RSS Broncos Team Notes

[Denver Broncos]

Broncos coaches Davis Webb and Jim Leonhard are generating real momentum in league circles

As the Broncos prepare to clinch the number one seed in the AFC with a victory over the Chargers this afternoon, a number of other teams are already planning for next season. News and rumors of potential head coaching firings and staff changes are already happening, and a handful of Broncos coaches are expected to be popular names during this coaching cycle.

As we know, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is expected to be a top head coaching candidate league-wide and is already being connected to the Giants and Titans head coaching jobs. However, a couple of Broncos assistant coaches are expected to be hot names on the coaching market as well. Offensive Pass Game Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach Davis Webb and Broncos Defensive Pass Game Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach Jim Leonhard are among several young coaches who are generating real momentum in league circles, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.

Broncos coaches Davis Webb and Jim Leonard are among the young coaches generating real momentum as potential candidates for larger roles according to @DMRussini

Link: https://t.co/NbKzReagEn pic.twitter.com/WCSM15SkQE

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) January 4, 2026

Davis Webb was viewed as an up-and-coming coach the moment he retired from playing and joined Sean Payton’s staff as the Broncos’ quarterbacks coach. His role in developing quarterback Bo Nix has impressed teams league-wide, and he saw his role grow from quarterback coach to pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach this offseason. Now, with Bo Nix coming off another great year, Webb is expected to be one of the hottest young offensive coordinator names available this offseason.

One obvious pairing would be Vance Joseph and Davis Webb joining the New York Giants. Joseph has been connected to that team and could help turn their defense around. Meanwhile, Webb, a former Giants player, could help develop promising young quarterback Jaxon Dart, while also being a fan favorite among the fan base. That is just one hypothetical pairing, but I anticipate that Webb will receive interest from a number of teams this coaching cycle.

As for Jim Leonhard, he joined the Broncos as their Defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator, but quickly saw his role grow to Assistant head coach and defensive pass game coordinator in one season. Like Webb, Leonhard is viewed as an up-and-coming coach and won’t be an assistant coach for much longer. ESPN’s Rich Cimini, who covers the New York Jets, has already named Leonhard as a potential defensive coordinator candidate for them, and I expect multiple other teams will have interest as well.

However, the Broncos could be one of those interested teams IF Vance Joseph gets hired as a head coach this offseason. Leonhard is viewed as the in-house replacement for Joseph and would likely receive the promotion if Joseph were to land a head coaching gig this offseason. He knows the system, the players, and it would likely be a seamless transition for both parties. Now, if Joseph stays, the Broncos may lose Leonhard if he decides to take a defensive coordinator job elsewhere.

That will be one of the many scenarios to keep an eye on this offseason for the Broncos.

Last season, we saw a number of Broncos coaches receive promotions league-wide, and I would anticipate that will be the case again this offseason. Head Coach Sean Payton has put together a talented staff, and other teams are lining up to poach from it, hoping they can get a little bit of that Broncos magic.

While the Broncos will not be active in the coaching cycle this offseason (thank you, Sean Payton), a number of their coaches will be hot candidates and will likely receive job offers from other teams. It will suck to lose more talented and up-and-coming coaches, but that is what happens when you’re a good team with a top-notch coaching staff. Sean Payton will just have to go out and find the next Davis Webb or Jim Leonhard and start the cycle over again.

We here at Mile High Report will be tracking all the Broncos coaching news and rumors this offseason, as well as playoff news and updates, and more!

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...s-webb-jim-leonhard-candidates-giants-broncos

 

[Denver Broncos]

Winners and losers from the Broncos 19-3 victory over the Chargers

The Denver Broncos defeated the Los Angeles Chargers to improve to 14-3 on the year and have officially clinched the number one seed in the AFC and, more importantly, have homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.

Playoff football and the road to the Super Bowl will go through Mile High.

As for the game, it wasn’t the prettiest contest. The Broncos’ offense did not play well, and it appeared they had a very simple and vanilla gameplan for this one. Still, they did not play well, but I expect a better effort from this team in two weeks. As for the defense, they dominated this game and held the Chargers’ backups to just 3 points.

However, the only thing that matters is getting the win, and they did just that tonight. With all that said, here are your winners and losers from the Denver Broncos 19-3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers

WINNER – ONE SEED IN THE AFC​

THE DENVER BRONCOS ARE THE ONE SEED IN THE AFC AND HAVE HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE THROUGHOUT THE PLAYOFFS.

THE DENVER BRONCOS ARE THE NUMBER ONE SEED IN THE AFC AND HAVE HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE THROUGHOUT THE PLAYOFFS

MILE HIGH PLAYOFF FOOTBALL IS BACK pic.twitter.com/xRgZybeQUy

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) January 5, 2026

That’s the only thing that matters from this game.

WINNER – Broncos Defense​

Yes, the Chargers rested most of their starters, including Justin Herbert, Omarion Hampton, and others, but the Broncos’ defense still dominated this game.

They held the Chargers to 217 total yards, 104 yards passing, had 4 sacks, and forced 2 turnovers, which was a point of emphasis from Sean Payton this week. The Chargers were never really in this game, despite the offensive struggles, and the Broncos’ defense carried this team to the one seed.

The competition will be MUCH more difficult moving forward, but this was a strong way to end the year for the Broncos’ defense.

LOSER – Broncos Offense​

That was not pretty, but I am not overly concerned.

It was clear from the start that Sean Payton was not showing anything in this game. He wanted to run the ball down their throat and just have Nix do basic stuff in the passing game. We saw a lot of screens, dump-offs, and runs, and very few complex plays. They could face the Chargers in two weeks and did not want to put too much on tape for them.

On top of that, he had confidence in his defense to hold Trey Lance and the Chargers’ backups in check. They did just that, but the Broncos’ offense struggles stood out.

Bo Nix struggled to do much of anything, but was constantly under pressure throughout this game. He did miss a few passes, but overall, I am not too worried about his performance.

One thing I am concerned about is rookie RJ Harvey. He struggled to get anything going on the ground and averaged just 1.9 yards per carry and was outplayed by Jaleel McLaughlin, who averaged an impressive 6.1 yards per carry. The Broncos will need more from Harvey moving forward, even if JK Dobbins is able to return at somepoint.

Another area of concern is the pass protection. The Chargers were resting all their top defensive players and were still able to get after Nix all game. He was sacked 4 times, which seems like a career high for him since joining the Broncos. Nix just doesn’t get sacked much at all. So, this was a concerning development.

Next time out, I expect (and hope) for a more complex gameplan and hopefully, a better effort from the offensive line and the run game. The offensive line has been good all year, so hopefully, they just had an off game, but the run game remains a concern.

They need to be better for sure, but I think gameplanned a very vanilla offense for this game.

WINNER – Ja’Quan McMillian​

The only touchdown in this game came on the defensive side of the ball when Broncos corner Ja’Quan McMillian got the interception off a deflection and ran it into the end zone to make it a 10-0 game. The Broncos would never look back from this and go on to win 19-3.

JA'QUAN MCMILLAN PICK 6!!! pic.twitter.com/XMQXCyLVNv

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) January 4, 2026

McMillian looked to be in hot water after the Broncos selected Jahdae Barron in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but he held off the rookie and had himself another good season for the Broncos. His pick-six ended up being the game-changing score, which helped the Broncos clinch the one seed in the playoffs.

Other Winners and Losers​

• WINNER – LB Justin Strnad: Strnad started in place of LB Dre Greenlaw and played very well. He had multiple big tackles, a big sack, and a key pass deflection in this game. The special teams ace has turned into a valuable member of this defense and played well in place of the injured Dre Grennlaw.
• WINNER – RB Jaleel McLaughlin: I mentioned him earlier, but he was the Broncos’ best offensive player today. He averaged 6.1 yards per carry and had 58 total yards on 7 touches.
• WINNER – K Wil Lutz: Outside of the pick 6, kicker Wil Lutz was responsible for 13 of the 19 Broncos points.
• LOSER – Broncos WRs: Rookie Pat Bryant led the way with 4 receptions for 31 yards, but outside of that, we saw little from this group of players. Gameplan likely had a lot to do with that, but Sutton had 2 targets and 1 catch, Mims had 3 targets and 2 catches for 10 yards, and Troy Franklin had 1 target and 0 catches. They need more production from this unit.
• WINNER – EDGE Nik Bonitto: He finished the game with 1.5 sacks and frankly should have had at least 3 in this game. He had Trey Lance wrapped up, but he was shrugged off and later just missed a sack as Lance avoided him in the pocket before taking off on a long run. This was probably Bonitto’s best game since the BYE.
• WINNER – CB Pat Surtain II: He had a big hit stick on 4th down, and it was just a nice play by the reigning DPOY. He was his typical dominant self in coverage.
• LOSER – Broncos OL: The Broncos’ pass blocking has been really good all season, but man, they really struggled tonight. Hopefully, this is just a one-game thing because these struggles could lead to a disappointing one-and-done for them in the playoffs.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...om-the-broncos-19-3-victory-over-the-chargers

 

[Denver Broncos]

Broncos updated 2026 NFL Draft order: Current 1st-round pick after Week 18

The number one seeded Denver Broncos don’t have to worry about their 2026 NFL Draft order just yet, but its always good to keep an eye on that prize and where the rest of the NFL is locked in.

Updated 2026 NFL Draft order​

The only draft picks set in stone are the first 18.

1. Las Vegas Raiders
2. New York Jets
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Tennessee Titans
5. New York Giants
6. Cleveland Browns
7. Washington Commanders
8. New Orleans Saints
9. Kansas City Chiefs
10. Cincinnati Bengals
11. Miami Dolphins
12. Dallas Cowboys
13. Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta Falcons)
14. Baltimore Ravens
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16. New York Jets (via Indianapolis Colts)
17. Detroit Lions
18. Minnesota Vikings

Picks 19-32 will be sorted throughout the playoffs. Currently, the Broncos hold the 31st pick but that is just based on current seeding. If we were to puzzle out the worst-case scenario, they could end up getting somewhere in the 27th pick range if I understand the NFL draft order rules correctly. A loss in the divisional round determines the 25-28 order, then by win percentage and strength of schedule.

All that doesn’t matter though, since the Broncos will hopefully be picking 32nd. We want to see this ugly win streak all the way to the top!

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...ft-order-2026-updated-1st-round-picks-week-18

 

[Denver Broncos]

Broncos elated after clinching top seed; but need to improve for deep postseason push

With their 19-3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18, the Denver Broncos took care of business to earn the top seed in the AFC and all the perks that come with that. It’s the second time in franchise history they have notched 14 wins in a season. The regular season is over, and the Broncos have two weeks to prepare for the lowest seed that makes it out of the Wildcard Round.

After years of struggling, the franchise is finally back to their winning ways. They’ve drafted well and have tremendous new ownership. However, there is no doubt Head Coach Sean Payton and his staff have been a significant needle mover in Denver’s rise from irrelevance to Super Bowl contenders in just three seasons leading the team. After yesterday’s big victory, Payton offered had one simple message for where the team is at and what they need to do in order to get where they want to be.

“To be able to host the Divisional Round is significant. Yes, we have to clean some things up, and we will. We’ll be ready,” Payton stated.

All week long, Payton had stressed his desire to see the defense create more turnovers. They did that against the Chargers, registering a pick-six from Ja’Quan McMillian, a strip-sack fumble from Nik Bonitto, and a turnover on downs late in the game. It’s that sort of tenacity and playmaking ability that will have Denver poised to make some noise in the postseason. The defense did their job and rose to the occasion.

"Keep showing out for us. We're going to keep showing out for y'all."

1-on-1 with @Island2_1 following #LACvsDEN pic.twitter.com/5Em54BNFOc

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) January 5, 2026

As far as cleaning things up? It seems like that will be a big area of focus for Payton and the Broncos’ offense as they prepare diligently for the postseason. While there have been flashes of brilliance with momentous fourth quarter comebacks throughout the regular season, it’s safe to say Denver’s offensive endeavors have lacked consistency most weeks. In order to win when it matters most, that will have to be corrected.

“We’re always looking for improvement. We could’ve scored 30 today, and we’re stilling looking to improve. We’re going to get back to work, we have a nice week to rest up and clean some things up. Then we’ll see what unfolds next weekend, and we’ll put together a great plan,” tight end Evan Engram stated with confidence in his offensive teammates.

I’m not sure what that game plan may be. But I’d wager hitting throws downfield in the passing game, being more consistent with the run, and protecting quarterback Bo Nix will be critical for the Broncos to be successful in the playoffs. But for now, it’s okay for players to enjoy the moment. They’ve worked hard all season to get to where they are at now.

For veteran players like Garett Bolles, the team’s longest tenured player, this newfound success is unchartered territory. Last season was the first year in his career he ever had the opportunity to play in the postseason. Now, the stalwart left tackle, even with a rolled ankle, won’t let anything stop him from playing in Denver’s first home playoff game in a decade.

“This place is special to me. This team, this organization, my family grew up here, I grew up here, I became a man here, so to be able to give back to this city and this community to where it belongs and get the Broncos organization back to where it needs to be, it’s a special moment for sure,” stated Bolles.

Can the Broncos rectify their issues in order to embark upon a strong postseason push? I think so. They’ve got the grit and determination, and the perks of a hometown crowd cheering them on at Empower Field in just two weeks. Regardless of who they face, I’m confident that the Broncos will come up with the right formula to avoid being one-and-done in the playoffs.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...-but-need-to-improve-for-deep-postseason-push

 

[Denver Broncos]

Comparing the defenses of the playoff teams

Of the top 16 teams in points allowed (the top half of the league) 12 of them made the playoffs, but how do they compare in other defensive stats?

The Broncos, Seahawks and Texans have the three best overall defenses in the league and all three made the playoffs. I have argued that the Bronco and Seahawk defenses are the main reason that both teams got the #1 seed in their respective conferences.

The Bronco defense finished first in yards per play allowed at 4.46 while the Seahawks were a distant second at 4.56. The Texans, Eagles and Jags also allowed less than 5.00 yards per play. While the 49ers and Bears allowed more than 5.50 yards per play. The average this year was 5.33.

The Texans were not as good at stopping 3rd downs as the two #1 seeds. The Chargers have the 3rd best 3rd down defense of the playoff teams. The Broncos have the best red zone TD defense allowing TDs on only 42.6% red zone drives. The Patriots had one of the worst red zone defenses in the league, but they also allowed the fewest red zone drives. The Texans had the best scoring % defense in the league. They allowed scores on only 27.6% of all opponent drives. This is one area where the Bronco defense was average, allowing scores on 35.6% of all drives, just many of those were FGs.

In terms of stopping the run, the comparative data is below.

The Seahawks, Broncos and Jaguars were all elite at stopping the run while the Bills and Bears were terrible. The Panthers were average but gave up more than twice as many 20+ yard runs as the Broncos. The Bills gave up a league worst 7 runs of 40+. Two of the three run D’s that allowed no runs of 40 or longer made the playoffs. The on D that didn’t wad the Vikings. The Bronco defense was average at getting TFLs. The Texans were the best among playoff Ds. These TFL could be on runs or passes, but the majority are on runs. The Panthers, Bears, Rams, and 49ers were all poor at getting TFLs.

Comparative pass defense is below.

The Bronco pass defense was the best of the playoff teams with the best ANYA, pressure rate, sack rate and fewest 20+ yard passes allowed. They were near the top in PR allowed. The top seven teams in PR allowed all made the playoffs and there was a distinct jump from the top 7 to middle group. The Chargers had the best at 75.0, but the Bills were 7th at 79.8 which is a tiny difference in this goofy metric (which goes from 0 to 144.2 or something like that). The Bronco defense also led the league in pressures, QBhits and QB knockdowns. The only knocks on the Bronco pass defense are the lack of INTs (10). Of the playoff teams, only the Packers (8) and 49ers (6) were worse. The LOLJets set an NFL record for finishing a season with 0 interceptions. The 49ers were tied with the Titans and Cowboys for second worst with 6. The 49ers and Panthers were also terrible at pressuring the opposing QB while the Bears and Patriots were a little below average (21.8%).

The Bronco defense was also near the bottom of the league in forcing turnovers with only 14. Only the Cowboys, Commanders, Jets were worse at forcing turnovers. For whatever reason, the Bronco run defense only recovered two fumbles. I think they forced more than that, but they were unlucky in recovering them. The D forced 4 total fumbles, but the other two were strip sacks if I recall correctly. The two recovered fumbles on opponent runs was the fewest in the league (tied with the Rams). On the flipside, the Eagles defense recovered 11 fumbles on opponent running plays.

While the defense is only one half of the equation, the Bronco defense is the best of the playoff teams when you take everything into account. Admittedly, the Bronco D got to face a number of young and/or rookie QBs this season, but they also acquitted themselves well when facing really good QBs like Jordan Love, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott and Kermit the QB. In fact the only QBs who really “solved” the Bronco defense were Daniel Jones, Marcus Mariota, and Trevor Lawrence with Jones being the only QB to throw for more than 300 yards on the Bronco defense. It helps that in the NFL (unlike in college), a sack counts against a QBs passing yardage (it counts against a QBs rushing yardage in college for some strange reason).

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...1/comparing-nfl-defenses-of-the-playoff-teams

 

[Denver Broncos]

Tracking all the Denver Broncos coaching news and rumors

While the Denver Broncos will not be looking for a new Head Coach this offseason (thank you, Sean Payton), multiple coaches on their current staff will be candidates for jobs elsewhere during this hiring cycle.

The biggest name we will be tracking is defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. He returned to the Broncos three seasons ago, and after a rough start early on, has turned this Broncos defense into one of the best units in the NFL over the past two seasons. His defense will lead the NFL in sacks for a second straight year, and Joseph figures to be a top head coaching candidate this offseason.

Another name to keep an eye on is Davis Webb, who is the Broncos’ current offensive pass game coordinator/quarterbacks coach. He has been a big part of quarterback Bo Nix’s development and is viewed as one of the top up-and-coming coaches in the NFL. He is a dark-horse head coaching candidate and a strong candidate to be an offensive coordinator elsewhere next season.

While assistant head coach and defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard is viewed as the top in-house candidate to replace Vance Joseph if he gets a head coaching job elsewhere, he will likely receive attention from other teams as well. If Joseph does not receive one of the available head coaching jobs, I would imagine teams will be looking to interview Leonhard to be their defensive coordinator.

While those three are the notable names, Sean Payton’s staff saw several assistant and positional coaches receive promotions elsewhere last season. With the Broncos’ success and track record, I would anticipate that being the same once again this offseason.

We will be tracking all the Broncos coaching news and rumors here throughout the offseason, and will keep you updated on all the Broncos coaching moves right here.

Broncos coaching news and rumors​

• Broncos DC Vance Joseph has been named a potential coaching candidate for the vacant New York Giants head coaching position – Source
• According to The Athletic’s Diana Russini, Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb and secondary coach Jim Leonhard are “generating real momentum” as potential candidates for larger roles elsewhere next season – Source
• According to SI’s Albert Breer, Broncos DC Vance Joseph is expected to be among the coaches to interview for the Titans’ vacant head coaching position – Source
• According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, Broncos Defensive Pass Game Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach Jim Leonhard is a name to watch for the Jets DC job – Source
• NFL Insider Jordan Schultz names DC Vance Joseph and QB/Pass Game coach Davis Webb as expected/potential head coaching candidates – Source
• The New York Giants have researched Broncos DC Vance Joseph – Source

Interviews/requests​

• The Tennessee Titans have requested to interview Denver Broncos DC Vance Joseph – Source
• Vance Joseph will interview virtually for the Titans job on Wednesday – Source
• According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Broncos DC Vance Joseph is expected to interview for the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, and Arizona Cardinals vacant head coaching jobs this week – Source
• Vance Joseph will interview for the Atlanta Falcons vacant head coaching job, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini – Source
• The Las Vegas Raiders have requested to interview Broncos pass game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Davis Webb for their vacant head coaching position – Source

Head Coach openings​

• New York Giants
• Tennessee Titans
• Atlanta Falcons
• Cleveland Browns
• Las Vegas Raiders
• Arizona Cardinals
• Baltimore Ravens

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...hing-tracker-news-rumors-vance-joseph-broncos

 

[Denver Broncos]

Broncos Film Review: Ben Powers vs the Chargers

Week 18 was the first time in about three months that Ben Powers took every rep at left guard. The Broncos handled his return from the IR well, having him split reps with Alex Palczewski the last couple of weeks before fully taking back his spot against Los Angeles. And since he returned to the field a couple of weeks ago, he’s been good. He’s had a handful of poor plays, some which have put his team into bad positions, including TFLs and sacks.

But this is to be expected when you’re knocking the rust off. The real question is how did he look in his final tune-up game before the NFL Playoffs?

Let’s take a look.

Stat crunch​

The Denver offense had 56 snaps that didn’t include kneel downs. There were 24 designed run plays and 32 designed pass plays. Ben Powers played every snap.

Powers had one blown block. He gave up zero TFLs, zero pressures, zero QB hits, and one sack.

He had no penalties on Sunday.

Powers finished the game with two “Bad” blocks, four “Meh” blocks, 15 “Alright” blocks, and 35 “Good” blocks. This earned him 48.25 points out of a possible 56 for a 86.2%.

In run protection he scored 20 points out of a possible 24 (83.3%) and in pass protection he scored 28.25 points out of a possible 32 (88.3%).

In general​

Ben Powers looked as good as his grade shows. He was solid. He won most of his blocks and contributed little to any of the offensive shortcomings Denver faced on Sunday.

Some of his best plays came in the run game when he showed off his (possibly underrated) athleticism. He was moving well laterally in their Outside Zone concepts and the Broncos were able to run a handful of Gap Scheme plays, but they really just ran the same play different directions (Sean Payton kept the offense incredibly vanilla).

I think this offense is better with Powers at left guard because of the amount of plays he opens up for the offense. They’re able to get away from their typical zone-heavy run game. Some of Powers’ best work comes when he is pulling. This includes Crack Toss, Power, and Trap plays that help the Broncos hit the line of scrimmage quicker, rather than having to wait for the play to develop like it does in Zone.

When it came to pass protection, he was mostly stout. When he’s able to get his hands on the DT there usually isn’t many reps that he loses. Most of the battle comes from him attempting to get hands on. He gave up a sack when he was too late to react to a slanting DT and had a bad block where he was too slow reacting to a stunt.

But the cool part about that stunt failure is the immediate next stunt the Chargers attempt, Powers is all over it. And that is a bit of a reoccurring theme with this offensive line. Rarely does this unit make the same mistake multiple times in the same game. He also makes a really nice heads-up play to prevent a likely sack late in the game.

The specifics​

Run block – Outside Zone – Good Block

Ben Powers wins this block with his first couple of steps.

Look at how much ground he’s able to gain on the first step and you can even see his helmet go from inside the DT to outside of him almost instantly. He then is able to keep his feet running until he secures the outside shoulder and gets his backside hand to the center of the DT’s chest.

And then there at the end you can see that he leverages his hips towards the DT, finishing off the wall be creates. Nice block.

Pass block – Drop back – Meh block

The more I watch this play the more I want to give the DT his credit rather than criticize what Powers does on this play. The initial handfighting is superb. You can see that little wax-on move the DT throws, forcing Powers’ hands up and out, allowing the DT to get to Powers’ chest.

The fix for Powers here would be to keep his hands tighter to his chest, as he sort of leaves them hanging out in space while waiting for the DT to come in range. And you can see that on contact Powers is just slightly over his feet and moves his upper body out toward the DT. He just needs to sit in his base more while waiting for the contact to start.

Pass block – Drop back – Bad block

There’s a few things going through my mind on this play. One being that Powers is too slow to react and needs to work back to the B gap sooner, and I also think that Alex Forsyth may have called the incorrect pass protection and both Powers and Garett Bolles were put into a bad situation here.

Actually, given the initial steps by all five linemen, I think the correct protection is called. Everyone’s first step is to the left, indicating a five-man slide protection to the left. But then the two interior DTs slant to the right, causing Powers, Forsyth, and Meinerz to follow them. Then there is no one for Powers to block and he snaps his head back to the left too slowly.

As soon as the man over the top of him went away he needed to check back to the B gap and he would’ve been able to make it over there in time, probably. This is the result of a really brief lapse of awareness.

Pass block – Drop back – Good block

And after a brief lapse of awareness, here’s an example of great awareness by Powers.

Powers recognizes that there is no one for him to block, and he somehow anticipates this pressure coming off of the edge and makes it all the way across the tackle box to get to the blitzer in the nick of time to prevent Nix from getting sacked.

With the stunt the Chargers run here, it’s up to Meinerz to bump over to the him of Forsyth, Forsyth to pass his slanting DT over to Meinerz, and then pick up the looping DT. So that’s what allows for Powers to even be able to go all the way out to the edge. So that DT that does get free is technically Forsyth’s man.

What a heads-up play by Powers.

Run block – Inside Zone – Good block

There’s nothing like a well-executed double team on Inside Zone. Both Powers and Bolles execute this one at an incredibly high level. The only thing preventing this from being a Great/ Perfect play is the execution of the second-level block by Powers. If he was able to maintain his initial inside leverage on the backer then there would have been nothing to improve on.

It looks like Powers gets a touch too much separation from the backer after the initial contact, allowing the backer to shed him. You want to see Powers with his elbows bent, rather than his arms extended. Space is the enemy in run protection.

This play just makes me say “oh man”. Look at how well Powers passes off the DT to Bolles as he moves up to backer. He gets enough of a shove on the DT and that allows Bolles to absolutely bury the guy. It’s a really nice job by both men.

Final thoughts​

I think Powers will be just fine come the Divisional Round. Most of his mistakes were small and I feel like he has gotten better over the last couple of weeks. He’s getting his game legs back and will be able to help the Broncos on what hopefully will be a deep playoff run.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/bron...broncos-film-review-ben-powers-vs-la-chargers

 

[Denver Broncos]

Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph will interview for the vacant Baltimore Ravens head coaching position

According to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph will interview virtually with the Baltimore Ravens for their vacant head coaching position. Joseph now has virtual interviews lined up with the Giants, Ravens, Cardinals, Raiders, Titans, and Falcons.

Wolfe adds that Joseph will have three of these virtual interviews, the Ravens, Giants, and Raiders, tomorrow. So, the Broncos’ defensive coordinator has a busy day ahead of him.

Broncos DC Vance Joseph will interview virtually for Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants & Las Vegas Raiders head coach jobs tomorrow, per source.

Joseph interviewed for Titans head coach job today. His 5th interview this week — with Arizona Cardinals — is Friday. pic.twitter.com/ityEVMzN3i

— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) January 8, 2026

The Ravens parted ways with longtime head coach John Harbaugh earlier this week, and now Vance Joseph will have the opportunity to be his successor. The team has All-Pro quarterback Lamar Jackson, All-Pro running back Derrick Henry, and a talented defense and is likely the best job available right now. Adding Joseph would keep that defense strong while his offensive coordinator could bring some life to a stagnant offense.

Vance Joseph was the Denver Broncos head coach from 2017 through the 2018 season, and things did not go great for him. The team at the time did not have stable ownership at all, was on the tail end of John Elway’s GM tenure, and they were still searching and failing to find a quarterback. Vance had his issues, too, but in retrospect, he was dealt a tough hand by the Broncos. After he was fired by the Broncos, he would go on to be the Arizona Cardinals’ defensive coordinator from 2019 through 2022. He was solid at best during his time there, but did not do anything to get himself back into the head coaching conversation. However, that all changed in 2023 when he had an opportunity to rejoin the Broncos and be Sean Payton’s defensive coordinator.

Vance’s second stint with the Broncos did not start great and was infamously part of the 70-point game vs. the Miami Dolphins. Many, myself included, called for him to be fired after just a handful of games. Thankfully, Payton and the Broncos did not do that, and from that point on, Vance Joseph turned this Broncos defense into one of the best units in the entire NFL.

His defense has led the NFL in sacks in back-to-back seasons, and this year, his defense ranked 2nd in total yards, 7th in pass yards, 2nd in rush yards allowed, 3rd in points allowed, and led the NFL in sacks with 68. On top of that, Vance’s defense had the 2nd-best third-down defense and the 2nd-best red-zone defense. His defense is a big reason why the Broncos are 14-3, the one seed in the AFC, and AFC West Champs, and has earned him another shot at being a head coach.11 COMMENTS

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...acant-baltimore-ravens-head-coaching-position

 

[Denver Broncos]

New York Giants have requested to interview Broncos assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi

According to ESPN’s lead NFL insider, the New York Giants have requested permission to interview Denver Broncos assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi for their vacant head coaching position. This is Rizzi’s first head coaching interview of this cycle, and he joins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and pass game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Davis Webb as Broncos coaches to interview for head coaching jobs this offseason.

Giants requested to interview Broncos assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi for their head coach vacancy.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 8, 2026

Broncos assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi has a history with New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen, as the two worked together in Miami from 2009 through 2016. Now that the Giants’ head coaching position is open, Schoen would like to speak with Rizzi about the job.

Back in 2024, Rizzi served as the New Orleans Saints interm head coach and ended up being a popular coach amongst the fans and players during his short stint there. He did interview for the job last season, but it ended up going to Kellen Moore instead. Rizzi would then reunite with Sean Payton in Denver to be his special teams coordinator with the Broncos.

It was a slow start for Rizzi with the Broncos as the special teams unit had some struggles. However, the unit continued to improve as the season went on and became a reliable strength of this team. Kicker Wil Lutz was mostly automatic this season, rookie punter Jeremy Crawshaw improved as the year went on, the coverage units were solid, and returner Marvin Mims Jr. was a weapon and had a punt return touchdown.

The Giants have a long list of head coaching candidates, which includes Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. While Rizzi has the connections to Schoen, I would be surprised if he ends up being the favorite for that job. However, time will tell, and we will find out more once teams start having their second round of interviews.

As I previously noted, Rizzi joins Vance Joseph and Davis Webb as Broncos coaches receiving head coaching interviews elsewhere during this coaching cycle. Joseph has/had interviews with the Ravens, Raiders, Giants, Titans, Cardinals, and Falcons so far, while Webb has interviewed with the Ravens and Raiders.

With the Broncos quick rise from laughing stock to Super Bowl contender, teams want a piece of Sean Payton’s coaching staff in hopes of having similar success moving forward.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...-coach-special-teams-coordinator-darren-rizzi

 

[Denver Broncos]

Cowboys requested permission to interview Broncos coach Jim Leonhard for defensive coordinator

According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, the Dallas Cowboys have requested permission to interview Denver Broncos assistant head coach/defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard for their vacant defensive coordinator position.

The Cowboys have requested permission to speak with Minnesota defensive pass game coordinator Daronte Jones, Denver assistant HC/pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard and Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda for their defensive coordinator vacancy, according to multiple sources.

— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) January 8, 2026

The Dallas Cowboys’ defense was absolutely dreadful this past season (trading away Micah Parsons certainly did not help), and due to this, they fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and are looking to revamp their defense this offseason. With them having an opening, they sent out requests to interview four coaches for their defensive coordinator position, which included Denver Broncos assistant head coach and defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard.

Leonhard joined the Broncos back in 2024 as their defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator. He quickly impressed the Broncos and was elevated to assistant head coach and defensive pass game coordinator this past season, and is viewed as an up-and-coming coach who could be a future head coach. In the short term, he is viewed as the in-house replacement for defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who is one of the hottest coaching candidates available this coaching cycle. However, other teams also view Leonhard the same way and will want to speak with him about their defensive coordinator position.

It is a risky play for the Broncos because they cannot promote him until Joseph officially accepts a head coaching position. In the meantime, other teams will have an opportunity to shoot their shot and try to pry away Leonhard from the Broncos.

However, this is where the Broncos and their ownership have the edge. One, the Broncos defense is in MUCH better shape than the Cowboys defense, and if he takes over for Vance, he’ll be getting the keys to a dominant defensive team. Meanwhile, the Cowboys are a mess and will need a lot of work to turn things around on the defensive side of the ball. The Broncos’ other edge is their deep pocket. If Sean Payton and the Broncos feel strongly about Leonhard, they could match or exceed any financial offer other teams offer Leonhard. Those two reasons have me not overly concerned about Leonhard leaving the team IF he is offered the Broncos defensive coordinator position. However, if Vance stays with the Broncos for whatever reason, Leonhard is likely to leave the team to be a defensive coordinator elsewhere. So, it will be interesting to see how this all plays out in the coming days and weeks.

Leonhard now joins Vance Joseph, Davis Webb, and Darren Rizzi as Broncos coaches who have or will interview for a head coaching position or coordinator position this coaching cycle.

Sean Payton has built a helluva staff with the Broncos.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...-cowboys-denver-broncos-nfl-coach-news-rumors

 

[Denver Broncos]

Denver Broncos by the numbers: Wild Card edition

The Denver Broncos are on a bye for the Wild Card round, but we’ve got some regular season stats to share. In fact, we’ve had so many that I’ll need to break this up into two posts. One for this week and one for next week.

Denver has a chance to face four of the six playoff teams next week: the Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills, or Los Angeles Chargers. We could know Denver’s opponent as early as Sunday if the Chargers or Bills win, but if both lose then we’ll find out Monday night.

Here’s what I’ve got for the Wild Card round:

Fun 2026 schedule infographic​

We’ll start things off with just a “well that’s cool” type of thing. This infographic took me a moment to understand because shapes make me think of geometry and I failed geometry. I like algebra just fine, but boy… add in some shapes and my brain just crashes out.

That said, it was neat to see things aligned in a way where all of the Broncos opponents are aligned as they should be.

2026 NFL OPPONENTS

Each team will play against each team with the same row, column, color, or shape. pic.twitter.com/zpSf44j00a

— Lee Sharpe (@LeeSharpeNFL) January 5, 2026

Though that schedule looks pretty damn brutal if you ask me!

Good defense matters the most in the NFL​

You could have quite an explosive offense and still find yourself out of chances. The Dallas Cowboys would be a good example of that. It’s the defensive side of the ball that sets teams above the rest and the only real exception to that rule this season was the Chicago Bears. However, the Bears were among the league leaders in turnovers and that helps overcome their poor defensive output in other areas.

12 of the top 16 scoring defenses made the playoffs. Playoff teams highlighted pic.twitter.com/3AfYJOoY0y

— Joe Mahoney (@ndjomo76) January 5, 2026

I think back to 2013 when the Broncos offense set records. Frankly, I think the injuries to Von Miller and Chris Harris Jr. that year was the death blow that led to the Super Bowl blowout. Maybe they still lose that game, but also maybe its not 43-8…

Nearly all metrics kind of show the same teams at the top. The Broncos defense is obviously very good.

The highest-graded NFL defenses this season, according to PFSN's DEF Impact metric:

Broncos – 90.1
Texans – 89.4
Seahawks – 88.4
Vikings – 88.2
Rams – 85.5
Browns – 85.0
Eagles – 83.0
Chargers – 82.9
Jaguars – 82.4
Saints – 80.6 pic.twitter.com/a6xv67fcdl

— PFSN (@PFSN365) January 7, 2026

Bo Nix getting it done on 3rd/4th downs​

I’ve shared this chart multiple times down the stretch, but this time I found it in The Feed section on Mile High Report. I recall the first time I shared it we had Bo Nix in third behind Justin Herbert and Josh Allen. Nix dominated in this situations over the final two weeks of the season and blew past the field to finish first in the NFL.

Most 1st downs or TD on 3rd/4th down during the 2025 season…

1. Bo Nix – 92
2. Justin Herbert – 90
3. Josh Allen – 88
4. Dak Prescott – 87
5. Drake Maye – 84
6. Trevor Lawrence – 79
6. Jared Goff – 79
8. Caleb Williams – 78
9. Jordan Love – 77
10. Baker Mayfield – 76 https://t.co/CSyPA2niBA

— NFL Researcher (@NFL_Researcher) January 5, 2026

In some ways, this metric is also bad because it shows an offense gets into those situations far too often. However, looking at the Top 10 listed those are mostly elite quarterbacks and so its good to see Nix leading a field of elite quarterbacks on the season.

The 2025 Broncos are gamers​

It’s well documented that the 2025 Broncos are dominating in one-score games, but what we don’t discuss is how they perform in those few losses they’ve had. In those games, the Broncos were among the best in the NFL in scoring despite coming up short.

playoff teams
avg number of points scored in losses:

27.6 rams
22.7 bears
22.7 broncos
22.3 seahawks
19.3 patriots
18.8 jaguars
17.7 steelers
17.7 eagles
16.8 49ers
15.6 bills
14.4 texans
14.1 packers
12.8 chargers
12.3 panthers

— roberto clemente (@rclemente2121) January 5, 2026

This tells me which teams are gamers. When the chips are down they put points on the board. I’ve had the Los Angeles Rams as the team I’m probably most afraid of if the Broncos were to reach the Super Bowl. This stat shows why I would be wary of them until the clocked ticked down to 0.

There are some Super Bowl poor teams out there​

I remember what it was like to be on that NEVER list. I’d lived through three of those Super Bowl losses in the 80s and living in Northern California was even worse given the 55-10 drubbing by the San Francisco 49ers. There were a lot of kids in my school who were 49ers fans and I was the only Broncos fan, so yeah, middle schoolers were not holding back after that one!

The last season each playoff team won a Super Bowl…

Jaguars – Never
Chargers – Never
Panthers – Never
Texans – Never
Bills -Never
Bears – 1985
49ers – 1994
Steelers – 2008
Packers – 2010
Seahawks – 2013
Broncos – 2015
Patriots – 2018
Rams – 2021
Eagles – 2024

— NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) January 8, 2026

The Broncos are 3-1 since in the big game, so I’m glad I don’t have to be part of that conversation anymore.

Maybe we don’t want to see the Chargers again​

One team that has given Sean Payton fits during his tenure with the Broncos has been the Chargers. And under Jim Harbaugh, they have been ridiculously good against the Broncos in generate pressure. We also know that the Broncos’ offensive line has been good in protecting Bo Nix, so this stat is definitely concerning.

#Broncos QB Bo Nix was pressured just 27.7% of drop backs this season, per @NextGenStats.

Two highest single-game marks:
Week 3 at LAC: 43.8%
Week 18 vs LAC: 40.6%

Otherwise only Houston logged better than 35.1% vs. Denver.

Significant if the Chargers beat New England.

— Parker Gabriel (@ParkerJGabriel) January 5, 2026

This is one team we do not want to see in the playoffs, I think. Hopefully the New England Patriots stay hot for one more week before their wheels come off.

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That’s the best of the best that I found this week. If you have any interesting tweets or posts you’ve seen this week about the Broncos, share in the comments section below!

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...denver-broncos-by-the-numbers-wild-card-round

 

[Denver Broncos]

Broncos will face either the Steelers, Texans, Bills, or Chargers in the divisional round

While all the talk and attention this week has been on Broncos coaches interviewing for jobs around the league, the Broncos are still in the playoffs. They clinched the one seed on Sunday and are enjoying a much-deserved bye week before getting ready for the divisional round next weekend. The wildcard round, starting tomorrow, will decide which team will head to Mile High to take on the Broncos.

Broncos potential opponents in the divisional round:

4 Steelers
5 Texans
6 Bills
7 Chargers

Broncos will play the team with the lowest seed that makes it through the wild card round.

— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) January 5, 2026

Due to the Broncos being the one seed, they will play the lowest remaining seed in the divisional round. They will play either the Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills, or Los Angeles Chargers, depending on how things go down on wildcard weekend.

If the 7 seed Chargers defeat the 2 seed Patriots, the Chargers will be heading to Mile High to take on the Broncos for a third time this season. If the Chargers lose and the 6-seed Buffalo Bills defeat the 3-seed Jaguars, then we will have a rematch from last year’s wildcard round. If both the Chargers and Bills lose and the Texans defeat the Steelers, the Broncos will face the Texans for a second time this season. Finally, if the Chargers and Bills lose and the Steelers upset the Texans, then Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers will be heading to Mile High.

The Broncos split the season series with the Chargers; however, Jim Harbaugh’s team has been a thorn in the Broncos’ side and would be a tough matchup for them. The Bills and Josh Allen blew out the Broncos in the wildcard round last season, and a potential revenge game would be fun. Earlier in the season, the Broncos had one of their 4th quarter comebacks vs. the Texans, but their top-ranked defense will make things difficult. Finally, the Steelers are probably the most favorable matchup, but defeating veteran head coach Mike Tomlin and future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be easier said than done.

It is the playoffs, and no matchups will be easy. The Broncos need to take care of business, regardless of who they play, and just need to win two more games to reach the Super Bowl.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...ans-bills-or-chargers-in-the-divisional-round

 

[Denver Broncos]

Ultimate Fan: Broncos are absolutely contenders but need rhythm, consistency

Just because there is no Broncos’ game this weekend does not mean there is no UFG…because ultimate fans are in it every week. And how good does it feel to actually be in the bye week, scouting our future opponent rather than being the “just happy to be here” mode?

Actually, I am just happy to be here because I still think this team needs a lot of refining but I also LOVE THIS TEAM like it’s 2015. Or 1998.

And so does BayAreaUnitedinOrange, our veteran UFGer coming back to give us a preview before heading officially into the postseason next weekend. And while we are here, let me give another huge MILE HIGH SALUTE to all our Ultimate Fan Guide contributors this season and those who come here every week to read, comment and praise. So. Much. Fun.

Now let’s get to business…

The next summit is now in sight.

When the world thinks they've seen our limit, we #ClimbHigher. pic.twitter.com/nbnB0CtFCd

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) January 8, 2026

*but first…how cool is Aqib Talib? Such a smart DB who has been defending the Broncos and Bo Nix ALL season. Love him.

WILDCARD BYE WEEK!​

MHR – WOO HOO, BRONCOS ARE THE NO. 1 SEED! AND I’M USING ALL CAPS BECAUSE I CAN! HOW COOL IS THIS?
BayAreaUnitedinOrange: WAAAAAY COOL. The regular season has exceeded my expectations. My preseason prognostication was a floor of 11-6 and a ceiling of 13-4. Improvement from last season, yes! No. 1 seed and a BYE WEEK? WAAAAAY COOL!!!

MHR – Last week the only touchdown scored in the game was by the Broncos defense, specifically Ja’Quan McMillian. Does it concern you that Bo Nix and the offense couldn’t get in the end zone all day, especially against a depleted Chargers’ defense? Or do you chalk it up to a rather vanilla game plan to do just enough to win.
BayAreaUnitedinOrange: I am concerned about the offense and not just from last Sunday’s game. The idea of a “vanilla game plan” excusing the offense from more production and just plain “looking better” has been bantered about for the last half of the season on these very same MHR web pages.

What has worked well at times, especially late in games, is the no huddle and hurry-up offense and getting Bo Nix into a rhythm and pace where he has excelled. What has hurt this type of offense has been getting plays in slowly (mostly resolved now), limiting Bo’s time to line up and read the defense, compounded by the hockey-style line changes on every play, allowing defenses time to respond and read our offense intentions. If the non-vanilla game plan relies more on pace rather than packages we haven’t seen all season, then YES, give me more pace to this offense. If the non-vanilla game plan involves packages we haven’t seen, then I would be concerned about the execution of these plays in live game action.

MHR – This cool stat about Bo Nix – he leads QBs in most 1st downs or TDs on 3rd/4th down – shows that he is absolute clutch when he has to be. How crucial do you expect his “clutch gene” to be in a week?
BayAreaUnitedinOrange: I read that stat a couple times this week along with Tim’s article yesterday and some of the commentary, too. This is where the % of Bo’s passing and Bo running the ball (planned run or scramble) FAILED to convert on 3rd and 4th down matters. If he is hitting on a 75-80% conversion rate, then YES, very impressive! If he is hitting on 25-30% conversion rate, then far less impressive. As commented yesterday by others, the total of 92 conversions means we may be getting too many 3rd and 4th down opportunities and floundering on the 1st and 2nd downs.

MHR – Garett Bolles was named Pass Blocker of the Year by PFF as he was the high scorer for pass-blocking (90.8) and he had the most pass-blocking snaps without a sack (714). How great is it to see one of the more maligned left tackles early in his career really come around to one of the best in the league at his position?
BayAreaUnitedinOrange: Very impressive! To be honest, he seems to get away with a holding that is not called once or twice a game, but that’s what veterans do. I’ve watched HOF LTs do the same for decades. Bolles has mastered his craft for years and deserves all the accolades!

MHR – How important do you think an explosive passing game is going to be in the playoffs and which receivers really need to step up the most?
BayAreaUnitedinOrange: Explosive might not be the right word. How about consistent, or opportunistic, or timely. The passing game will live or die on Sutton, Franklin, Engram and Bryant getting open, making the catches expected and moving the chains.

MHR – The Broncos’ running game is … improving. Will RJ Harvey and Jaleel McLaughlin be enough to go against these playoffs defenses? There’s a chance JK Dobbins comes back for the playoffs. How big could that be?
BayAreaUnitedinOrange: The running game is … a question mark. Let’s be honest and look at the next question. Three of the five top defenses not named Broncos are in the AFC and potential opponents. I believe we will face two of these – Texans next week and the winner of the Pats and Jags for the AFC Title. Our current running game is neither explosive nor chain-moving or consistent. The recent pattern of long, clock-chewing drives has been encouraging, but we need to end in TDs, not FGs. Our red zone efficiency has fallen off. I would like to see more of Jaleel “once nicknamed the Real Deal” McLaughlin in the back field getting more carries next week.

If JK is close to 100%, then that is returning a veteran with fresh legs AND the No. 5 rushing leader in the league, with a 5.0 ypc before going out. He was our leading rusher in 9 of the 10 games he played.

MHR – Fox Sports ranked the playoff defenses and the top 5 were: 1) Texans; 2) Seahawks; 3) Broncos; 4) Jaguars and 5) Patriots. I’ve been saying that the team I would want to face in the divisional round the least would be the Texans because of the defense. Which team would you definitely NOT want to face if you got to choose?
BayAreaUnitedinOrange: Good question for a WILDCARD BYE WEEK!! Other than Pittsburgh, the other three teams have dangerous qualities to our boys moving forward in the playoffs. Even the Steelers have a veteran QB that can and has made plays this year and for two decades, plus future HOF’ers on D! A friend of mine is a big Steelers fan and he has given up on the Steelers at least six or eight times this season, including three times via text during the season finale, LOL.

It becomes a question of would you rather face Josh Allen and what he is capable of doing on any given Sunday? Or would you prefer to face a division opponent with a QB and HC that seem to have their way with us, or a red hot Texans team hitting its stride with a dominating defense to boot? I would prefer not to play the Texans, but I believe that is the scenario we are facing.

MHR – Dre Greenlaw and John Franklin Myers are expected to play next week. How important are those two to the defense? Which player on defense do you think has to have his best game next weekend?
BayAreaUnitedinOrange: Greenlaw has yet to hit his stride this season, IMO, never quite 100%. Kudos to Justin Strnad for recently stepping up and showing out in limited defensive snaps (4.5 sacks and three passes defended). Talk about grabbing your opportunity! Adding back Greenlaw gives VJ a three-man rotation at ILB which is a positive.

JFM is a D-line beast as we all know, and has 7.5 sacks along with being a disruptor and run stuffer. Depth along the D-line has been a strength all season and getting JFM back would be huge.

I believe the best defensive player depends on which offense we play – one with a big-time QB or one like the Texans and their controlled passing game, or the Bills’ No. 1 rushing attack and rush leader in James Cook and Josh Allen. Defense always starts with stopping the run, IMO. Zach Allen, for collapsing pockets and stuffing the run game, needs to be his All-Pro best. I want to hear his name called early and often!

MHR – How much does last year’s experience IN a playoff game help the Broncos this year as the first playoff game this year will be the chance to go to the AFC Championship?
BayAreaUnitedinOrange: I think last year’s experience is helpful to a point. I believe what this team has accomplished this season and endured week after week is more important to this year’s playoffs.

MHR – Last week Sean Payton noted the nuance between always “sacking” the QB and sometimes fleshing him out of the pocket where he can do a lot of damage – and that sometimes just containing the QB in the pocket where he may be uncomfortable is the better defense. Of the potential playoff opponents, which QB will be the easiest and which will be the toughest to defend?
BayAreaUnitedinOrange: Anyone who has watched our games recently knows offenses are running quick pass plays, getting the pass away in what seems like milliseconds, LOL. From this perspective, getting a push up the middle, even shoving blockers into the QB, while the edges contain their edges and keeping Josh Allen and others from escaping is our winning formula. Maybe the sacks aren’t there early, but when teams fall behind and need longer routes to open, and the QB is holding the ball longer…BOOM, SACKS!

For containment alone – easiest is Aaron Rogers, then Justin Herbet, CJ Stroud, finally Josh Allen.

MHR – Do you believe this team is a Super Bowl contender?
BayAreaUnitedinOrange: YES, absolutely! We have home field advantage, the BYE WEEK to rest and heal, and as good of a chance as anyone in the AFC to win and advance to SB60. Then anything can happen,

That said, and I’ve been saying this all season, I believe we are ahead of our projected SB Contender/Winner pace, a year early. Paton has done a great job of extending the young stars on this team; we are still in the “paying the QB rookie money” window, and 2025 is just the start of the Broncos’ Super Bowl window opening up. I believe we are two veteran offensive weapons away from being a high-level offense, and the continuity and continued depth, health and growth on the defensive side will be huge. With all of the salary extensions taking up the dead salary cap money available next year from the RW fiasco, we will not have “George Pickens FA” money to throw around. However, I could see a number of FA’s taking a long look at SP and Bo Nix and saying, yes, I want to be a part of this.

MHR – Regular season is over so give us some grades for the following (can grade as a group or just specific individuals within the group). Add as much or as little explanation as you’d like!

• Bo Nix: A-. He’s a winner, no doubt, just needs more consistency
• Offensive line: B+. Depth has been challenged, but solid, talented group
• Running backs: B-. Score would be higher with 17 games of JK. Harvey has been a touchdown maker and as close to a joker we have as a rookie. Jaleel needs more touches
• WRs: B-. Too many drops, too many players disappearing in games. However, we don’t have 14 wins (SMH on that number, still), without some clutch catches
• TEs/FB: C. Engram drags the score down. How good has Trautman been lately, clutch catches and blocking!
• Secondary: A-. We were caved a bit when Surtain went down, communications failed. Otherwise, solid group and yes, I am a Moss lover, not hater! Need someone to step up for Brandon Jones being out
• D-line: A. Solid group all year – sacks, TFLs, good run defense. Great depth. It will suck to lose JFM in the offseason, but you can’t pay everyone
• Edge rushers: A-. Great start to season, though sack totals and lost containment has reared its head recently. Hopefully, just some fatigue (did I mention we have a WILDCARD BYE WEEK?), or scheme changes by VJ (from vanilla to ????), will resolve lack of production.
• Linebackers: B. Solid B despite the less-than 100% MIA Greenlaw and Singleton’s short-comings.
• Special Teams: A. Other than THAT FG in the Colts game, solid A.

MHR – Which players are your MVPs this season?
BayAreaUnitedinOrange: Offense, Bo Nix; Defense, Zach Allen; Special Teams, Wil Lutz

MHR – The only real news for the team this week has been about coaches. Specifically how many teams want to interview our superstars for their coaching vacancies. How much will the Broncos miss VJ and Davis Webb if they end up going to other teams for promotions? If you were the Broncos would you offer to pay them more to keep them a year or two longer?
BayAreaUnitedinOrange: I would hate to lose VJ the most, maybe promote him to DC and Assistant HC, assuming Leonard is promoted elsewhere, and pay the man. I think this would be attractive to VJ with the growth of his young stars, veteran depth returning, plus young draftees with potential – looking at you Jahdae Barron, Que Robinson and Sai’vion Jones! Davis Webb appears to be the one we most likely lose, if not HC then OC elsewhere. Jim Leonard, possible, too.

Playoff Bye Week Edition of #BroncosIn60:

CB Pat Surtain II talks benefits of bye week
RT Mike McGlinchey weighs in on improving on offense pic.twitter.com/He92ef5OYb

— Elisa Hernandez (@EHernandezTV) January 10, 2026

Predictions​

BayAreaUnitedinOrange: FYI, I am focused only on AFC games this weekend

Which playoff QB will throw the most INTs this weekend? Josh Allen

Which playoff QB will throw for the most TDs? Rush for the most? Drake Maye, combined

Which playoff running back will have the biggest game in yards and scores? Anybody but James Cook, LOL. If he goes off, all of my predictions for next week are crap. Let’s say the Jags Etienne

Which playoff team will get the most sacks? Texans

Which AFC coach will be the toughest to outsmart in a playoff game? I’m going with Pat’s coach, Vrabel. Conversely, which HC will outsmart himself? Has to be Jim Harbaugh, LOL.

Which game will be the most exciting to watch this weekend? I am most looking forward to Bills vs Jags

Which Patriots player will get arrested before the game? (ok, just kidding…don’t answer that!) How about the owner, LOL. Oh snap!

Talanoa Hufanga has become a major part of the Broncos defense and has been named a 2nd team All-Pro

He plays with his hair on fire and adds some toughness and tenacity to the defense

If he hauls in a few of those INTs, he probably gets 1st team honors. Well deserved

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) January 10, 2026

The Favorites ​

Favorite win this season? Most improbable: Giants. Favorite: Phillie was awesome, but the Packers win gave me the confidence that this team could be for real this season

Favorite play this season? How many 4th Quarter or OT throws did Bo Nix make this season? And you want me to pick just one? Let’s just say one of the end zone fades to Sutton to put us ahead late.

Top 3 favorite playoff wins in Broncos history? The Drive; SB 32; SB 50

Favorite AFC foe? Do we still own the Brownies? Decades-long ownage!!

Least favorite AFC foe? So many to choose from here. Let’s say the Faiders, historical foe

Favorite Broncos player on the current roster? So many to choose from. Nix

Favorite Broncos player of all time? Elway

Favorite new guy/rookie on the team? Hufanga. Maybe I’m just jealous of the hair, LOL.

Favorite game analyst/commentator? I’m starting to like Romo more and more

Favorite game-day snack? Changes. Lately I’ve been making homemade pizza roll-ups that are a hit. Sometimes a charcuterie, olives, crackers, sliced cheese, etc.

Who is on your Broncos’ Mount Rushmore? It changes. I favor the Elway plus years: Elway, Davis, Sharpe, Bailey … all HOFers!

Six All-Pro selections.
Six Pro Bowlers.
No. 1 seed.
AFC West champs.
Best record in football.

The Denver Broncos are the class of the NFL. pic.twitter.com/TlpAAq1i6h

— Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) January 10, 2026

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/nfl-...lutely-contenders-but-need-rhythm-consistency

 

[Denver Broncos]

2026 NFL Playoffs – Wild Card: Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears

The NFC North will take center stage to close out the first day of Wild Card weekend with the Chicago Bears hosting the Green Bay Packers. The Bears ended up snagging the two seed despite losing their final two games, beating out the Philadelphia Eagles for that honor. Their reward? A third game against their division rival who had been expected to win the division throughout most of the season, before the Bears surged ahead late.

Kickoff is set for Saturday, January 10, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. Mile High time at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois and will air on Amazon Prime.

My Prediction​

According to FanDuel, the Packers are 1.5-point favorites over the Bears on the road despite their last win coming all the way back on December 7th. That four-game skid ended up being mostly led by back-up quarterbacks, but teams can be very momentum-driven at times. Then for them to be favored on the road against the division champions is just odd to me. I’ll take the Bears here, but maybe I’m wrong.

Prediction: Bears 30, Packers 27.

Open thread in the comments section below. Discuss the games action there!​

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...-wild-card-green-bay-packers-at-chicago-bears

 

[Denver Broncos]

2026 NFL Playoffs – Wild Card: Los Angeles Rams at Carolina Panthers

The Los Angeles Rams finished as the five seed in a very stacked NFC West in 2025 and will be on the road to take on the Carolina Panthers who finished in a three-way tie at 8-9 in the NFC South. This is a classic game where the entire planet will expect a Rams beatdown and, in the NFL, that can be a dangerous assumption.

Kickoff is set for Saturday, January 10, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. Mile High time at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina and will air on FOX.

My Prediction​

According to FanDuel, the Rams are 10.5-point favorites over the Panthers here. That is a huge and disrespectful spread, but understandable given where each team finished the season. That said, this is a very dangerous game for the Rams. The Panthers have played some good football at times and if they come out motivated and the Rams come out flat, things could get interesting. Even so, I can’t pick against a team I consider a Super Bowl contender out of the NFC.

Prediction: Rams 24, Panthers 20.

Open thread in the comments section below. Discuss the games action there!​

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...ld-card-los-angeles-rams-at-carolina-panthers

 

[Denver Broncos]

Denver Broncos vs. Buffalo Bills betting odds in Divisional Round

The Denver Broncos (14-3) will host the Buffalo Bills (13-5) in the AFC Divisional Round next weekend. It is a rematch from last season when the Broncos season ended in Buffalo after their first playoff game in nearly a decade. This time, however, the Bills will be coming to Denver to take on the number one seed in the AFC.

According to FanDuel, the Broncos are 1.5-point home UNDERDOGS to the Bills in the Divisional Round of the 2026 NFL Playoffs. The over/under stands at 47.5 for this matchup.

Broncos vs. Bills betting odds​

Denver Broncos vs. Buffalo Bills
Date/Time is TBD.
Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado
ATS Betting Lines: Buffalo -1.5
Moneyline Odds: Denver +108 / Buffalo -126
Over/Under: 47.5

It’s time for the Denver Broncos to channel another round of OVERDOGS. Late in the season, the 9-3-1 Green Bay Packers came into town to take on the then 11-2 Broncos in the Mile High City and were favored to win. The Broncos put ‘belt to ass’ in that game and showed people what happens when you disrespect them in their house. Will they do the same thing next weekend when the much better Buffalo Bills come to town?

This Broncos’ fan sure hopes so. They get to exorcise some demons from last season and prove to everyone that they are a true Super Bowl contender. And if they come up short, well we’ll all learn that they weren’t quite ready for the big time and will have a lot to work to do to come back stronger in next season. I bolieve, though. This team has something different about it. Go Broncos!

What are your predictions for the Broncos-Bills game in the AFC Divisional Round?

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...-buffalo-bills-opening-odds-2026-nfl-playoffs

 

[Denver Broncos]

Buffalo Bills provide injury updates to key players

The Denver Broncos are beginning their week of preparation to play the Buffalo Bills. On Monday, Bills’ head coach Sean McDermott provided injury updates to several of their key players heading into the Divisional Round matchup.

Bills injury updates ahead of Broncos game:

– Tyrell Shavers, knee injury and still evaluating the injury.
– Jordan Poyer is week to week with a hamstring. Won't play vs Broncos.
– Dalton Kincaid is fine for the week of practice
– Terrrel Bernard, Maxwell Hairston, Ty Johnson…

— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) January 12, 2026

Wide Receiver Gabe Davis has a torn ACL and is out and safety Jordan Poyer is also out. Everyone else he talked about is trending in a good way. Tight end Dalton Kincaid was in a boot post-game, but will be fine to practice all week. Quarterback Josh Allen will obviously be good to go. They also will get both defensive tackle Ed Oliver and wide receiver Curtis Samuel back in time for this game.

With the Bills banged up, this will be a situation worth monitoring. However, we can expect championship-level football from this veteran playoff team come game time. The Broncos need to worry about execution and playing their best football to advance.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...9/broncos-vs-bills-injury-updates-key-players

 

[Denver Broncos]

2026 NFL Playoffs – Wild Card: Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) won a contested AFC North and will host the Houston Texans (12-5) in the final wild card game of the weekend. The winner will head northeast to take on Drake Maye and the New England Patriots. The outcome of this game will likely be determined by how well the Texans defense handles Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers offense.

Kickoff is set for Monday, January 12, 2026 at 6:15 p.m. Mile High time at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and will air on ESPN.

My Prediction​

According to FanDuel, the Steelers are 3-point favorites at home against the Texans. On paper, I barely feel like the Steelers are even a playoff team and the Texans defense is elite. That makes me want to pick Houston, but something tells me this non-playoff looking team led by Aaron Rodgers is going to find a way to win in an ugly way and give the Patriots an easy path to the championship game.

Prediction: Steelers 16, Texans 13.

Open thread in the comments section below. Discuss the games action there!​

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...ld-card-houston-texans-at-pittsburgh-steelers

 

[Denver Broncos]

Placekicking in the NFL was the best it has ever been in 2025

In terms of both distance and accuracy field goal kickers (during the regular season) were the best that they have ever been in 2025.

The last season where a FG from shorter than 20 yards was missed was 2002, so I don’t even bother putting that on the chart. I debated removing FGs from 20-29 yards since they are hit at 95+% and have been since the early years of this century. This season FGs of 40-49 were hit at a historically high rate of 84%. The previous high was 2013 – 83%. There were zero 60 yard FG attempts in 2002 and there were zero successful 60 yard attempts in 2014. The high mark for 60 yard FG accuracy was in 2023 when 56% were successful, but this season there were a record 22 60 yard attempts with 54.5% successful (12/22).

Year	<20yd %	20-29yd %	30-39yd %	40-49yd %	50+yd %	60+%	FG%	XP%
2025	100%	98%	93%	84%	69%	55%	85.60%	96%
2024	100%	97%	94%	74%	73%	27%	83.60%	96%
2023	100%	98%	95%	80%	69%	56%	85.94%	97%
2022	100%	97%	92%	80%	69%	43%	85.03%	95%
2021	100%	99%	93%	78%	66%	30%	85.10%	93%
2020	100%	96%	93%	81%	63%	13%	84.60%	93%
2019	100%	98%	91%	71%	58%	40%	81.60%	94%
2018	100%	99%	94%	76%	64%	40%	84.70%	94%
2017	100%	98%	86%	79%	69%	33%	84.30%	94%
2016	100%	97%	92%	79%	57%	25%	84.20%	94%
2015	100%	97%	94%	76%	65%	17%	84.50%	94%
2014	100%	98%	90%	77%	61%	0%	84.00%	99%
2013	100%	98%	90%	83%	67%	33%	86.50%	100%
2012	100%	96%	89%	80%	61%	38%	83.90%	100%
2011	100%	96%	87%	74%	64%	13%	82.90%	99%
2010	100%	95%	89%	73%	55%	20%	82.40%	99%
2009	100%	97%	84%	73%	53%	25%	81.30%	98%
2008	100%	98%	89%	75%	63%	0%	84.50%	100%
2007	100%	95%	91%	74%	47%	0%	82.80%	99%
2006	100%	96%	86%	73%	47%	50%	81.40%	99%
2005	100%	95%	85%	71%	52%	0%	81.00%	99%
2004	100%	96%	81%	72%	58%	0%	80.80%	99%
2003	100%	96%	83%	69%	48%	0%	79.20%	98%
2002	92%	94%	84%	64%	52%	No attempts	77.50%	99%
2001	90%	95%	85%	60%	52%	0%	76.30%	98%
2000	94%	93%	82%	70%	56%	0%	79.70%	99%

Cam Little of the Jaguars set and then reset the NFL FG distance record with makes from 67 and 68.

Over the last 6 NFL regular seasons, there have been 78 attempts from 60 or longer. In the previous 20 seasons there were only 84 total. The 12 successful 60 yard attempts in 2025 smashes the previous record of 6 set way back in 2022 (lol).

The NFL is a league of imitation, and once a player or team has success doing something, others will mimic that success. Cam Little might seem like a freak of nature right now, but it won’t be long before every place kicker coming out of college will be emulating. 60 and maybe even 70 yard FG attempts could be commonplace in the next decade in the NFL. Keep in mind that a 70 yard attempt is from the team’s own 43 yard line. With teams getting the ball at their own 35 after a touchback, a team could theoretically go three and out after a touchback (gaining 8 yards) and then kick a FG. There have been 8 attempts from 70 or longer in NFL history with the longest being from 76 by Sebastian Janikowski in 2008. Also keep in mind that Little had from 70 in preseason.

Another thing of note, with the touchback on kickoff coming out to the 35, teams avoided touchbacks on kickoffs this season. The TB rate on kickoffs was 64% in 2023 and 2024, and it dropped to 21% in 2025. There were only 920 KOs returned in 2024 and that more than doubled in 2025 to 2076. Despite that, only 6 KOs were returned for TDs in 2025. There were 7 in 2024, despite less than half the number of KO returns.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/denv...kicking-nfl-the-best-it-has-ever-been-in-2025

 

[Denver Broncos]

Denver Broncos vs. Buffalo Bills: Tuesday practice participation report

We are officially in game week mode with the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills releasing their first practice participation report for this Divisional Round matchup.

The Broncos are getting guys back healthy after their bye as both Dre Greenlaw and John Franklin-Myers were back practicing today. Tight end Lucas Krull was also activated off injured reserve, so his 21-day window to return has begun. They also activated linebacker Drew Sanders. Greenlaw, Krull, and Sanders were all limited, but JFM was a full go in practice today.

On the Bills side of things, it was confirmed that wide receiver Tyrell Shavers tore his ACL last week and joins Gabe Davis who also tore his ACL. Josh Allen was limited, but he’ll be ready to roll. The rest of their injury report is below as its quite long.

Here is your full practice report for Tuesday.

Denver Broncos Injury Report​

Player	Pos.	Injury	Tuesday*	Wednesday	Thursday	Game Status
John Franklin-Myers	DL	Hip	FULL
Dre Greenlaw	LB	Hamstring	LIMITED
Lucas Krull	TE	Foot	LIMITED
Drew Sanders	LB	Ankle	LIMITED

Buffalo Bills Injury Report​

Player	Pos.	Injury	Tuesday*	Wednesday	Thursday	Game Status
Damar Hamlin	S	Pectoral	FULL
Curtis Samuel	WR	Elbow	FULL
Josh Allen	QB	Foot / Knee / Finger (R)	LIMITED
Terrel Bernard	LB	Calf	LIMITED
A.J. Epenesa	DE	Neck	LIMITED
Ed Oliver	DT	Bicep	LIMITED
Dalton Kincaid	TE	Knee / Calf	LIMITED
Matt Milano	LB	Ankle	LIMITED
Greg Rousseau	DE	Back	LIMITED
Maxwell Hairston	CB	Ankle	DNP
Ty Johnson	RB	Ankle	DNP
Jordan Poyer	S	Hamstring	DNP
Matt Prater	K	Quad (R) / Calf (R)	DNP
Tyrell Shavers	WR	Knee	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...9486/broncos-vs-bills-tuesday-practice-report