The Good, Bad & Ugly From Broncos' 33-30 Ot Win Over Bills

The Denver Broncos person won their first playoff crippled successful a decade, defeating nan Buffalo Bills 33-30 successful an overtime heart-pounder. The Broncos weren't ever consistent, but erstwhile again, they made plays successful nan biggest moments, which has been nan book week successful and week out.

Sadly, nan euphoria was trim short aft Sean Payton announced post-game that Broncos backmost Bo Nix suffered a surgery ankle connected nan second-to-last play of nan game, ending his season. Jarrett Stidham will measurement successful arsenic nan Broncos' starting quarterback for adjacent week's AFC Championship Game.

Saturday's heavyweight throwdown vs. nan Bills near america plentifulness of good, bad, and downright disfigured to analyze, but let’s commencement pinch nan capacity that Denver’s second-year backmost put on. 

The Good: Nix Proves Himself

In only his 2nd season, Nix has won nan AFC West, nan No. 1 playoff seed, and now a playoff crippled against nan Bills, nan squad that bounced nan Broncos successful nan Wildcard Round 1 twelvemonth ago.

During nan game, nan Broncos mislaid wide receivers Pat Bryant (concussion) and Troy Franklin (hamstring) to injury, and lacked a accordant tally game, but Nix hoisted nan discourtesy up by completing 26 passes for 279 yards and 3 touchdowns, on pinch 29 captious yards connected nan ground.

Nix's touchdown walk to Marvin Mims Jr. pinch 55 seconds near successful nan 4th fourth to springiness nan Broncos nan lead, and his gutsy thrust to put Wil Lutz successful position for nan game-winning section extremity successful overtime, will beryllium remembered arsenic stamps of greatness connected his career. Nix has proved that he is nan man successful Denver. 

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The Bad: Defense Bends & Breaks

The Broncos’ defense had an outstanding five-takeaway capacity against nan Bills, but struggled to extremity Josh Allen and James Cook passim nan game. The Broncos allowed 449 full yards, including 183 connected nan ground, arsenic they sewage bullied successful nan tally crippled by nan Bills.

Rush linebacker Jonathon Cooper, successful particular, has been atrocious down nan agelong of this season, notching conscionable a half-sack since Week 13, and was abysmal against nan Bills. With nary subject successful nan tally crippled and small to nary unit rushing nan quarterback, Cooper whitethorn beryllium successful threat of losing his starting spot to Jonah Elliss if he doesn't move nan vessel around.

The Bills dominated clip of possession pinch 40:58 to Denver’s 29:18 (counting overtime), which is simply a reflection of nan Broncos’ inability to get Allen disconnected nan field. Denver must play amended defensively if it wants to make a push to nan Super Bowl, particularly pinch Stidham astatine quarterback.

The Ugly: Deflating Injuries 

After nan game, nan deflating Nix wounded news sucked nan life retired of a instrumentality guidelines that conscionable saw him will nan Broncos to nan AFC Championship Game. Bryant and Franklin were ruled retired early successful nan crippled pinch a concussion and hamstring injury, respectively, on pinch backup halfway Alex Forsyth going down pinch an ankle injury.

The Broncos person had immoderate large losses owed to wounded this season, namely moving backmost J.K. Dobbins, but losing Nix for nan play takes nan cake. All eyes move to Stidham, who had a awesome showing successful nan preseason, but he's now group to go the first backmost successful NFL history to commencement successful nan convention title crippled aft not throwing a walk successful nan regular season.

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