 3 for 9 on third downs in this one, while also going 1 for 3 on 4th downs.

Not a memorable showing by the Broncos’ defense, but an overall solid effort that is muddied up a bit due to garbage time.

WINNER – FB Adam Prentice​

Fullback Adam Prentice is an offensive weapon.

He is either opening up running lanes for the Broncos’ backs, pancaking pass rushers as a pass protector, catching passes out of the backfield, or rumbling for 18-yard gains on the ground.

Prentice is a dog and can do it all!

Fullback Adam Prentice with an explosive 18 yard run!pic.twitter.com/DI0hz5qtry

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) December 7, 2025

With veteran Michael Burton going down prior to the season opener with a season-ending injury and tight end/fullback Nate Adkins missing time due to a knee injury, Prentice has really stepped up this season. All jokes aside, he has been a valuable member of the Broncos’ offense this season.

You either see him laying the wood as a blocker in the run game, providing pass protection, taking the ball on short-yardage, catching passes out of the backfield, or exploding for 18-yard gains on the ground. Successful teams have under-the-radar players like this who step up and make key plays throughout the year, and the Broncos have themselves a good one here in Adam Prentice.

WINNER – One Seed Broncos​

You love to see it and can read more about the Broncos retaking the one seed here.

Denver Broncos are your number one seed in the AFC pic.twitter.com/xgk4lqCVyh

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) December 8, 2025

Other Notable Winners and Losers​

• WINNER – WR Pat Bryant: The Broncos’ rookie wide receiver continues to play well and is turning into the Broncos and Bo Nix’s second-most trusted target behind veteran Courtland Sutton. He does all the dirty work as a blocker, makes big catches, has reliable hands, and is showing some YAC ability.
• WINNER – WR Courtland Sutton: Sutton once again was the man Nix was looking for on key third downs and, for the most part, came up with the big catch and the first down for the Broncos offense. It wasn’t his biggest game, but he was productive and reliable once again.
• LOSER – TE Evan Engram: After a good showing vs. the Commanders, Engram was invisible again and finished the game with just 2 receptions for 8 yards. The Broncos still won and played well, but I hoped to see more from Engram in this one. Hopefully, we see more big games from him moving forward.
• WINNER – WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey: He had 3 catches for 27 yards but helped out most as a blocker. He is meant for this role and is thriving in it once again. Lil’Jordan does all the dirty work in the run game while being a productive receiver on play-action/bootleg passes.
• WINNER – Coverting 3rd downs: I do not recall the Broncos going three and out today, and they went 7 for 12 on 3rd downs which is what you want to see from the offense.
• WINNER – Time Of Possession: The Broncos dominated the clock and controlled the tempo throughout. They had control of the ball for 39:03 minutes while the Raiders had it for 20:57 minutes. We saw multiple long scoring drives by the Broncos offense, which led to this wide margin at the TOP.
• WINNER – Sweeping the Raiders: For the second straight season, the Denver Broncos have swept their season series vs. the Raiders.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...s-nix-harvey-prentice-bonitto-playoff-picture

 

[Denver Broncos]

Good riddance to the Chiefs

The Chiefs are, as the kids say, 6-7 pic.twitter.com/vE9gNK2IEs

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) December 8, 2025

Sunday night felt like a funeral and it was delicious.

Is there anything better than the tears that are shed over the decline of the Kansas City Chiefs?

I know it’s going to be tough for the national media to shift gears and discuss teams that aren’t the Chiefs. A decade of lazy prognostication now gives way to an era where talent matters and Taylor Swift does not.

My sympathies are also with the officials. Nobody loves to put their thumb on the scale for an emotionally pouty quarterback more than the officials. Let’s give them some space while they reconcile their expectations with the reality that they’re no better than the Miami Dolphins.

They downgraded from the Panthers to the Dolphins https://t.co/R5PfAKGcw6

— Gaetano (@gapolizzi81) December 8, 2025

The Chiefs act is old. From Jackson Mahomes who magicly disappeared once he started having consent issues with restautant waitstaff to their kicker who may need to soon rely on his wife’s income due to his sudden inability to kick a ball between two posts. The Chiefs nonsense is tired and it’s a delight watching them surf the toilet bowl as they swirl the drain.

…and take those stupid State Farm commercials and the Kelce family in entirety with you.

Oh hey, and one more thing… Broncos aren’t just sitting atop the AFC and the AFC West, but they presently have the best record in football. Yes, a record that is even better than that of the Kansas City Chiefs.

The AFC West will have a different champion for the first time since 2015 pic.twitter.com/eMkA7Uv0KZ

— NFL (@NFL) December 8, 2025

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denver-broncos-news/165852/good-riddance-to-the-chiefs

 

[Denver Broncos]

Broncos control their own destiny with four games remaining

After securing their tenth win in a row and eleventh of the season, the Denver Broncos begin the week on the cusp of achieving something they haven’t in quite some time. The AFC West title and top seed in the AFC playoff race are there for the taking. So long as the Broncos take care of business down the home stretch.

Broncos Country should be ecstatic with where the team is at with four games remaining. What’s even better is the Kansas City Chiefs reign as kings of the division is finally over. It seems like the AFC itself may be turning a new leaf—a changing of the guard. A handful of different teams are paving their way toward the postseason, giving this year’s potential slate of playoff opponents a more unique look compared to years prior.

The last four games of the season for Denver won’t be easy. Two are against division leaders in the Green Bay Packers and Jacksonville Jaguars. The others? Rival battles with a desperate Chiefs team on Christmas and the Los Angeles Chargers to finish out the season at the beginning of January.

“We have a stretch here with some real good football teams coming in and focusing on what we can do to win the division. The Chargers are very much alive in that battle,” stated Head Coach Sean Payton.

There is little room for error if Denver hopes to win the West and earn the AFC’s top seed. They sport the important tiebreakers over the New England Patriots who are also 11-2. However, on paper, the Patriots have a bit easier schedule in their last four games.

Nevertheless, this year’s Broncos are a battle-tested team who’ve earned the gritty, gutsy, and hard-nosed identity they’ve shown on a weekly basis. Why can’t this year’s Broncos be the top dog in the AFC? Payton believes the team’s ability to earn tough wins have been a hallmark of the season. Moreover, that their weekly preparation has suited them well thus far.

“There’s a formula that your team knows is necessary because it’s happened. The formula of putting a good Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in. Many say the games are won on those three days before it’s ever played,” stated Payton.

Best day of the week. pic.twitter.com/ypPlSGTsF6

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) December 8, 2025

“We’re a more experienced team having had that success, having had some tough games, close games, but I would say that I think we’re a smarter team today relative to understanding the fine line in our league,” he added.

For Week 15, the Broncos will battle a formidable competitor in the Packers. At 9-3-1, Green Bay sits atop of the NFC North and also has a chance to be the NFC’s top seed. Their offense powered by quarterback Jordan Love and running back Joshua Jacobs has been hitting their stride recently. Additionally, their offensive line has been tremendous protecting Love, and they usually play mistake free football.

Their defense? Also, quite good. They are finally starting to get healthy and have done well limiting opposing team’s scoring ability. Spearheaded by All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons, they certainly get after opposing quarterbacks. Winning the turnover battle on Sunday will be huge, and it’s important to note the Packers’ defense has generated at least one turnover in seven of their last eight games.

Folks, it’s the final countdown for our beloved Broncos. Each game from here on out carries extreme significance. If we’ve learned anything this season, it’s that you can never count Denver out. Even so, they will have to be at their best this weekend to take down Green Bay. If they do, that will get them one step closer to winning the West and earning the coveted #1 seed in the AFC.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...of-their-own-destiny-with-for-games-remaining

 

[Denver Broncos]

AFC Playoff Picture: Broncos are once again the number one seed in the AFC

With the Patriots on their late-season bye week, the Denver Broncos had an opportunity to retake the number one seed in the AFC with a victory over. Well, the Broncos defeated the Raiders easily and gained an important tie-breaker over the Patriots, and now control their own destiny when it comes to gaining homefield advantage in the playoffs.

As for the rest of the AFC, we had some major developments. The Jaguars appear to have control of the AFC South, but do have the ascending Texans and their top-ranked defense on their heels. Unfortunately for the Indianapolis Colts, they lost quarterback Daniel Jones for the season due to an Achilles injury as their late-season free-fall continues. They have gone from a legitimate one-seed contender to now likely missing the playoffs in a matter of weeks. The Steelers defeated the Ravens and now lead the AFC North, while the Texans defeated the Chiefs, who now have lost 4 of their last 5 games, fell below .500, and will need to win out and get some help if they want to make the playoffs. On Monday Night, the Chargers kept their AFC West title hopes alive with an OT thriller victory over the defending champs, the Philadelphia Eagles.

With all that said, here is how the AFC playoff picture looks after the conclusion of the Week 14 slate of games.

Division Leaders​

1. Denver Broncos (11-2)​

With a win over the Raiders and the Patriots on a BYE week, the Broncos gained an important tie-breaker over the Patriots and have reclaimed the number one seed in the AFC. Now, the Broncos have won 10-straight games, and join the Patriots as the only two teams in the NFL to have 11 or more wins so far this season.

The Broncos are led by their dominant defense, but Bo Nix and the offense have been playing better recently. They got their run game going vs. the Raiders, rookies RJ Harvey and Pat Bryant are emerging as weekly playmakers, and they have a top-ranked offensive line in the NFL this season. If their defense can remain elite and the offense can continue to play well, they will be a tough team to beat in the playoffs.

The road ahead will not be easy for the Broncos. They play three playoff teams (lol Chiefs), but all three will be at Mile High while the lone road game will be at Arrowhead on Christmas Night. If the Broncos want the one seed, they’ll need to continue their win streak and hope the Patriots fall behind a game or two. Next up will be Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers.

Remaining Games: vs. Packers, vs. Jaguars, at Chiefs (Christmas Night), and vs. Chargers

2. New England Patriots (11-2)​

The Patriots were on their BYE this past weekend and lost the one seed to the Broncos, who gained a valuable tie-breaker over them. Now, the Patriots need to continue winning and get past their next two games without a loss if they want to obtain the number one seed.

With a win over the Bills this weekend, they would all but lock up the AFC East title and get past their toughest remaining test of the year. However, a loss would bring Josh Allen and the Bills just one game back and make things interesting over the final few games. This will be one of the top games to watch this coming Sunday.

After their big game this Sunday, where they host the Bills, they will travel on the road for another tough matchup against the Ravens. After that, they have back-to-back divisional games to end the year with a road game vs. the Jets and a home game in Foxboro against the Miami Dolphins.

Remaining Games: vs. Bills, at Ravens, at Jets, and vs. Dolphins

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4)​

The Jaguars keep on winning and now control the AFC South after defeating the Colts this past Sunday. They improved to 9-4 on the year, and first-year Head Coach Liam Coen has this team playing good football.

With that said, they have the ascending Texans and their top-ranked defense right behind them at 8-5, and we could see this division race go down to the wire. Either way, the Jaguars are in good position to make the playoffs this season, either as a division winner or as a wildcard team.

Looking ahead, the Jaguars have quite a favorable schedule. They host a Jets team ready to end this season, the Broncos in what figures to be a key matchup for both teams, before finishing out the year against the quarterback-less Colts and the two-win Titans. Outside of the Broncos game, they should be heavy favorites in three of their final four games.

Remaining Games: vs. Jets, at Broncos, at Colts, and vs. Titans

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)​

It doesn’t seem like anyone wants to win the AFC North, but the Steelers defeated the Ravens on Sunday and reclaimed the lead in the division.

The Steelers are a rather inconsistent team, but they manage to bounce back from poor performances and find ways to win as they hover around the .500 mark on the year. The race for the division between these two teams will likely come down to their season finale matchup.

Next up for the Steelers is a Monday Night home game vs. the Dolphins, followed by a tough road game vs. the Lions and then another road matchup vs. Shedeur Sanders and the Browns. The season finale will be a home game vs. the Ravens in a game that may decide who wins the division and who goes home to sit on the couch and watch the playoffs.

Remaining Games: vs. Dolphins, at Lions, at Browns, and vs. Ravens

Wildcard Teams​

5. Los Angles Chargers (9-4)​

With a big OT win vs. the Eagles on Monday Night, the Chargers escape week 14 with a win and improve to 9-4 on the year. They keep on winning despite a long list of injuries along the offensive line and quarterback Justin Herbert taking hit after hit while also dealing with a broken non-throwing hand that required surgery.

Justin Herbert is as tough as they come, but it is hard to imagine that he will make it through the remainder of the season injury-free if he continues to take as many hits as he has recently. On a positive note, they did get back rookie running back Omarion Hampton from the IR, and he will help this offense moving forward. Their defense is among the best in the league, but Herbert’s health will be the thing to watch moving forward.

This coming Sunday, the Chargers will travel to cold Arrowhead to take on a desperate Chiefs team, followed by another road game vs. the explosive Cowboys offense. They finish out the year with a home game against the dominant Houston Texans defense, followed by a road game against the Denver Broncos’ dominant defense, which leads in the NFL in sacks.

How the Chargers protect Herbert moving forward will be key to their success moving forward.

Remaining Games: at Chiefs, at Cowboys, vs. Texans, and at Broncos

6. Buffalo Bills (9-4)​

In snowy Buffalo, the Bills managed a wild 4th quarter where they scored 3 touchdowns in the span of 5 minutes and were able to get past Joe Burrow and the Bengals. With this win, they improved to 9-4 on the year and kept their slim hopes of winning the AFC East alive.

As I mentioned earlier, they have a big game vs. the Patriots this Sunday that will either keep their division hopes alive or all but end them. A victory will put them one game back in the loss column with three games to go, while a loss would put them 3 back with three games to go. It’s a big must-win for Josh Allen and the Bills.

After their game in Foxboro this Sunday, the Bills will hit the road to face the Browns before back-to-back home games vs. the Eagles and Jets. The Bills will need to win out if they want to win the AFC East.

Remaining Games: at Patriots, at Browns, vs. Eagles, and vs. Jets

7. Houston Texans (8-5)​

With a big win over Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football, the Texans improved to 8-5 on the year, are one back of the Jaguars in the AFC South, and are now the 7th seed in the AFC.

Led by their dominant defense, the Texans will be a tough out for whoever faces them, which will make them a dangerous matchup in the playoffs. If quarterback CJ Stroud and the rest of the Texans offense get going, they could be a sneaky Super Bowl contender if they make the playoffs.

Looking at their schedule, they have a manageable road ahead with back-to-back home games vs. the Cardinals and Raiders, followed by a big road game vs. the Chargers, before ending the season against the quarterback-less Colts. With their defense, they have a good shot to make it as a wildcard and could push the Jaguars for the division if they slip up at all in the coming weeks.

Remaining Games: vs. Cardinals, vs. Raiders, at Chargers, and vs. Colts

In The Hunt​

8: Indianapolis Colts (8-5): A few weeks ago, we were discussing the Colts as contenders for the 1 seed, and now, a few weeks later, they’re out of the playoffs. On top of all that, they lost quarterback Daniel Jones for the year with an Achilles injury, Anthony Richardson is on the IR, and rookie Riley Leonard is week-to-week with a knee injury. They’re so desperate, they’re working out retired QB Phillip Rivers, who hasn’t played since 2020 and just turned 44 years old. In all likelihood, the Colts are no longer postseason contenders.

9: Baltimore Ravens (6-7): They started the year 1-5, won 5 straight games, but now have lost 2 straight and are once again trailing the Steelers in the AFC North. Lamar Jackson has been struggling, and the Ravens do not look like the dominant team that we are used to seeing. They face the Steelers in the finale and will likely be in this division race until the end. They will need some help if they want to make it in as a wildcard team.

10: Kansas City Chiefs (6-7): Despite Cris Collinsworth’s best efforts to hype up the Chiefs, they we defeated by the Texans, lost 4 of their last 5 games, and sit below .500 with a 6-7 record with four games left in the season. The Chiefs were officially eliminated from winning the AFC West with this loss and need to win out and a bit of help if they want to make the playoffs. While they face the Chargers this coming week, they currently do not have a tie-breaker over any of the current wildcard teams and appear to be on the brink of elimination if they lose to the Chargers this Sunday.

11: Miami Dolphins (6-7): While the Dolphins have bounced back from their early-season struggles and may have done enough to save Mike McDaniels’ job, they are long shots to make the playoffs. Their best shot will be to keep winning, but they typically struggle in December. With that said, they did win a cold-weather game vs the Jets this past Sunday and will need to do it again next Monday Night vs. the Steelers.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/nfl-...lts-ravens-colts-chiefs-dolphins-daniel-jones

 

[Denver Broncos]

Snaps and analysis for the Broncos win over the Raiders

The inactives against the Las Vegas Raiders were Reese Taylor, Nate Adkins, Que Robinson, Geron Christian, DJ Jones, and Jordan Jackson. With Jonah Elliss healthy Que was inactive and we were back to 4 active OLBs.

Player	Pos	Off Num	Off Pct	Def Num	Def Pct	ST Num	ST Pct
Luke Wattenberg	C	74	100%	0	0%	4	21%
Alex Palczewski	T	74	100%	0	0%	4	21%
Quinn Meinerz	G	74	100%	0	0%	4	21%
Mike McGlinchey	T	74	100%	0	0%	4	21%
Garett Bolles	T	74	100%	0	0%	0	0%
Bo Nix	QB	74	100%	0	0%	0	0%
Adam Trautman	TE	55	74%	0	0%	5	26%
RJ Harvey	RB	50	68%	0	0%	0	0%
Courtland Sutton	WR	48	65%	0	0%	1	5%
Pat Bryant	WR	35	47%	0	0%	0	0%
Adam Prentice	FB	30	41%	0	0%	9	47%
Lil’Jordan Humphrey	WR	28	38%	0	0%	3	16%
Marcedes Lewis	TE	28	38%	0	0%	0	0%
Evan Engram	TE	27	36%	0	0%	0	0%
Marvin Mims	WR	20	27%	0	0%	6	32%
Troy Franklin	WR	19	26%	0	0%	0	0%
Tyler Badie	RB	12	16%	0	0%	12	63%
Jaleel McLaughlin	RB	10	14%	0	0%	0	0%
Frank Crum	T	8	11%	0	0%	7	37%
Patrick Surtain II	CB	0	0%	50	100%	0	0%
Alex Singleton	LB	0	0%	49	98%	0	0%
Talanoa Hufanga	S	0	0%	47	94%	4	21%
Riley Moss	CB	0	0%	46	92%	4	21%
Brandon Jones	S	0	0%	46	92%	0	0%
Zach Allen	DL	0	0%	35	70%	3	16%
Ja’Quan McMillian	CB	0	0%	34	68%	0	0%
Nik Bonitto	LB	0	0%	31	62%	0	0%
Jonathon Cooper	LB	0	0%	31	62%	0	0%
Dre Greenlaw	LB	0	0%	30	60%	0	0%
Malcolm Roach	DT	0	0%	24	48%	3	16%
John Franklin-Myers	DL	0	0%	23	46%	3	16%
Eyioma Uwazurike	DL	0	0%	23	46%	3	16%
Jonah Elliss	LB	0	0%	20	40%	9	47%
Dondrea Tillman	LB	0	0%	19	38%	11	58%
Jahdae Barron	CB	0	0%	13	26%	3	16%
Justin Strnad	LB	0	0%	10	20%	15	79%
Sai’vion Jones	DE	0	0%	10	20%	3	16%
Kris Abrams-Draine	CB	0	0%	6	12%	15	79%
P.J. Locke	S	0	0%	2	4%	11	58%
Devon Key	DB	0	0%	1	2%	15	79%
Jordan Turner	LB	0	0%	0	0%	11	58%
JL Skinner	S	0	0%	0	0%	10	53%
Wil Lutz	K	0	0%	0	0%	9	47%
Mitchell Fraboni	LS	0	0%	0	0%	5	26%
Jeremy Crawshaw	P	0	0%	0	0%	5	26%
Calvin Throckmorton	G	0	0%	0	0%	4	21%
Alex Forsyth	C	0	0%	0	0%	4	21%

The Denver Broncos OL and Bo Nix played all 74 of the offensive snaps. Frank Crum played 8 snaps as the sixth offensive lineman.

Adam Trautman played 55 snaps at TE and Marcedes Lewis played 28, one more than Evan Engram. It’s obvious that the gameplan was to run the ball down the throats of the Raider defense. Since Lewis is essentially an offensive lineman, between him and Crum we had an extra OL guy on the field about half of the time.

Adam Prentice got a career high 30 snaps and 3 touches in the game. RJ Harvey got 50 snaps which is more than double the combined snaps of Tyler Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin (12 and 10). This was a career high for Harvey as well.

Sutton and Bryant were WR1 and WR2 this game getting 48 and 35 snaps. LJ Humphrey was WR3 with 28 snaps. Mims and Franklin were WR4/5 with 20 and 19 snaps. Mims got one target and one carry while Franklin was targetted 4 times with 3 catches for 11 yards.

Defensively we only had one player play every snap and that was PS2. Alex Singleton played all but one snap and thankfully was not in coverage on Brock Bowers very often. Riley Moss played all but four snaps.

At Safety Hufanga and Jones played 47 and 46 snaps while Jahdae Barron got 13 snaps as the CB/S combo. Locke and Key played 2 and 1 snap at safety.

Other CBs who played defense were Ja’Quan McMillian and KAD who played 34 and 6 snaps.

At ILB Dre Greenlaw and Justin Strnad played 30 and 10 snaps.

On the DL Zach Allen played 35 snaps, while Roach, JFM, Uwazurike and Sai’vion played 24, 23, 23 and 10 snaps.

At OLB we were back to a four man rotation after using five recently. Bonitto and Cooper each played 31 while Elliss and Tillman played 20 and 19.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...0/snaps-analysis-for-broncos-win-over-raiders

 

[Denver Broncos]

Broncos Reacts Survey Week 15

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Broncos fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/general/165999/broncos-reacts-survey-week-15