Now that the Broncos have punched a ticket to the playoff party, coach Sean Payton isn’t thinking about the playoffs — or preparing for them.
“We’re not preparing for the playoffs right now,” Payton said. “We have three goals. Win the division. The first goal is not make the playoffs. . . . What I said yesterday, first goal: win the division. Goal two: best seed. Goal three: Super Bowl. None of those goals have been accomplished. We’re focused on Jacksonville. Goal one is not make the playoffs.”
They’re in position to win the division, soon. With the Patriots losing on Sunday to the Bills, the top seed is a very realistic second goal.
Beyond that, it depends on what they do in the playoffs. The task becomes easier, of course, if they don’t have to play in the wild-card round, and if they’re guaranteed home games for the divisional round and, if they win, the conference championship.
Regardless, the Broncos have won 11 games in a row, after starting 1-2. They finish with the Jaguars, Chiefs, and Chargers. And the biggest test could be the next game, when 10-4 Jacksonville comes to town.
Broncos Clips
The Broncos were in need of a momentum-changing play in the third quarter of Sunday’s home game against the Packers and they turned to the 2024 defensive player of the year to provide it.
Cornerback Pat Surtain ran stride for stride with wide receiver Christian Watson down the field and beat Watson to Jordan Love’s deep pass for a critical interception. The Broncos were down nine points at the time, but drove for the first of three touchdowns they’d score to beat the Packers 34-26.
It was the 11th win in a row for a team that is in position to have the No. 1 seed in the playoffs and Surtain said that the win showed what the Broncos are capable of doing once they get to the postseason.
“It means a lot,” Surtain said. “We just kept talking about it the whole week, how big of a game this was. We always say, man, we’re going to play in bigger and bigger games down the road, down the stretch. We’re not a finished product at all, we’ve still got a lot more work to do. And that’s the scary part about it. I just feel like we got a lot more work to do and just correct some things, but, man, this team is going places and I can feel that.”
The Broncos will get another test next Sunday when the 10-4 Jaguars come to Denver to provide Surtain and company another chance to show just how far they can go this season.
The Broncos and Rams became the first two teams to clinch playoff berths on Sunday, and they have the inside track to the No. 1 seeds in the AFC and NFC. Here’s how the NFL playoff picture looks after Sunday Night Football in Week 15:
AFC Playoff Picture
DIVISION LEADERS
1. Broncos (12-2) If they win out, they’re the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
2. Patriots (11-3) Their lead in the AFC East still looks safe, but they’ll have a tough time catching the Broncos for the No. 1 seed.
3. Jaguars (10-4) The clear favorites in the AFC South.
4. Steelers (7-6) Have the lead over the Ravens in the two-team race for the AFC North.
WILD CARDS
5. Chargers (10-4) First in the wild card race thanks to a better AFC record than the Bills.
6. Bills (10-4) Probably won’t catch the Patriots in the AFC East even after they won on Sunday, but in great shape for a wild card.
7. Texans (9-5) Just need to keep winning to clinch the final AFC wild card berth.
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
8. Colts (8-6) A valiant effort from Philip Rivers in a loss in Seattle, but it’s now an extreme long shot the Colts make the playoffs.
9. Ravens (7-7) Stayed in the AFC North race by beating the Bengals.
10. Dolphins (6-7) Best of the bad teams in the AFC.
11. Chiefs (6-8) Mathematically eliminated.
12. Bengals (4-10) Mathematically eliminated.
13. Jets (3-11) Mathematically eliminated.
14. Browns (3-11) Mathematically eliminated.
15. Raiders (2-12) Mathematically eliminated.
16. Titans (2-12) Mathematically eliminated.
NFC Playoff Picture
DIVISION LEADERS
1. Rams (11-3) Own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Seahawks in the NFC West.
2. Bears (10-4) If they run the table they win the NFC North.
3. Eagles (9-5) Playing the hapless Raiders was a good way to turn things around.
4. Buccaneers (7-7) Two games remaining against the Panthers will determine who wins the NFC South.
WILD CARDS
5. Seahawks (11-3) Need to win their rematch with the Rams on December 18.
6. 49ers (10-4) Despite a lot of injuries, they remain in playoff position.
7. Packers (9-4-1) Fell behind the Bears in the NFC North with an ugly, injury-filled loss.
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
8. Lions (8-6) Running out of time to turn their season around.
9. Panthers (7-7) Fell out of first place in the NFC South by losing to the Saints.
10. Cowboys (6-7-1) Any realistic hope of making the playoffs ended on Sunday night.
11. Vikings (6-8) Mathematically eliminated.
12. Falcons (5-9) Mathematically eliminated.
13. Saints (4-10) Mathematically eliminated.
14. Commanders (4-10) Mathematically eliminated.
15. Cardinals (3-11) Mathematically eliminated.
16. Giants (2-12) Mathematically eliminated.
PFT reported that the initial diagnosis of Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons’ left knee revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Coach Matt LaFleur didn’t confirm the bad news after Sunday’s 34-26 loss to the Broncos, but what he did say gives Packers fans no hope of a different diagnosis.
“It doesn’t look good. I’ll leave it at that,” LaFleur said.
Parsons will undergo an MRI on Monday to confirm.
He was injured on a non-contact play with 44 seconds in the third quarter when he tried to change directions while chasing Bo Nix.
Packers receiver Christian Watson was ruled out with a chest injury and transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.
LaFleur called it a “double whammy,” losing key players as well as the game.
“You don’t wish that on anybody,” LaFleur said. “It’s obviously tough. We all know what kind of player he is, and the impact he’s had on our football team. To lose someone like that, it’s tough. But no one is going to feel sorry for us. We need to find a way. Guys have to rally around each other.”
The Broncos stand alone at the top of the AFC.
Bo Nix threw four touchdown passes to help the Broncos erase a nine-point deficit in the third quarter and the Broncos defense held tough in the final minute to sew up a 34-26 home win that clinched a playoff spot. It’s the 11th win in a row for the Broncos and they are all alone at the top of the AFC after the Patriots lost to the Bills earlier on Sunday.
Nix had a pair of touchdown passes in the first half, but the Packers got a field goal just before halftime to go into the break with a 16-14 lead. They extended that lead to 23-14 on a 40-yard touchdown run by Josh Jacobs and forced a Broncos punt, but the game turned on their next offensive play. Jordan Love tried a deep pass to wide receiver Christian Watson, but Broncos corner Pat Surtain snagged it while Watson suffered a chest injury that knocked him out for the rest of the game.
Nix threw his third touchdown a few minutes later and the Broncos went in front for good when Nix hit Troy Franklin for No. 4 on the final play of the third quarter. That came after another major injury for a member of the Packers.
Defensive end Micah Parsons grabbed his left knee after a non-contact injury he suffered while pressuring Nix and the Packers believe that he suffered a torn ACL on the play. If that is confirmed, Parsons will miss the rest of the season and the Packers will have to try to clinch a playoff spot without the player they’ve made the centerpiece of their defense this season.
The loss drops the Packers to 9-4-1 on the year and they fell out of first place in the NFC North. They are currently in the final playoff position in the division, although next Saturday’s game in Chicago offers them an opportunity to switch that back around.
Jordan Love threw for 215 yards in the first half, but was just 7-of-18 for 61 yards in the second half. He also threw another interception in the fourth quarter, so the Packers will be looking for a more complete game from him against the Bears.
Nix was 23-of-34 for 302 yards and wideout Courtland Sutton was on the receiving end seven times for 113 yards and a score. They’ll stay at home for another matchup with a division leader in Week 15 and a win over the Jaguars would make the Broncos 13-game winners for the first time since the 2013 season.
The Packers lost their lead over the Broncos on the final play of the fourth quarter in Denver and they also lost defensive end Micah Parsons a couple of plays earlier.
Parsons grabbed his left knee while trying to chase down Broncos quarterback Bo Nix on a first down pass. Parsons was able to walk off the field with help from members of the training staff and he went to the locker room for further evaluation of the non-contact injury.
The Packers confirmed it is a knee injury and call Parsons questionable to return.
Nix threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game a couple of plays later and the Broncos now lead the Packers 27-23 with 15 minutes left to play.
The Packers tried a deep shot to wide receiver Christian Watson in the third quarter of Sunday’s game in Denver and it wound up going wrong in a couple of ways.
Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain picked off the pass and Watson remained down holding his left side after the play. Watson was eventually helped off the field and stayed on the sideline for a few minutes before going back to the locker room for further evaluation.
The Packers call the wideout questionable to return with a chest injury.
The Broncos moved the ball quickly after the turnover and quarterback Bo Nix connected with wide receiver Courtland Sutton for his third touchdown pass of the afternoon. That cut Green Bay’s lead to 23-21 with 9:07 to play in the third.
Packers running back Josh Jacobs was listed as questionable to play on Sunday because of a knee injury, but he’s looking just fine on the field in Denver.
Jacobs broke free for a 40-yard touchdown run on the first possession of the second half and the Packers now lead the Broncos 23-14. Jacobs also scored the first touchdown of the game for Green Bay when he held onto a Jordan Love pass with Broncos linebacker Dre Greenlaw all over him in the end zone.
Jacobs’ touchdown came on the third play of the half and it came one play after Broncos corner Riley Moss was flagged for defensive pass interference.
The Broncos ruled out linebacker Justin Strnad (ankle) and safety Brandon Jones (pectoral) coming out of the halftime break. Wide receiver Marvin Mims is questionable to return with a stinger.
The Packers scored points on all four of their first half possessions and they forced the only turnover of the first 30 minutes, but they only have a slim lead at halftime in Denver.
Bo Nix threw a pair of touchdown passes for the Broncos and the Packers had to settle for Brandon McManus field goals on three of their four possessions. The fourth was a Jordan Love touchdown pass to running back Josh Jacobs and the Packers are up 16-14 as a result.
Love is 17-of-22 for 215 yards, but the Packers have been hampered by six penalties so far on Sunday. There was a seventh on the play before the Jacobs touchdown, but the Broncos declined it to set up a third-and-goal from the 14-yard line that the Packers were able to convert. The Packers had right tackle Zach Tom go down with a knee injury and he’s considered questionable to return.
Nix is 11-of-12 for 122 yards and the Broncos have also had a few costly penalties. They also saw rookie running back RJ Harvey lose a fumble on the first drive of the game, so both teams will be trying for cleaner performances over the final 30 minutes.
The Broncos defense has bent, but it hasn’t broken and that gave their offense enough time to find its footing against the Packers.
Quarterback Bo Nix ended the team’s third possession of the first half by finding a wide open Michael Bandy while rolling out on a third down from the Green Bay 20-yard line. The wide receiver cruised into the end zone for his first NFL touchdown and the Broncos are up 7-6 as a result.
Running back RJ Harvey lost a fumble on the first Denver drive and the second ended with a punt after three plays. The third drive got some help from a Packers personal foul and Nix hit wideouts Courtland Sutton and Lil’Jordan Humphrey for first downs.
The Packers have been able to move the ball a bit, but penalties have helped to stall both of their drives short of the end zone. They’ll also be without tight end Josh Whyle for the rest of the day as he was ruled out after being evaluated for a concussion.
