Bo Nix’s broken ankle has to be one of the cruelest injuries in recent memory. Nix and the Broncos started hot in Saturday’s game against the Bills, went into a lull, then engineered go-ahead and game-winning drives in the fourth quarter and overtime in a terrific showing. Sean Payton showed trust in his young quarterback, and Nix delivered. Now, with Nix done for the season, it’ll be Jarrett Stidham, who hasn’t attempted a regular-season pass in two years and who has never played in a playoff game before. And at center, Denver could be down to its third-stringer, depending on the health of Alex Forsyth, who suffered an ankle injury of his own. I can’t wait for Payton to lay it on thick all week with the disrespect card, and I also can’t wait to see what kind of offensive plan he cooks up against a Patriots defense that has come to play in two postseason games so far. It might take a special effort by Denver’s defense, which has been very good all season, to beat Drake Maye, but it’s an assignment this unit can carry out on its best pass-rush day.
