Bo Nix and his teammates deserve a playoff spot

Fans shouted, players smiled and the numbers on the 1977-themed scoreboard kept changing like the levers of a slot machine.

Touchdown Marvin Mims Jr. Touchdown Courtland Sutton. Touched Devaughn Vele. Damn, how did he catch that one?

Bo Nix stood on the fault line of this offensive earthquake. The stadium shook and the man wearing the No. 44 Floyd Little jersey under the 530 sign on the upper deck danced to “Party Rock Anthem.” The Broncos were in the clear. All they had to do was run out the clock, which read 6:46 remaining.

In the second quarter.

The Broncos could very well go to Buffalo on Sunday and get eaten like Anchor Bar wings slathered in ranch dressing, but they’ll always have that moment. They deserved it.

The Broncos are in the playoffs for the first time since 2015. This is where they belong. The NFL is better when the Broncos are good.

“This organization is known for winning,” Sutton said, enjoying his first playoff berth as the second-oldest Bronco. “Having a chance to add to the legacy is humbling.”

All the criticism of their schedule, all the criticism of the coaching decisions of the past two weeks, all the concerns about the flagging defense melted away on a sunny 30-degree afternoon at Empower Field at Mile High .

Do you want an asterisk? Be miserable in your basement with piping hot Cheetos and a Big Gulp. The Broncos did not win by forfeit. They delivered a 38-0 knockout. It’s not their fault that Cincinnati only won one game in September. It’s not their fault the Chiefs secured first place in the AFC, prompting coach Andy Reid to use the reserve Sunday, where future Hall of Famers Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones and Travis Kelce.

Taylor Swift’s backup dancers could have made this a more dramatic playoff game. But don’t fall into the trap of thinking the Broncos aren’t worth it.

They absolutely deserve this. They won 10 matches. Of course, only two of them played against teams with a winning record, but the vinyl’s B-side reveals some true words: They proved they could beat bad teams. This is also a skill in the NFL.

The Broncos are no longer stuck at the bottom of the mineshaft, no longer living in a “shit world,” as Emmanuel Sanders eloquently described at the start of the 2019 season. This is a team that Broncos Country can be proud, a team that will certainly keep its group photo from Pat Bowlen Fieldhouse.

They entered the playoffs the way you’re supposed to: full throttle. The Broncos hit the Chiefs and made a statement through Jumbotron graphics and press box announcements.

Nix set a Broncos record with 18 consecutive completions to open the game, tied for fourth most in NFL history. His 18 home touchdowns are the most by an NFL rookie. And he joined John Elway as the only rookies to lead Denver to the playoffs.

Sean Payton has made some questionable decisions this season. Cutting Russell Wilson and hand-picking Nix was not one of them. Of all the things the kid has taught us – he’s a fiery competitor, he doesn’t swear – the most important is that he’s a winner.

Do you think Nix understood the importance of Sunday? He walked around the field high-fiving fans after the game.

“I was a little tired at the end,” said Nix, who completed 26 of 29 passes for 321 yards and four touchdowns. “They deserve it. This has been a long time coming.

When Peyton Manning retired, the Broncos became irrelevant, recording eight years of attendance trophies and embarrassment. It took just the 13th starting quarterback and fifth head coach since Super Bowl 50 to end the NFL’s second-longest active playoff drought.

“If you say what’s important, it’s not about pay, it’s how your peers think of you,” Payton said. “It starts with the right people and what you’re looking for in terms of vision, I know that. And man, we had a good offseason.

It’s days like this that remind us of what was and what could be. Here are the Broncos, picked to win five games by the oddsmakers and six by me, who have galvanized around youth and disrespect. Find a Broncos team that has exceeded expectations more than this one. Or a quarterback for that matter.

“You would never know Bo is a rookie,” Sutton said.

Nix isn’t the only one who demonstrates a tireless work ethic. Siri would get lost trying to find prima donnas and troublemakers in the Broncos locker room.

You had to believe it, of course, but it wouldn’t have mattered without the players performing in critical situations.

Like cornerback Pat Surtain II turning half the field into a “Do Not Disturb” sign.

Like Nik Bonitto, who went from role player to the Broncos’ best rusher since Von Miller.

Like Mims transforming into a mix of Rick Upchurch and Eddie Royal, running so fast during his first score Sunday that the name on the back of his jersey started to peel off.

The Broncos are going to the playoffs. They are 7.5-8.5 point underdogs depending on the book. No one will give them a chance. But watching Garett Bolles wave a Broncos flag and stomp the sidelines, and Malcolm Roach jump into the stands, is that really about it?

Put this season into perspective. They found a franchise quarterback, they have a 63-sack defense and they have washed away all the stains of their recent past.

Enjoy it. The Broncos are back. And they didn’t come back.

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Originally published: January 5, 2025 at 8:16 p.m. MST