Broncos defense must carry team again as backup QB Stidham set to start AFC championship game

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Denver's defense carried Peyton Manning across the finish line in Super Bowl 50 and Vance Joseph's bunch will almost certainly have to lead the way for the Broncos to get back to Levi's Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area for Super Bowl 60.

The Broncos (15-3) host the New England Patriots (16-3) in the AFC championship game Sunday with a journeyman backup QB making his first start in more than two years, a tattered receiving group and little ground game to speak of unless J.K. Dobbins somehow returns from a mid-November foot operation.

A person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that the Broncos are opening the practice window for Dobbins, whose injury was originally suspected to be season-ending, giving the Broncos a chance to get him back Sunday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team didn't announce the move.

Bo Nix broke his right ankle on Denver's game-winning drive in overtime as the Broncos wrestled their biggest win in a decade from Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills with a 33-30 thriller that sent both tears and barbs flowing in the Bills locker room.

Jarrett Stidham, who has appeared in 20 games in six NFL seasons, starting four and winning one, will step in for Nix, who's undergoing surgery Tuesday in Birmingham, Alabama. Save for the preseason, Stidham hasn't started a game — or even thrown a pass — in more than two years.

''He will be ready to go and ready for the moment,'' coach Sean Payton said.

Because Nix's injury wasn't announced until an hour after the game and the locker room had already closed, Monday provided the first chance for teammates to comment on Nix's injury and their quarterback situation.

All-Pro defensive lineman Zach Allen echoed those sentiments, saying, ''Bo is a huge part of us getting to this point so we feel terrible for him ... but we have full faith in Stiddy,'' whom he said shows up first every day and always tested the defense in practice, ''so we're excited to see what he does this week.''

As far as Dobbins' possible return, McGlinchey called him ''a huge energy piece for our team,'' and said, "It would be a great boost if he's healthy.''

Stidham almost certainly won't have two of the Broncos' best receivers after Troy Franklin pulled a hamstring and Pat Bryant suffered his second concussion in a month during the Broncos' first playoff victory since Super Bowl 50.

What's working

Denver's defense heeded Payton's edict ahead of the playoffs to produce more takeaways after the Broncos were minus-3 in turnover differential during the season despite an NFL-leading and franchise-record 68 sacks. They forced the Bills into five turnovers.

The Broncos' ground game was almost nonexistent against the Bills with Nix leading the way with 29 yards on a dozen carries. Jaleel McLaughlin had 21 yards on four rushes and rookie R.J. Harvey had 20 yards on six handoffs.

Stock up

OLB Nik Bonitto had a strip-sack and forced both of Allen's fumbles. He became just the third Denver defender to force multiple fumbles in a playoff game, joining LB Tom Jackson and OLB Von Miller. Safety and All-Pro special teams ace Devon Key recovered James Cooks' fumble, P.J. Locke saved a touchdown with an interception and Ja'Quan McMillian's interception when he wrested the ball from Brandin Cooks in overtime set up the Broncos' game-winning drive that ended with Wil Lutz's chip-shot field goal. Talanoa Hufanga and Malcolm Roach recovered Allen's fumbles that were forced by Bonitto.

Stock down

Denver's rushing attack — but Dobbins provides a glimmer of hope.

Bryant suffered his second concussion in a month. He had three catches for 32 yards on Denver's opening drive Saturday before leaving the game with the head injury. Franklin pulled a hamstring early in the game and had no targets.

Key stats

— 4 field goals by Lutz in four chances, tied for second most by a Broncos kicker in the team's playoff history, behind only Brandon McManus' five field goals against Pittsburgh following the 2015 season. Lutz also made all three of his extra points.

— 3 TD passes from Nix against the league's No. 1 pass defense tied John Elway and Manning for most touchdown throws in a Broncos playoff game. Elway did it three times and Manning did it against Baltimore following the 2012 season.

Next steps

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