Broncos Should Hold Their Heads Up High After Bitter Loss to Patriots

No one expected the Denver Broncos to make it this far. Before the season, most NFL talking heads had Denver missing the playoffs or making it as a Wildcard.

It was a magical season for the Broncos, but the supernatural element faded as injuries and Mother Nature took their toll. Despite all this team overcame, losing Bo Nix was too much, as the Broncos came up short in their 10-7 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game.

When the Broncos started the season 1-2, losing to the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Chargers, even some fans were ready to give up on the team. But the players, the coaches, and everyone with the organization were not. To them, the season was just getting started.

After a comeback victory after another, the Broncos rallied to 11 straight wins with some incredible comebacks. Pulling off the victory against the Philadelphia Eagles on the road, and then the New York Giants at home a few weeks later with that 33-point fourth quarter.

As injuries took their toll, the Broncos lost their starting running back, left guard, and center during the season. The receiving corps got banged up in the playoffs, and of course, Nix’s fractured ankle was the death knell.

Denver's depth was tested, and for the most part, this team answered the bell. Jarrett Stidham gave it his best shot with one week of first-team reps as preparation, but he came up short.

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The Roller Coaster Ride Comes to a Bitter End

Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) drops back to pass against the New England Patriots during the second half. — Jan 25, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) drops back to pass against the New England Patriots during the second half in the 2026 AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

There isn’t a more apt way of describing this season as a roller coaster for the Broncos. From play-to-play, series-to-series, game-to-game, the Broncos kept fans and analysts on the edge of their seats. The Mile High Magic was back, and it was being conjured by Nix, who silenced a lot of doubters about him, including this writer.

Even in the playoffs, the ups and downs kept coming. The roller coaster held true in the divisional round against the Buffalo Bills, a game the Broncos won in overtime. The down-to-the-wire element of this season also played out in the final minutes of the AFC championship game.

It's unfortunate that it ended the way it did, but it was still a successful season for the Broncos.

Broncos Country, don’t forget that, before the 2024 season, Denver was a favorite to finish with a top-five pick. They made the playoffs as a Wildcard team and proved many people wrong.

At the start of this season, even as they talked Super Bowl internally, the media and analysts forecasted the Broncos as a Wildcard or missing the playoffs, and some even had them as a bottom-10team. Denver had the best record in the AFC and won the division.

There is no reason for the Broncos to hang their heads low after this one. It isn’t a Super Bowl berth, but the Broncos took enormous steps this season.

Alas, they couldn’t overcome certain elements against the Patriots, but they kept the game close on the back of some great defensive play.

The Broncos went down playing Broncos football to the end, for better or worse. Now we turn our attention to the draft and get ready for a run next year.

There's a lot the Broncos can build on from this season, on both sides of the ball. You can learn a lot from a loss, and hopefully Sean Payton and the players, as well as other coaches who will still be in Denver next year, have learned what they can.

It's time to get to work for the 2026 NFL season.

The Roller Coaster Ride Comes to a Bitter End

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