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Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix.
While NFL teams aren’t eligible for Golden Globes or Emmy Awards, if they were the Denver Broncos would be a lock for a Best Drama nomination.
The Broncos, who clinched the AFC West Division title in Week 17, are 13-3 headed into a Week 18 regular season finale at home against the Los Angeles Chargers in which they could clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC Playoffs.
They’ve gotten to this point by winning close games at an incredible clip — almost unlike any team in NFL history.
The Broncos clinched the AFC West title for the first time since 2015 when the Chargers lost to the Houston Texans in Week 17.
“The Broncos have won 11 one-score games this season, tying the NFL record for the most in a season — previously set by last year’s Chiefs and the 2022 Vikings,” The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov wrote on X.
Another incredible stat about the Broncos? All 11 of those one-score wins have come with the Broncos playing behind at some point — a 12th comeback against the Chargers in the regular season finale would set the NFL record.
“For the first time in 10 years, the Denver Broncos are the AFC West champs,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on X. “The Chargers’ loss to the Texans tonight clinched the division title for Denver.”
Broncos Reeled Off 11 Consecutive Wins
While the Broncos reeled off 11 consecutive wins before losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars at home in Week 16, their 13-3 record could very well be 15-1 — they were 1-2 to start the season with losses to the Chargers and Indianapolis Colts both coming on last-second field goals.
The Broncos can tie the franchise record with their 14th win, matching the 1998 Broncos’ 14-2 record as they won their second consecutive Super Bowl title. The NFL regular season didn’t expand to 17 games until 2021.
At the heart of the Broncos’ turnaround is a top-level defense and 2 key figures otherwise — head coach Sean Payton and quarterback Bo Nix.
Payton was obtained in an unusual trade with the New Orleans Saints before the 2023 season that saw Denver ship a first round pick to the Saints, where he was still under contract. Just over one year later, the Broncos selected Nix out of the University of Oregon with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft — the last of a record-setting 6 quarterbacks selected in the first round.
QB Bo Nix Making Elite Status Undeniable
Nix has already won more games — 23 — than any NFL quarterback in their first 2 seasons.
“It only took 2 years for Bo Nix to win the AFC West … FRANCHISE QB WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT,” Broncos fan High as Ty wrote on X.
“The NFL has done a poor job of giving Bo Nix the credit and recognition he deserves,” Mile High Huddle’s Chad Jensen wrote on X. “Nobody has done this before.”
Nix, for all his detractors, has continued to put up numbers on par with the best quarterbacks in NFL history early in their careers.
“Bo Nix becomes the 10th QB in NFL history to reach 7,500+ pass yards in their first 2 career season,” NFL Plus wrote on its official X account.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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