Overview
- Head coach Sean Payton said Stidham will "rip it" as he steps in for his first appearance of the year, with Nix confirmed out for the season.
- Teammates and coaches publicly backed Stidham, who has four career regular-season starts and has not thrown a regular-season pass since 2023.
- Denver brings Pro Football Focus’ top pass-blocking grade and the NFL’s lowest sack rate allowed, a potential counter to the Patriots’ blitz-fueled pressure.
- The Broncos lead the league in sacks and pressure, meeting Drake Maye after a postseason in which his completion rate has dropped by over 13 points with 10 sacks and 2.5 giveaways per game.
- DraftKings lists Denver as roughly a 5.5-point home underdog, and the club is monitoring whether running back J.K. Dobbins can return from a foot injury.