Peter Thomas

Takeaways from the #Broncos loss to the Patriots: * With Bo Nix under center, the Broncos cruise to the Super Bowl. Zero doubt in my mind. If nothing else, this game showed how valuable he is to the organization. Nix proved even indirectly that he's a franchise QB and will be for the next decade. Get better soon. * This game also exposed a major weakness I've harped since September: Sean Payton's habit of outsmarting himself in crucial moments. He's a good coach and a terrific offensive mind, but that's his biggest bugaboo as a playcaller: Ego. And sometimes it works to Denver's detriment. * Payton, too, has a tendency to amp up the pressure with his own players. Stidham already had a lot on his plate; Payton's overly confident posture about him starting didn't help matters. It only serves to provide more disappointment when things don't go according to plan. * Beyond the coaching, it is (and has been) painfully obvious the Broncos MUST allocate their resources this offseason to upgrading Nix's supporting cast. Love Sutton, but he's not an elite WR1. Love Harvey, but he's not a true RB1. They desperately need a few blue-chip studs. No compromising. * Credit to the defense for fighting their asses off. VJ's side of the ball has taken a lot of heat (rightfully so), and they came ready to play today. Too bad it was in a losing effort. * We can dog on Payton's coaching, Lutz for missing those kicks, or Stidham for the fumble, but this was a team that survived on magic for the entire season -- and today, without their best player, the magic ran out. * There's hardly a guarantee the Broncos get back to this point next year, which makes this result all the more painful. But as long as 10 stays healthy, this team will be yearly title contenders. The window is still wide open. * Finally, let's not lose sight of the fact that this season was an overwhelmingly massive success for the Broncos. Nobody had them making it to the AFC Championship, with or without Nix. And while they fell short of their ultimate goal, Denver is now established as a legit AFC superpower. Give them their flowers for that much.

Bo Nix: - 4,210 passing yards (including playoffs) - 33 total touchdowns - AFC West title - No. 1 seed - AFC Championship appearance THANK YOU, BO 🙏

Takeaways from the #Broncos' Week 16 loss: • Nobody likes losing, and nobody was rooting for it. But this is a blessing in disguise for a team that'd been carrying the weight of a monster winning streak — and the accompanying expectations with it. A little humility goes a LONG way in this business. • IT IS INFINITELY BETTER TO BE HUMBLED NOW THAN IN JANUARY. • The Broncos looked fatigued, listless. They looked like a club that needed every second of every game to form said winning streak — because they were. This was a team that was due for a loss, and got it. Shit happens. • Save for a few guys (JFM, Roach, Que), the defense was collectively a massive letdown. Emphasis on "collectively." Nik Bonitto said he played like "ass." He was hardly alone. One of the worst showings from VJ's unit since 70-20. • The Commanders figured out Denver's defense and gave the league the blueprint on how to neutralize it. They have NOT been the same since the bye; not even close. It's now up to Joseph to counterpunch. Is he capable? We'll see. Their SB hopes may depend on it. • I'm not sure what the answer is at safety with Brandon Jones sidelined. But I'm pretty sure it isn't PJ Locke. • Gonna need Sean Payton to involve RJ Harvey just a little more, especially as a runner. Seven carries — one of which went for 38 yards — isn't cutting it. Credit to Harvey, though. I forgot he entered the game with a ribs injury. Never would've known it based on how he ran. Really fun player. • 47 pass attempts for Bo compared to 12 rushes between Harvey/McLaughlin. I get game script necessitated it, but it still feels Payton tries to stat-pad Bo at times. They also had no business throwing in the final seconds, leading to the Pat Bryant injury. • Nix has shown better, and he's shown worse. Made some tremendous tosses, but regressed in certain areas. My confidence hasn't wavered. He is lower on the list of reasons why Denver lost this game. • Maybe it's me, but it seems nothing ever goes well when Badie's on the field. I dunno what McLaughlin has to do (if he can do anything) to earn consistent snaps. The trust evidently just isn't there. • Props to the Jaguars. You were the better team. You deserved to win. Unequivocally. May we meet again soon. • If I told you the Broncos would be 12-3 on Dec. 22 — in control of the No. 1 seed and primed to win the AFC West — you would've thought I was crazy. This defeat allows them to reset, recalibrate, and correct what needs correcting. That won't be the last winning streak they go on...