Sean Payton and Bo Nix solve Broncos’ QB coaching problem and playoff drought

Initial thoughts on the Broncos’ 38-0 win over the Chiefs in Week 18 at Empower Field:

1. On the way to Buffalo: Will the last demon exorcised from Empower Field turn out the lights? The Broncos’ most successful regular season since Peyton Manning hung up his six-shooter ended with historic, emphatic laughter. Let’s get this out of the way first: Did Andy Reid run with the intention of winning? Not with this version of Carson Wentz, no. But so what? You can only hit the one in front of you. The Broncos shook off nearly a decade of misery, both against the Chiefs and against the NFL, in one fell swoop. Denver’s 38 points against Kansas City were the most since December 30, 2012. It was also the last time a Broncos team led KC by more than 17 points at halftime (21-3). The win also marks back-to-back home wins against the Chiefs for the first time since 2013-14. The orange and blue are headed to playoff-bound Buffalo and are doing so in style.

2.Nixtrix: And the Broncos don’t return to the playoffs for the first time since 2015-16 without solving the league’s most fundamental truism: You have to have a combination of coach and quarterback. It was expensive. And it was a long time coming. But the Broncos finally got there with Sean Payton and Bo Nix. This franchise can start moving forward again, now that it knows it can build around it. And what about marking your territory as a rookie? Nix’s 18 assists at home was a new NFL rookie record. His 18 consecutive completions were the most ever by a first-year NFL QB to open a game, and only two behind Hugh Millen’s record of 20 consecutive completions for a single game consecutive Broncos.

3. Sutton Incentives: Courtland Sutton re-signed his contract this summer in an attempt to help the Broncos soldier through the costly and painful divorce from Russell Wilson. In September, he converted $11.75 million in salary into a bonus and added three void years to his contract, reducing his cap hit by $9.5 million this year. No. 14 recouped some of that money on Sunday, as his 89 halftime receiving yards earned him a $500,000 contract bonus. Sutton’s half-million came late in the second quarter, putting him at 1,072 receiving yards for the season with a half remaining. The veteran’s deal called for a $500,000 payment once Sutton reached 1,065 yards during the year. A 47-yard catch in the first quarter brought him to 1,000 yards, making him the first Broncos player to reach the 1,000 receiving yard mark since 2019.

4. Orange and true: Why should the Broncos ask the NFL to carry their ’77 Orange Crush throwbacks as often as possible? It’s not nostalgia. It’s not fashion. As our old pal Ron Burgundy once said, it’s science. The Broncos entered Week 18 averaging 1.92 points per drive. In their first 16 practices this season, while wearing the classic “D” on a blue helmet, the Broncos beat the Raiders 34-18 and took a 24-0 halftime lead against the Chiefs without a starter. Points per drive: 3.63 – a better clip than the Lions (3.06) and Bills (3.00) on offense heading into their respective season finales. The lesson? As long as the Broncos crush him in running backs, keep these bad boys in the rotation.

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Originally published: January 5, 2025 at 5:24 p.m. MST