Locke played so well in relief of Jackson that Denver signed him to a two-year extension worth $7 million, and was penciled in as a starter in 2024. That coincided with the Broncos releasing Simmons, and signing Jones, the latter of whom Locke would go on to start next to for 15 games.

"We've gotta get better in, overall, at seeing and being consistent officiating those calls," Sean Payton said after the latest Riley Moss DPI flag.

After Denver clinched a playoff berth after a win over the Packers, Sean Payton delivered a blunt reminder about what still matters most.

The Broncos came out on top on Sunday as they took down the Packers to clinch a spot in the postseason for the second year in a row. In a back-and-forth game against one of their toughest opponents of the season, Denver earned a 34-26 win over Green Bay.

In the aftermath of the Broncos' most authoritative win yet -- a 34-26 shootout over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday -- this thread of shared faith in Sutton snaked from locker to locker, a near cult-hero-level appreciation for the 6-foot-4 bastion of this surging Denver roster.

Sean Payton brushed off “analytics” postgame, explaining why the Broncos stayed aggressive on key fourth downs and trusted Bo Nix.

Now that the Broncos have punched a ticket to the playoff party, coach Sean Payton isn't thinking about the playoffs — or preparing for them.

In a sign of how quickly fortunes can flip in the parity-filled NFL, Denver (12-2) now boasts one of the league's best defenses, a quarterback it believes in and an 11-game winning streak.

Bo Nix’s late-season surge reflects a growing balance between his natural playmaking ability and Sean Payton’s structured offense, a partnership that is reshaping the Broncos’ outlook as they push toward the postseason.