The Broncos were still mathematically alive in the playoff race when Sunday began, but their longshot bid for the postseason wasn’t the reason why people were paying attention to their game against the Chargers.
A quarterback change was the main draw in Denver this week. Russell Wilson was benched in favor of Jarrett Stidham in a move that set the stage for Wilson’s departure this offseason and also gave Stidham his first chance to play since joining the Broncos this offseason.
While money was the main driver of the decision to sit Wilson at this point, head coach Sean Payton said the team was also trying to get “a spark offensively” from a new quarterback. Stidham was 20-of-32 for 224 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s 16-9 win.
“I thought he was good,” Payton said, via the team’s website. “I thought he was collected, calm. I thought he played with really good poise. He felt experienced relative to a guy who hasn’t had as many minutes maybe as some others. You certainly didn’t feel that during the course of the game. I thought he was efficient in and out of the huddle. I thought he made some good throws for us overall until I see the tape. I thought it went pretty good.”
The win wasn’t enough to keep the Broncos alive in the playoff race, so they’re closer to an offseason that will be focused on what they plan to do at quarterback in 2024 and beyond. Stidham will get another chance to make an impression ahead of that process in Week 18.
