Nov 17, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) warms before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The Denver Broncos defeated the Buffalo Bills in overtime of the first NFL divisional round game of the postseason.
But at what cost?
After the game, Broncos head coach Sean Payton announced that Nix suffered a fractured ankle during the victory and will have surgery on Tuesday. Nix’s sophomore season is over, and he will miss the AFC Championship game next weekend.
The Broncos will await the outcome of Sunday’s Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots matchup to find out who they will play. But it’ll likely be backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham getting the start for the Broncos.
Nix suffered the injury on the second to last play of overtime. He was able to finish the game, but tests postgame told a different story.
Denver’s victory against the Bills did not come without plenty of controversy. Two questionable calls down the stretch caused fans to question the referees inserting themselves into a game in which they had mostly stayed out of.
Nix completed 26 of his 46 passing attempts in the victory for 279 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Taking down an established quarterback like Buffalo’s Josh Allen in the NFL Playoffs was supposed to be a Hallmark moment for the second-year quarterback out of Oregon.
But now his season ends in heartbreaking fashion.
Against the Texans or Patriots, the Broncos will now find themselves as massive underdogs despite hosting the game in Denver.
Mike Vrabel’s Patriots have a sound defense. Nix’s fellow sophomore quarterback Drake Maye has had an incredible season, and will likely finish up as the NFL MVP runner up to Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams. It could be hard for the Broncos to keep up with Maye, despite how dominant Denver has been defensively all season.
Demeco Ryans coaches Houston’s defense, which is widely respected as a top three unit in the NFL this season. The Texans could make Stidham’s life miserable. C.J. Stroud is also capable of making it really difficult to keep up offensively.
The NFL is a coach and quarterback league. You need both in order to win, especially in the playoffs.
Denver has one of the best coaches in Payton, and a young quarterback that was exploding onto the scene before our eyes.
But now, they’ll be overmatched in either game.
Could Stidham become Denver’s Nick Foles? Broncos fans will spend all week talking themselves into that.
But against the Patriots or Texans? Feels wildly unlikely.
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![Suryansh Shedge: Should have stayed longer because I was set Spending time in the middle was the mantra for Suryansh Shedge, whose 57 off 29 balls had temporarily seemed to have dragged Punjab Kings out of the woods on Sunday.The visitor eventually lost by four wickets against the Gujarat Titans, but Shedge, having waited for long to pounce on an opportunity, got much-needed gametime.“I wouldn’t say I was waiting. I was preparing. So, I look at it from that perspective that whenever I’m thrown into a situation, I should be ready for that. I’ve been speaking to Ricky [Ponting] sir a lot. I’ve been speaking to our captain a lot because I know him. The only thing they tell me is whenever the opportunity knocks, you have to be ready and take it with both hands. So that’s what I tried to do,” Shedge said.“It’s just sometimes some batters get good balls and they get out. But my only intention was to spend as much time as I could. And that, I think, made things easier as I progressed through the innings.”Despite being his side’s best batter and getting it to a competitive 163 on a two-paced wicket, Shedge took responsibility for the loss.“That 7.5-metre length was difficult to play. I think it was a bit two-paced because of the grass and the black soil. And I think at the end of the day, if we would have saved some runs here and there, we would have ended up winning the game. But I put my hand up. I think I should have stayed there because I was set. And if I would have let that ball go [from Kagiso Rabada], things would have been different,” Shedge said.Published on May 04, 2026 #Suryansh #Shedge #stayed #longer #set](https://i0.wp.com/ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/s7dydp/article70937916.ece/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1200/VIS_2885.JPG?ssl=1 "Suryansh Shedge: Should have stayed longer because I was set Spending time in the middle was the mantra for Suryansh Shedge, whose 57 off 29 balls had temporarily seemed to have dragged Punjab Kings out of the woods on Sunday.The visitor eventually lost by four wickets against the Gujarat Titans, but Shedge, having waited for long to pounce on an opportunity, got much-needed gametime.“I wouldn’t say I was waiting. I was preparing. So, I look at it from that perspective that whenever I’m thrown into a situation, I should be ready for that. I’ve been speaking to Ricky [Ponting] sir a lot. I’ve been speaking to our captain a lot because I know him. The only thing they tell me is whenever the opportunity knocks, you have to be ready and take it with both hands. So that’s what I tried to do,” Shedge said.“It’s just sometimes some batters get good balls and they get out. But my only intention was to spend as much time as I could. And that, I think, made things easier as I progressed through the innings.”Despite being his side’s best batter and getting it to a competitive 163 on a two-paced wicket, Shedge took responsibility for the loss.“That 7.5-metre length was difficult to play. I think it was a bit two-paced because of the grass and the black soil. And I think at the end of the day, if we would have saved some runs here and there, we would have ended up winning the game. But I put my hand up. I think I should have stayed there because I was set. And if I would have let that ball go [from Kagiso Rabada], things would have been different,” Shedge said.Published on May 04, 2026 #Suryansh #Shedge #stayed #longer #set")
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