Broncos Advance to AFC Championship but Lose Bo Nix to Season-Ending Injury.

The Denver Broncos earned their biggest postseason victory in more than a decade with a dramatic 33–30 overtime win against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday night. However, the celebration was tempered by devastating news that quarterback Bo Nix suffered a broken right ankle and will miss the remainder of the season following surgery scheduled for Tuesday. Denver head coach Sean Payton revealed the injury roughly an hour after Wil Lutz’s 23-yard field goal sealed the win and sent the top-seeded Broncos (15–3) to the AFC Championship Game. Nix was injured on a quarterback keeper late in overtime but remained in the game long enough to draw a critical pass-interference penalty and take the final kneel-down before the winning kick. “We celebrate the season for him,” Payton said. “This city’s ready, and we’ll be ready for the next challenge.” Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham will take over under center. Stidham has appeared in 20 NFL games across six seasons, starting four of them. Despite limited action this year, Payton expressed full confidence in him, calling Stidham capable of starting for multiple teams around the league. Nix’s performance capped a historic start to his career. He tied Russell Wilson’s NFL record with 24 wins in his first two seasons and secured his first playoff victory after Denver’s postseason loss in Buffalo a year ago. Notably, Nix made no mention of the injury during his postgame television interview and spoke optimistically about Denver’s home-field advantage.

The Broncos’ victory hinged on a decisive defensive stand in overtime. Nickel back Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted Josh Allen’s deep pass intended for Brandin Cooks at the Denver 20-yard line, denying Buffalo a potential game-winning field goal. Officials ruled that Cooks failed to complete the catch process, awarding possession to McMillian. Referee Carl Cheffers explained that the receiver lost control while going to the ground, allowing the defender to complete the catch. Cooks later acknowledged the ruling, stating he needed to ensure the outcome was not left to officials. Allen struggled uncharacteristically, committing four turnovers after entering the game without one in his previous six playoff appearances. His mistakes helped Denver build an early 23–10 lead. Although Allen rallied the Bills with two fourth-quarter touchdown passes, his emotional postgame comments reflected the sting of another missed Super Bowl opportunity. Denver surged late in the first half with 10 points in the final 22 seconds and capitalized on a strip-sack early in the third quarter. Former Bronco Matt Prater forced overtime with a 50-yard field goal as time expired, but Buffalo could not overcome its turnover troubles.

The Broncos now prepare to host their first AFC Championship Game in ten years, while the Bills face renewed questions about their inability to reach the Super Bowl during the Josh Allen era.