I really don’t want to rehash or debate all the controversial referee decisions that altered the course of this game, potentially. I’ll just go back to my catchphrase -- all these playoffs games were and are 50/50 matchups...that the winner is determined not by which team is the better team because I don’t even know what that means anymore with all these teams possessing such an abundance of talent on the field, specifically the teams that made it to the playoffs…so these games to me are always 50/50 because they are going to be close into the 4th-quarter and determined by a referee decision or an endgame unlucky injury occur occurrence. Just imagine if Bo Nix broke his ankle on the second play of this game and not the second to last play? Sean McDermott would likely still be employed, and Josh Allen may be headed to a Super Bowl…and McDermott getting a contract extension. Instead, the Bills management team are scratching each other’s eyes out on who is to blame for this loss.
That’s the NFL now…micro-moments that changed the course of history. Nuance and patience and big picture thinking doesn’t really exist in the NFL nor does it in most American corporations, so you can’t get too mad at the NFL like it’s a problem particular to them. And look at the 2025 Bears and Patriots...there are no ‘3-5 year’ rebuild plans anymore. It’s 3-5 months now -- the coaching hiring/firing, free agency, and the draft...the first 3-5 months of the new season.
Either team could’ve won this game, but the Broncos did, but it cost them a lot when they lost Nix. Does Denver have a chance with Jarrett Stidham? I think they do. It wouldn’t shock me if they rallied and got a break here and there and shockingly won the game.
My two axioms ringing through in my ears here for the Denver-New England AFC conference championship: (1) All QBs are now varying degrees of good and can take a team to the Super Bowl, and that probably includes Jarrett Stidham in a short term stint and thus (2) Don’t waste a lot of time over analyzing the winner and loser projections ahead of the game here because all games are 50/50 in the playoffs now and probably for the foreseeable future.
Player Notes
-- Could you tell a big difference between Josh Allen (25-39 for 283 yards, 3 TDs/2 INTs) and Bo Nix (26-46 for 279 yards, 3 TDs/1 INT) here...stats-wise or on-field effectiveness? I know there are style differences, but the outputs were both fine. Both teams scored 30 or more points.
The gap between the upper class and middle class of NFL QBs is shrinking.
It’s also shrinking for FF.
It was ancient thinking that I mocked all last week/the playoffs that ‘Lamar, Burrow, Mahomes, etc., are out of the playoffs, so now no more excuses for Josh Allen’! That was so clever/cute to say...and so wrong...so out-of-date...so unaware of the rapid change in the NFL that has left so many behind, and they don’t even realize it. Josh Allen isn’t much better or worse than Bo Nix...and Allen is not as technically good as Matt Stafford...not as good as Drake Maye...a little better than Sam Darnold but given Seattle’s surroundings Darnold is probably ‘better’ (if you consider the team and coaching).
The past is dead. There’s a reason why Lamar, Burrow, Mahomes, etc., did not make the playoffs. QB differential barely matters anymore...unless you’re talking CLE-NYJ or a team with injuries at the starter position. The Bengals offense hummed with Joe Flacco too. Jacoby Brissett made Kyler look stupid, and so on...
The past is dead.
It may take 1-3 years before the NFL machine really figures that out.
This ‘change’ is what I am spending my entire offseason focused on.
-- The MVP of this game? Besides the ref that called that Brandin Cooks catch and knee/shin down an interception…the real MVP who saved the Broncos season…? Pat Bryant.
Bryant getting hurt and gone from the game forced offensive genius Sean Payton to have to play his best WR for two years running, Marvin Mims (8-93-1/8). And whaddya know? Once again there was no real plan going into this game for Denver’s most gifted WR…and once again, when forced by ‘circumstances’ (in this case a Bryant concussion), Mims turns in a star performance that changes the game.
I swear to you, if Bryant never gets hurt — Sean McDermott is the current and future coach of the Bills.
Playoff games and NFL employment is 50/50.
Will Sean Payton learn from this and push Mims in their most important game of the season this week? Are you %#}>?!%% kidding me?
He’s seen this from Mims for two years and he has done everything in his power to squash him the following week/s. This entire season Payton has pushed POS Troy Franklin ahead of Mims...of late, his favorite toy Pat Bryant was getting the push.
It’s a joke. Most all on-field NFL management decisions (coach’s ‘coaching’) are an absolute detrimental joke. And if you even try to defend the NFL…try to say I’m a loon, don’t make me play the Michael Wilson card…and I got a thousand more cards where that came from.
Denver deserves to lose this week because of the way Payton has managed this offense. But they’ll probably win a Super Bowl instead...as a reward...
-- Oh, and don’t think I forgot about Evan Engram (1-7-0/3)…but offensive guru and ‘joker’ enthusiast Sean Payton has.
The Broncos could push their way to the Super Bowl with Jarrett Stidham IF they give him Mims and Engram...and just let those three take over. Which is crazy that the only way Denver wins this week, and goes to the Super Bowl, is if backups are allowed to work.
-- Also, great job developing RJ Harvey (6-20-0, 5-46-0/6)...really great ‘joker’ role that strikes fear into opponents...
You beat Buffalo by running.
RJ Harvey...6 carries for 20 yards.
Jaleel McLaughlin...4 carries for 21 yards.
The best runner they have is Marvin Mims, and with the Broncos unable to run the ball with their RBs...Mims got...oh look, zero carries. Absolute dereliction of duty by one of the most overrated ‘offensive gurus’ in all the NFL, Sean Payton...and he might win a Super Bowl in the next few weeks (unlikely).
This all doesn’t speak highly for the rest of the NFL...Denver had the best record in the NFL. If you think New England was lucky this season with their schedule and situations...
AFC = The two luckiest teams in the NFL are playing each other.
NFC = The two best teams in the NFL are playing each other.
-- What about Buffalo?
Well, a new coach is on the way. There’s drama all over the place about it. We’ll be discussing it all offseason, but we can’t lock in a commentary or direction right now until we see how they replace him.
Hanging in the balance on the new head coach decision...
...The kind of offense they run, the philosophy of the new coach affecting Josh Allen’s FF value...and Allen’s upcoming ankle/foot surgery doesn’t make me thrilled either.
...if not Brian Daboll, the flow for James Cook could change?
...Dalton Kincaid might get a boost to be used like a real TE weapon?
...an all new WR group ‘incoming’? But coming to what kind of offense? And this could help boost Josh Allen a little? Or who is making the WR decisions for this team...the GM...McDermott...the new coach...will it continue to be as mystifying as their WR decision of the past few years. Will they build the WR room upon this rock/Gabe Davis again?
Everything that was predictable about the Bills offense, outputs, flow...it’s all about change with the regime change. Change for the good or for the bad...who knows?
-- And just to kick a man while he is down...Buffalo with all kinds of WR issues, injuries, and needs in such a game as this...they get Curtis Samuel back off IR this game week and they START him (smart)...but he doesn’t see a target until like the 2nd-half. Absolutely unbelievable.
Sean McDermott has needed to go for a while now, but Josh Allen kept him propped up...but overlook that Joe Brady is the worst, and is even more propped up than McDermott by Josh Allen. No way Brady gets the Bills job...and any team that hires him to be the head coach has lost their mind...which means he will get one of the bad organization open HC jobs, probably.
