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Denver Broncos

It’s ON to SANTA CLARA

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DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England survived a blizzard and second-year quarterback Drake Maye made enough plays with his feet to send the Patriots back to the Super Bowl with a 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.

Maye ran for a seven-yard gain on third down with less than two minutes to play, setting off a snow globe celebration to send the Patriots to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California.

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New England is the first team ever to finish a season 9-0 on the road. The Patriots were 8-0 in road games in the regular season under first-year coach Mike Vrabel, who goes to Santa Clara with a chance become the first ever to win a Super Bowl as a player and coach with the same franchise.

Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez intercepted a floating Jarrett Stidham pass on an attempted vertical shot to Marvin Mims with 2:11 on the clock as Denver sputtered to move the ball in heavy snow throughout the second half.

Stidham, thrust into the AFC Championship due to a season-ending ankle injury to Bo Nix, started the first playoff game of his career and the Broncos scored first, but generated only 181 yards of total offense. The Patriots sacked him three times. Stidham lost a fumble and was intercepted.

Maye rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown and went 10 of 21 passing for 86 yards and was sacked five times.

With 10 minutes left in the game, the Broncos picked up their initial first down of the second half. Denver ran only five plays in the third quarter.

Punter Jeremy Crawshaw gave the offense an assist with field position, pinning New England at its own eight with 8:10 remaining. A three-and-out by the Patriots brought the Broncos’ offense back on the field after a short punt to begin a drive at the New England 33. Stidham scrambled on third down to set up a 46-yard field goal, but Leonard Taylor — activated from the practice squad on Saturday night — partially blocked the Wil Lutz attempt to preserve a three-point Patriots lead.

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Starting at halftime, flurries intensified and turned the field into a winter storm scene in the third quarter. Opening the second half with a drive of nearly 10 minutes, the Patriots marched inside Denver’s 10 with a fourth-down conversion but mustered only a 23-yard field goal to nose in front 10-7. Patriots rookie Andy Borregales missed kicks at the end of the half and, through driving snow, in the third quarter as well.

The Patriots trailed 7-0, but rattled Stidham into handing the ball back to New England. Maye tied the game 7-all with 2:10 remaining before half. He beat the two-minute warning with a six-yard completion then tied the game with a 6-yard run, following center Garrett Bradbury on a designed draw.

The romp came seconds after New England scooped Stidham’s backward pass, eventually correctly ruled a fumble but first called intentional grounding and an incomplete pass, at Denver’s 12.

The Patriots appeared to tie the game on the defensive score, but officials ruled the ball down at the spot of the recovery where Elijah Ponder picked it up for New England. The odd play was doomed from the beginning. Stidham backpedaled from pressure nearly 20 yards before he panicked and tried to throw the pass out of bounds and pushed the ball to his left with both hands. Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss was credited with a forced fumble. The line judge stopped the play with an intentional grounding call before on-field discussion by the crew.

Denver bypassed a 32-yard field goal try and a possible 10-0 lead to attempt a fourth-down pass, which was incomplete at the 9:22 mark in the second quarter.

Lutz missed a 54-yard try wide right to give the Patriots time to set up a Borregales 63-yard attempt that knuckled left and well short. Borregales banged a 61-yarder in pregame warmups.

Sutton snagged a 6-yard touchdown in the first quarter to open the scoring. Stidham faked a handoff and rolled to his right away from the defense, hitting Sutton in stride in the back right corner of the endzone and a 7-0 lead. That score was set up by a Stidham 52-yard completion to Mims.

–Field Level Media

AFC Championship Game Preview

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New England Patriots (16-3) at Denver Broncos (15-3)
Sunday, 2 p.m. ET
Denver, Colorado, Empower Field at Mile High

AFC Championship Game appearances: Patriots 16 (11-4), Broncos 11 (8-2)
Series History: Broncos are 4-1 against the Patriots in the playoffs. Denver beat New England twice in the AFC Championship Game; 20-18 during the 2015 season and 26-16 in the 2013 campaign.

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DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Broncos backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham can’t make it rain or snow in the Rockies, but Denver’s sub for the injured Bo Nix might help his own cause by generating some thunder out of the gates.

The Patriots haven’t lost on the road this season, a perfect 8-0, but second-year quarterback Bo Nix knows New England is walking into a brand-new environment Sunday afternoon. Empower Field was designed to let the players feel the fans when it gets rocking, and the situation calls for all the help the Broncos can get.

“The magnitude of the noise is something we probably haven’t seen yet,” Drake Maye said of heading to Mile High. “Playing on the road is one of the coolest things. Coming off the field with their screaming fans, coming out with a win. It’s pretty cool to celebrate in an away locker room, that’s different. Coach is always saying ‘road warriors,’ and we’re trying to find that one more time.”

Broncos coach Sean Payton talked up Stidham in the aftermath of the season-ending ankle injury to Nix. Players and coaches learned the second-year starter was hurt only after beating the Bills in a thriller, 33-30, in Denver last week. Nix called it the most devastating football news he’s ever received. For Stidham, it’s a chance to prove at 29 he’s worthy of another opportunity.

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel was playing linebacker with New England when a backup named Tom Brady emerged to lead the Patriots to victories in Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX. And there’s no need for the Broncos to issue a book on Stidham to the Patriots. They can get it from one of their coaches first-hand.

Stidham started his career as Brady’s backup in 2019 as a fourth-round pick under Bill Belichick and spent three seasons in New England as part of meetings facilitated by Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels — previously head coach of the Broncos from 2009-2010.

Stidham was acquired from the Patriots by the Raiders in a trade after Las Vegas hired McDaniels in 2022. He signed with the Broncos as a free agent in 2023. When the Broncos drafted Nix, head coach Sean Payton had already signed Stidham based on what he knew about his experiences with McDaniels. Stidham expected to compete and become the starter and declared he would again be “a starter in this league.”

He’ll be backed by one of the best defenses in the league. Getting heat to the pocket is already a strength of the Broncos. Denver has four players with seven-plus sacks. The Broncos led the NFL in sacks with 68 in 2025 and got to Josh Allen three times last week.

“(Maye is) fast. He can run. We had that challenge a week ago,” said Payton, who can tie Parcells and others on the NFL all-time list with his 11th playoff win Sunday.

There are numerous mines for Maye to avoid in the Denver defense.

Outside linebackers Nik Bonitto — fifth in the NFL with 14 sacks this season — and Jonathon Cooper (eight sacks) are backed by lockdown cornerback Patrick Surtain II, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. They could be sensing blood in the water after Maye had five turnovers in the first two playoff games.

A glimmer of hope for more help in the Broncos emerged this week, but Denver ruled out running back J.K. Dobbins (foot) on Friday along with Nix (ankle) and linebacker Drew Sanders (ankle).

New England cornerback Carlton Davis III cleared concussion protocol, but the Patriots ruled out sacks leader Harold Landry (8.5) due to a knee injury.

NOTEWORTHY:

The Denver Broncos claimed the No. 1 seed in the conference but enter Sunday’s AFC Championship Game as more than a field goal underdog at home following the season-ending ankle injury suffered by quarterback Bo Nix.

The Broncos (15-3) will turn to veteran backup Jarrett Stidham against the visiting New England Patriots (16-3), who have already earned convincing postseason wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans.

ODDS AND TRENDS
New England is a consensus 4.0-point favorite, with the line reaching 4.5 at DraftKings and BetMGM. The Patriots have been backed by 65% of the spread-line bets and 58% of the money wagered at the latter.

However, the Broncos’ +200 moneyline has drawn 71% of the total bets while the Patriots have been backed by 72% of the ML handle.

The total points line opened at 40.5 but has steadily climbed to 42.5 with the Over heavily backed by 91% of the money.

PROP PICKS
–Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson 47.5+ Rushing Yards (-140 at BetMGM): This has been the most popular player prop for the AFC Championship Game at the book. The Broncos finished the regular season with the league’s No. 2-ranked run defense, but surrendered 183 yards on the ground to Buffalo last week. That included 117 yards by running back James Cook. Stevenson shares the Patriots’ backfield with rookie TreVeyon Henderson, but managed 70 yards on 16 carries against Houston last week after compiling 53 on 10 carries against the Chargers.

–Stidham 200+ Passing Yards (-124 at DraftKings): Stidham has not attempted a pass outside of the preseason since 2023. New England will no doubt stack the box against the run and force Stidham to beat them. It’s a tall task for the 29-year-old but will also open some opportunities to push the ball vertically, especially if the Broncos are playing from behind.

INSIDE EDGE
Expect Stidham to lean heavily on his running backs in the passing game as well. Denver’s backs tied for fourth in the NFL with five touchdown receptions during the regular season according to Inside Edge’s Remarkable Engine — all by rookie RJ Harvey and all coming in the fourth quarter.

STIDHAM TO THE RESCUE?
Nix piloted the Broncos back to the playoffs for the second time in his two NFL seasons and Denver held the No. 1 seed with home-field advantage. He called the injury “the most devastating football news I’ve ever received” but is working to help Stidham, 29, prepare for his fifth career start and the Broncos to go win the next one.

“He’s still a good quarterback,” Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez said. “He can make a lot of throws. We’ve seen what he’s done when he’s been in games. He’s in the NFL for a reason.”

Vrabel was playing linebacker with New England when a backup named Tom Brady emerged to lead the Patriots to victories in Super Bowl XXXVI (2002), XXXVIII (2004) and XXXIX (2005). And there’s no need for the Broncos to issue a book on Stidham to the Patriots. They can get it from one of their coaches first-hand.

Stidham started his career as Brady’s backup in 2019 as a fourth-round pick under Bill Belichick and spent three seasons in New England as part of meetings facilitated by Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels — previously head coach of the Broncos from 2009-10.

Stidham was acquired from the Patriots by the Raiders in a trade after Las Vegas hired McDaniels in 2022. He signed with the Broncos as a free agent in 2023. When the Broncos drafted Nix, head coach Sean Payton had already signed Stidham based on what he knew about his experiences with McDaniels. Stidham expected to compete and become the starter and declared he would again be “a starter in this league.”

Now is the time.

“Ultimately, it’s our three years here and our three years watching him day in and day out that you guys don’t have access to,” Payton said of his foundation of belief in Stidham winning on this massive stage. “He will be ready to go and ready for the moment.”

With zero pass attempts and only four total snaps this season, Stidham is living a zero-to-60 moment. He has heard from many predictable voices and some unexpected ones this week.

The names of Nick Foles, who beat the Patriots in relief of regular-season starter Carson Wentz to give the Eagles a Lombardi Trophy in the 2017 season, and Jeff Hostetler are again making the rounds. In 1990, Hostetler tagged in when Phil Simms was injured with two games left in the regular season. Hostetler won three playoff games and Super Bowl XXV for the New York Giants.

Those Giants also ranked No. 1 in total defense, allowed over 20 points twice in 16 regular-season games and had All-Pro linebackers Lawrence Taylor and Pepper Johnson to fall back on.

Which could well be precisely Payton’s point of emphasis this week.

Payton wasn’t yet with Bill Parcells and the Giants in ’90, but he’s an undeniable part of the same coaching tree with ample roots in the inclination to find ways to make quarterbacks uncomfortable.

The Patriots thrived with that approach last week, intercepting Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud four times in the first half.

“We talk all the time, when a quarterback gets hit, bad things happen,” Vrabel said.

Payton said he talked to Parcells this week — and they’re in touch regularly — about the predicament. He’s relatively at ease with Stidham given the performance of an offensive line anchored by right guard Quinn Meinerz and left tackle Garett Bolles.

DEPENDING ON ‘D’
Maye was sacked 47 times in the regular season and 10 more in two playoff games. Getting heat to the pocket is already a strength of the Broncos. Denver has four players with 7.0 or more sacks. The Broncos led the NFL in sacks with 68 in 2025 and got to Josh Allen three times last week.

“(Maye is) fast. He can run. We had that challenge a week ago,” said Payton, who can tie Parcells and others on the NFL all-time list with his 11th playoff win on Sunday.

There are numerous mines for Maye to avoid in the Denver defense.

Outside linebackers Nik Bonitto — fifth in the NFL with 14 sacks this season — and Jonathon Cooper (8.0 sacks) are backed by lockdown cornerback Patrick Surtain II, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. They could be sensing blood in the water after Maye had five turnovers in the first two playoff games.

“We have to be able to not get careless with the football. We can’t be reckless,” Vrabel said. “A lot of it is operation. We had two turnovers with not everyone on the same page.”

Maye might not win the NFL MVP award given the Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford’s 46-TD season, but he put himself in the running by excelling in pressure situations. He led the NFL with an average of 9.4 yards per pass attempt when pressured and was second in the league with a completion percentage of 57% in those situations.

New England ranked second in the regular season in points per game (28.2) and third in total offense (379.4 yards per game). Both teams were in the top 10 in total defense — Denver was No. 2 (287.2 ypg) and New England allowed 295.2. The Broncos (second at 91.1 yards per game) and Patriots (101.7) were also in the top six stopping the run.

This is Maye’s first-ever trip to Colorado. But his mentality outside of New England has been on point. Every time the Patriots packed for a road game this season, they brought home a victory.

“The magnitude of the noise is something we probably haven’t seen yet,” Maye said of going to Denver. “Playing on the road is one of the coolest things. Coming off the field with their screaming fans, coming out with a win. It’s pretty cool to celebrate in an away locker room, that’s different. Coach is always saying ‘road warriors’ and we’re trying to find that one more time.”

SERIES HISTORY
The Broncos beat the Patriots in the 2015 season’s AFC Championship game in Denver and hold a 4-1 advantage in the all-time postseason series. New England is 11-4 all-time in the AFC Championship and the Patriots’ 11 Super Bowl berths are the most in NFL history.

Vrabel can become the seventh head coach to lead the team he played for to a Super Bowl berth. He can become the eighth head coach to lead his team to the Super Bowl in his first season with the team.

INJURY REPORT
Unfortunately for the Broncos, their backfield won’t get the boost they hoped to receive from running back J.K. Dobbins. The team’s leading rusher with 772 yards, Dobbins will remain out due to a foot injury. He went through position drills Wednesday in his first practice since Nov. 4 but was ruled out for the AFC title game two days later.

In addition to Nix and Dobbins, the Broncos ruled out linebacker Drew Sanders (ankle) and tight end Lucas Krull (foot).

Denver wide receiver Pat Bryant, who saw limited action last week against Buffalo due to a concussion, was a full practice participant on Thursday and Friday. He should be set to play on Sunday.

Broncos center Luke Wattenberg (shoulder), center Alex Forsyth (ankle), wide receiver Troy Franklin (hamstring) and safety JL Skinner (quad) are all considered questionable.

The Patriots will be without linebacker Harold Landry III (knee). Running back Terrell Jennings (out of concussion protocol), wide receiver Mack Hollins (abdomen), defensive lineman Joshua Farmer (hamstring) and linebacker Marte Mapu (hip) are all questionable.

THEY SAID IT
“It was one of those things, quick transition, you are sad and then you realize you still have a job to go out there and do. Jarrett is qualified. He’s a very talented guy in terms of football IQ, football ability.” –Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton

PREDICTION
The offensive fireworks might be muted with the Broncos turning to a backup and the Patriots relying on more of a high-percentage passing game against Denver’s strong defense. As long as Maye avoids multiple turnovers, it’s hard to see Denver mounting enough offense against a Patriots defense that finished the regular season second in allowing an average of only 224.0 total yards per game. –Patriots 23, Broncos 16

–Field Level Media

Ex-Pats’ QB Stidham on the Spot

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DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi found out about his starting quarterback’s fractured ankle when his son told him on their drive home from Sunday’s game.

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“I didn’t believe him,” Lombardi said, “but I got it confirmed.”

That’s how suddenly the news hit after the Broncos’ 33-30 overtime win over Buffalo in the divisional round. Several players and coaches had left the stadium when head coach Sean Payton trotted back out to deliver the bad news about Bo Nix.

It puts career backup Jarrett Stidham in the eye of the storm when the Broncos take on the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.

Payton has been vocal about the belief Denver holds in Stidham, who hasn’t started a game since 2023.

“Obviously it means a lot anytime you step into a situation like this,” Stidham said Thursday. “For myself, I just want to go out there and play the absolute best I can for the guys in this locker room. That’s all I really care about. So yes, it’s great to obviously have the support of the guys around me. Thankfully, I have a ton of amazing guys, amazing human beings in the locker room, but also amazing football players, so really excited.”

Of Stidham’s four career starts, two came with the Broncos in 2023 in place of an injured Russell Wilson. He hasn’t thrown a pass in a regular-season game since the end of that season, and he has not taken a snap in the playoffs.

“I think we’ll just see how the game unfolds,” Stidham said of getting in a rhythm against the Patriots, the team that drafted him in 2019. “That’s obviously up to Sean, how he wants to call the game to start out.

“Just really excited to get out there, and I think once the ball is snapped, that first play, it’s just football at that point so it’ll be fun.”

Payton believes Stidham holds one similarity to longtime NFL quarterback Mark Brunell.

“I’m not making the comparison, but Brunell had this calmness about him when he was our (backup),” Payton said. “… Brunell just had that moxie, and so if it wasn’t your starter and he stepped in, there was this smooth operation. I would say Stidham has that ability to step right in, calm things down, here’s what we’re doing, break the huddle. (Wednesday’s) practice was a perfect indication of it.”

Just because Stidham has less experience in high-pressure situations doesn’t mean the Patriots will necessarily pressure him more, Lombardi said.

“I’m not sure they’ll look at Jarrett and say they want to pressure him more than another quarterback,” he said. “You’re always preparing in your mind for if a team really starts gassing you up in that way, so you always try to have a plan for that.

“This is going to be the biggest game most of these guys have been a part of in their career, so we’re expecting to be at our best.”

–Field Level Media

NFL on NBC Sunday Night Football

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Denver Broncos (9-2) at Washington Commanders (3-8)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Broncos -5.5, Total 43.5
Series Rewind: The all-time series is knotted 8-8 when counting Washington’s win in Super Bowl XXII. The teams have alternated wins and losses in the past eight meetings, with the Commanders prevailing 35-33 in 2023.

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The Broncos and Commanders are each coming out of their bye week but are pointed in distinctly opposite directions. Denver has won eight straight and most recently defeated division rival and AFC champion Kansas City 22-19. Washington has had the bottom fall out with six losses in a row, including 16-13 in overtime to the Miami Dolphins two weeks ago in Madrid. Broncos coach Sean Payton pointed out one of his team’s few deficiencies was discipline; they’ve committed a league-high 93 penalties for 883 yards, and they’re minus-3 in turnover ratio, with only nine takeaways. Denver’s third-ranked defense has carried it while Bo Nix has been hot and cold. After Nix was held to 173 and 150 yards in low-scoring wins over Houston and Las Vegas, he amassed 295 yards in the Chiefs win. Nix might be licking his chops against a Commanders defense that ranks 31st in yards allowed and 28th in scoring. Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels (non-throwing elbow) returned to practice Wednesday, although Marcus Mariota is expected to make his sixth start Sunday. Wide receivers Terry McLaurin (quad) and Noah Brown (groin/knee) also returned Wednesday and practiced fully on Thursday. Broncos star cornerback Pat Surtain II (pectoral) was a full participant at Thursday’s practice.

–Field Level Media

NFL: Monday Night Football

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Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) vs. Denver Broncos (1-2)

Monday, 7:15 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Broncos -7.5, Total 43.5

Series Rewind: It’s their fourth meeting on “Monday Night Football,” with the Bengals winning in 2004 and 2014 and the Broncos victorious in Week 16 of their Super Bowl season in 2015.

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It’s a rematch of last season’s Week 17 thriller, when Broncos QB Bo Nix tied it with a 25-yard TD to Marvin Mims Jr. with eight seconds left in regulation, only to fall 30-24 on Joe Burrow’s short TD pass to Tee Higgins with 1:07 left in overtime. This time, Burrow-less Cincinnati limps into Denver still smarting from the most lopsided loss in franchise history: 48-10 last weekend at Minnesota. Despite their winning record, the Bengals have been outscored 91-58 and have more turnovers (eight) than touchdowns (seven). They’ll need a whopper from Ja’Marr Chase, who has 43 catches for 585 yards and five TDs in four appearances on “MNF.” Nix is 6-0 with a 102.6 rating in his last six home starts for the Broncos. J.K. Dobbins has rushed 33 times for 294 yards (8.9 average) and four TDs against the Bengals while going 4-0 in his career.

New York Jets (0-3) at Miami Dolphins (0-3)

Monday, 7:15 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Dolphins -2.5, Total 44.5

Series Rewind: Miami is 4-1 in the past five games against the Jets, who claimed a 32-20 win in the 2024 regular-season finale.

The loser will be looking at an 0-4 start and the knowledge it is OK to start focusing on 2026 draft preparations. Miami badly needs to win this contest or coach Mike McDaniel will see the heat pick up. The Dolphins have allowed more than 30 points in each of their three games, and the offensive precision has dipped. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has thrown five touchdown passes but has been picked off four times. Tyreek Hill is averaging 13.2 yards per catch but has just 198 receiving yards. Linebacker Bradley Chubb always goes all-out and has three of the team’s six sacks. The Jets might be going with Tyrod Taylor for the second straight week after fellow quarterback Justin Fields sustained a concussion in Week 2. Taylor helped New York overcome a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit last week before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers walked it off with a 29-27 victory. Receiver Garrett Wilson (229 on 21 catches) is the only Jet with more than 80 yards or in double digits in receptions. Putting LB Quincy Williams (shoulder) on injured reserve is a blow for the Jets’ defense.

Where Will Russell Wilson End Up?

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DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The divorce between Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos certainly appears to be a matter of when, not if.

Broncos coach Sean Payton said at the NFL Scouting Combine that “I would anticipate it being within the next two weeks,” when asked about a decision on Wilson’s future.

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What’s next for the 35-year-old former Super Bowl champion is one of the biggest storylines of the NFL offseason.

With a trio of quarterback prospects atop most draft boards, that leaves a handful of quarterback-needy teams as likely potential suitors for Wilson’s services.

That list is topped by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are the -225 favorite at DraftKings to be the team that Wilson takes his first snap for next season. That’s well ahead of the next shortest odds, which belong to the Las Vegas Raiders at +550.

The short list of sensible landing spots is why remaining with the Broncos still shares the third lowest odds at +600 along with joining the Atlanta Falcons.

The sportsbook is offering odds on all 32 NFL franchises, although the list essentially stops with an extremely unlikely reunion in Seattle at +6000.

RUSSELL WILSON NEXT SNAP ODDS*
Pittsburgh Steelers (-225)
Las Vegas Raiders (+550)
Denver Broncos (+600)
Atlanta Falcons (+600)
New England Patriots (+850)
Minnesota Vikings (+1000)
Washington Commanders (+2000)
Tennessee Titans (+3000)
New York Giants (+3500)
Chicago Bears (+4000
Carolina Panthers (+4000)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+4000)
*DraftKings

The Steelers spent a 2022 first-round pick on Kenny Pickett, but it was veteran backup Mason Rudolph who led Pittsburgh to the playoffs when Pickett was injured and then got the postseason start even when Pickett was healthy.

That has led many to speculate that the Steelers will be in the market for a veteran who can immediately boost Pittsburgh’s contender status.

The Steelers are also among the favorites to land Chicago’s Justin Fields (+380) and Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins (+1000).

The Raiders are also likely in the market for a veteran quarterback, having finished last season with rookie Aidan O’Connell under center after Jimmy Garoppolo was benched. Las Vegas is +800 to acquire Fields and +1000 to sign Cousins.

Atlanta toggled between second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder and journeyman Taylor Heineke last season. New coach Raheem Morris has made it clear that he sees an upgrade at the position as an offseason priority.

Wilson easily has the most postseason success among the potential options, although the Falcons are currently the -300 favorite to acquire Fields. They’re also +300 to sign Cousins compared to +600 to land Wilson.

If Wilson isn’t traded or released by March 17, then $37 million in salary guarantees for the 2025 season will be locked in.

Making a trade by then doesn’t seem likely based on Tuesday’s comments from Broncos general manager George Paton.

“I haven’t heard anything from any teams so we’ll see,” Paton said.

On Sunday on the “I Am Athlete” podcast with former Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall, Wilson indicated he would prefer to remain with the Broncos.

“I’ve got more fire than ever, honestly, especially over the past two years and what I’ve gone through,” Wilson said. “Whether it’s in Denver or somewhere else. I hope it’s Denver. I hope I get to finish there. I committed there. I wanted to be there. I want to be there.”

Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowl pick, was acquired from the Seahawks prior to the 2022 season for three players and five draft choices. The Broncos then gave him a five-year, $242.5 million contract extension before he even played for the club.

There hasn’t been much bang for the buck with Wilson compiling an 11-19 record in 30 starts. Wilson had 16 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions in 2022 and improved the marks to 26 and eight, respectively, last season.

Patriots Upset Broncos Hopes

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DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England PK Chad Ryland drilled a 56-yard field goal with two seconds left on Sunday night as the New England Patriots upset the host Denver Broncos 26-23, dealing a serious blow to their playoff hopes.

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The Broncos (7-8) missed out on a chance to join Indianapolis, Houston, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati at 8-7 with two weeks left in the regular season. They will have to win their final two games — against the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders — if they want to have any chance of securing an AFC playoff berth.

On its final drive of the game, New England (4-11) went 43 yards in seven plays, the big one Bailey Zappe’s 27-yard pass to DeVante Parker that set the Patriots up at the Denver 47. Zappe hit a couple of short passes to get one more first down, and Ryland then delivered the game-winner.

Zappe was 25-of-33 passing for 256 yards and two touchdowns, which both came in a 20-point third quarter. He found Ezekiel Elliott and Mike Gesicki for 15 and 11-yard scoring strikes, respectively, as the Patriots built a 23-7 lead that they took into the fourth.

Russell Wilson, who completed 25 of 37 passes for 238 yards, headlined a Broncos rally with two touchdown passes and two two-point conversion throws in a 5:40 span of the fourth quarter. He connected with Brandon Johnson for a 21-yard TD with 2:53 left, then tied things with a two-point pass to Javonte Williams.

Denver missed a chance to score in the game’s first two minutes. D.J. Jones strip-sacked Zappe on the first offensive snap of the contest and returned the fumble to the New England 6. But the Patriots came up with a goal-line stand, as Williams’ fourth-down run at the 2 was stopped after a gain of 1.

However, the Broncos were able to score first with 5:15 left in the first quarter, as Williams barged in from the Patriots 3. Ryland hit a 33-yard field goal with 13:30 left in the first half to get New England on the board.

It stayed 7-3 at the break after both teams missed field goals in the final minute of the half.

After Zappe’s TD throw to Gesicki, Marvin Mims Jr. fumbled on the ensuing kickoff. Cody Davis recovered at the Denver 1 and fell into the end zone to put the Patriots up 23-7.

Wilson hit Lucas Krull for a 3-yard touchdown and found Johnson on the two-point try to make it 23-15 and ignite the Broncos’ rally.

–Field Level Media

NFL: Patriots v Broncos, Not the Same

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DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The New England Patriots and Denver Broncos are nearly 10 years removed from the final regular-season meeting that pitted Tom Brady against Peyton Manning.

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New England won that game 43-21 on Nov. 2, 2014, behind four passing touchdowns from Brady. If Sunday night’s clash between Denver and the visiting Patriots proves anything, it might just be how much truly can change over the course of a decade.

Both offenses have fallen far from the perch they sat atop nine years ago, with New England’s decline especially evident.

The Patriots (3-11) are averaging a league-worst 13.3 points per game following last Sunday’s 27-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Chad Ryland’s 25-yard field goal put New England up 10-7 with 4:47 left in the second quarter, but the Patriots didn’t score again until there was just under 8 1/2 minutes left in the fourth.

Denver (7-7) sported the least explosive offense of the 2022 campaign (16.9 points per game), but Sean Payton, in his first season as Broncos coach, has started to turn things around.

A winner of six of its past eight games, Denver is averaging 21.7 points under Payton. It was held under that mark in a 42-17 setback against the Detroit Lions last weekend, but New England coach Bill Belichick knows that the Broncos have what it takes to bounce back.

“They obviously have good players,” Belichick said. “They started the same line in every game, so they’ve got a lot of continuity there. Quarterback’s a unique player, he’s got a lot of skill. Receivers, (Courtland) Sutton’s as good as there is — big guy, great hands, contested catches, a really hard guy to cover.”

That quarterback Belichick was referring to is Russell Wilson, who was relatively quiet against Detroit, completing 18 of 32 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown.

Wilson was also shown getting laid into by Payton on the sideline late in the third quarter after a Denver TD was nullified because of an offensive offside penalty.

“Difficult night. … It was just one of those moments,” Payton told reporters afterward. “Listen, what I talk with Russell about is none of your business.”

Payton is making sure no negative feelings from that altercation — or the loss itself — spill over into Sunday’s meeting with the Patriots.

“You can only focus on the things you can control, and it’s obviously getting ready to play New England — and that’s it,” Payton said. “Focus on getting this next win, because that’s really all that matters.”

If the Broncos want to bounce back, they will have to do so without linebacker Nik Bonitto (knee), tight end Greg Dulcich (hamstring/foot) and tackle Alex Palczewski (knee), all of whom are ruled out for Sunday.

New England offensive tackle Trent Brown (ankle/hand), tight end Hunter Henry (knee), defensive tackle Christian Barmore (shoulder), cornerback Jonathan Jones (knee), special teams ace Matthew Slater (hamstring) and linebackers Jahlani Tavai (ankle), Ja’Whaun Bentley (knee) and Anfernee Jennings (illness) have all been limited in practices and are listed as questionable. Tackle Conor McDermott (concussion) is also questionable after missing practice all week.

Running back Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle), receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (ankle) and safety Jabrill Peppers (hamstring) will miss Sunday’s game.

–Field Level Media

Hunter Henry, Out vs Broncos

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DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry and offensive lineman Conor McDermott have been downgraded to out for Sunday’s game against the host Denver Broncos.

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Henry (knee) and McDermott (concussion) were listed as questionable by the Patriots on Friday. Henry turned in a limited practice on Friday after failing to participate in the sessions earlier in the week, while McDermott did not practice at all.

Henry, 29, recorded season-high totals in catches (seven) and receiving yards (66) in New England’s 27-17 setback to the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday. He also had a touchdown catch versus the Chiefs after finding the end zone on two occasions in the Patriots’ 21-18 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 7.

Henry has team-leading totals in catches (42) and touchdown receptions (six) to go along with 419 receiving yards in 14 games this season.

McDermott, 31, has played in six games (five starts) this season.

–Field Level Media

NFL Saturday 2023

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CINCINNATI – The first NFL Saturday schedule of 2023 starts with the Cincinnati Bengals hosting the Minnesota Vikings (1:00pm EST), but the two nightcaps promise to be playoff-deciding football, especially for the four participating teams, all (7-6) on the season or better.

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Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) at Indianapolis Colts (7-6): A wildcard intersection might become a postseason off-ramp for the loser of this game depending on how dominoes fall Sunday. The Colts lost for the first time since the end of October last week at Cincinnati and cracks are starting to appear in the run defense. Indianapolis has been hit for at least 125 rushing yards in six of the past seven games. Pittsburgh, what with a backup quarterback and milquetoast offense, is primed to deploy a ground-and-pound approach using a conservative running game to back the Steelers’ stout defense. Indianapolis won’t have top back Jonathan Taylor (thumb) again, but the combination of Gardner Minshew and WR Michael Pittman Jr. has been filthy. Pittman has at least eight receptions in six consecutive games.

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Denver Broncos (7-6) at Detroit Lions (9-4): Sean Payton brought the Broncos back from the brink of self-combustion by lending a stronger voice to defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. Denver has a string of eight consecutive games holding opponents to 22 or fewer points with 18 takeaways in the past seven games and 15 sacks in the past three. Lions coach Dan Campbell sees the dashboard warning lights, but believes the easy fix to most of what ails Detroit is the turnover battle. The return of safety CJ Gardner-Johnson should spark the secondary, but more consistent play from QB Jared Goff has been the focus for Campbell and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Goff threw two picks and was sacked four times in the Lions’ loss at Chicago last week.