Woody Paige: The Dark Horse will prevail and Broncos will shock the Buffalo Bills on Sunday

By Woody Paige January 11, 2025 | updated 7 months ago

01_05_25 Den KC10008.jpg — Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) celebrates with fans after the win over the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver.The Broncos won 38-0 to reach the playoffs for the first time since they won Super Bowl 50. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)
Christian Murdock

In the 1830s a stranger traveled to small American towns with a team of pack horses. He would unbridle the mysteriously black stallion and enter it in a local race. The dark horse always won.

The Broncos are Dark Horses again on the road in the first round of the NFL playoffs.

Unlike the black stallion, they have lost all seven of the previous times.

However, Sunday’s game will be different.

Kickoff is at 11 a.m. Rocky Mountain Time, and it is time for the Rocky Mountains.

The Broncos will win over Buffalo 27-24. Niagara falls.

Sean Payton defeats Sean McDermott. Bo Nix beats the Bills defense, and the Broncos defense beats Josh Allen.

It is well to remember the seven setbacks in the first round I witnessed.

1978 in Pittsburgh: Half the field at Three Rivers Stadium was frozen, and the temperature was 30 degrees as the Broncos, reigning AFC champions, played the Steelers in successive seasons in the playoffs. The Orange Crush had defeated the Steel Curtain for its first postseason victory on Christmas Eve 1977. “Tell everybody here to enjoy this one,” quarterback Terry Bradshaw said to me afterward. “It will never be the same.” Bradshaw was back with practically the same cast of Steelers. Nine players and head coach Chuck Noll would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Broncos still had most of their starters, including quarterback Craig Morton, returning. But only one, Randy Gradishar, would get into the Hallowed Hall. The Steelers led 6-3 in the first quarter and only 19-10 after the third quarter, but they scored twice in the final 12 minutes on John Stallworth and Lynn Swann catches of 45 and 38 yards. Pittsburgh would win the Super Bowl.

1979 in Houston: The Broncos had the advantage 7-3 in the opening quarter against the Houston Oilers and shut down running back Earl Campbell (who finished with only 50 yards). But Dan Pastorini threw for a touchdown in the second quarter. The Broncos didn’t scratch an itch and succumbed 13-7.

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1983 in Seattle: Rookie John Elway started the final four games, but was demoted for the playoffs with the Seahawks as coach Dan Reeves oddly elevated journeyman Steve DeBerg. The teams were 7-7 at the first break, but the Steelers scored 24 more points and the Broncos, who brought in Elway when DeBerg struggled, were shut down 31-7.

1993 in Los Angeles: The wild-card Broncos under Wade Phillips in the first of only two seasons as head coach had to play their final regular-season game and playoff game in the L.A. Coliseum against the Raiders. The Broncos were squeezed 33-30 in the first and smothered in the second 42-24.

2000 in Baltimore: In the second year of the post-Elway era Brian Griese was the starting quarterback, but he missed five consecutive late-season games with an injury before he was in the starting lineup of a last-game blowout of the 49. Yet, because Griese was hurt again, backup Gus Frerotte started against the Ravens. The Broncos managed just one field goal while being outscored by their former tight end and future Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, who scored a decisive 58-yard touchdown in the second quarter. The Broncos lost 21-3.

2003 in Indianapolis: Colts quarterback Peyton Manning passed for five touchdowns and 377 yards in a 41-10 nolo contendere over Jake Plummer and the Broncos.

2004 in Indianapolis. Nolo contendere sequel. Manning passed for four touchdowns and 458 yards in the 49-24 debacle vs. Plummer and the Broncos.

In those seven first-round embarrassments the Broncos totaled only 86 points while surrendering 230.

Forget about then, though; this is now.

The Broncos avenge those early exits and the 1991 season AFC Championship 10-7 defeat in Buffalo when the Bills’ offense didn’t score a touchdown, but Elway was the victim of an 11-yard pick 6, then later left because of injury His replacement Gary Kubiak scored on a 4-yard dash, but Broncos kicker David Treadwell missed three field goals.

OROY candidate Nix will out-perform MVP contender Allen, The Man Who Coulda Been the Broncos Quarterback, because of the Bills’ leaky secondary. Nik Bonitto will out-sack Von Miller, and the Denver dynamite defense will intercept a pass and recover a fumble. Nix drives the Broncos in the waning moments, and Will Lutz kicks the triumphant field goal.

The Horse Force crosses from the dark side into the light.

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Woody Paige: The Dark Horse will prevail and Broncos will shock the Buffalo Bills on Sunday

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