Broncos earn top seed in AFC in Bo Nix's second season, finishing with 14-3 record

The Denver Broncos person had rather the turnaround.

After winning Super Bowl 50 with Peyton Manning, the Broncos did not marque the playoffs for 8 consecutive years — a rookie named Bo Nix ended that streak past year.

In Year Two of the Nix and Sean Payton era, the AFC playoff representation runs done Mile High.

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Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos warms up earlier the crippled against the Los Angeles Chargers astatine Empower Field At Mile High connected Jan. 4, 2026 successful Denver, Colorado.  (C. Morgan Engel/Getty Images)

The Broncos earned the apical effect successful the AFC connected Sunday with a 19-3 triumph implicit the Los Angeles Chargers, finishing the regular play with a 14-3 record.

The Broncos were surely helped by the information that Trey Lance got the Week 18 start, arsenic the Chargers could lone person been the No. 6 oregon 7 seed. So they opted to remainder Justin Herbert and springiness the stone to Lance, the 3rd prime of the 2021 NFL Draft who has ne'er recovered his footing.

Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II reacts to his tackle during the 4th fourth against the Los Angeles Chargers astatine Empower Field astatine Mile High.  (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)

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The Broncos kicked a tract extremity connected their archetypal thrust and instantly followed it up with a pick-six to spell up 10-0 early, and they ne'er looked back. Both teams had occupation moving the football, arsenic determination were 13 full punts. But the Broncos’ stout defence did precisely what it has done each play long: halt everything successful its path.

The New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars besides entered the time mathematically live for the AFC’s apical seed, but Denver was the lone squad that controlled its ain destiny. The Patriots needed a triumph and a Broncos loss, portion the Jaguars needed some New England and Denver to lose.

Denver Broncos antiaircraft extremity Eyioma Uwazurike (96), antiaircraft extremity Sai'vion Jones (95) and antiaircraft tackle Malcolm Roach (97) respond aft a fumble betterment during the 2nd fractional astatine Empower Field astatine Mile High.  (Isaiah J. Downing/Imagn Images)

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This is the archetypal clip the Broncos person gotten the apical effect since 2015, the aforesaid play they won the Super Bowl. Last year, they mislaid successful the wild-card circular to the Buffalo Bills, whom they could precise good big successful the divisional circular 2 weeks from now.

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